Big 12 Commissioner Calls Notre Dame Comments After CFP Omission as ‘Totally Out of Bounds’
In a public rebuke, Brett Yormark stated that Notre Dame's athletic director, Pete Bevacqua, was “completely out of bounds” for his criticisms about the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
The Source of the Tension
Notre Dame has a gridiron scheduling agreement with the ACC and is a full member in other sports. Bevacqua has argued that the ACC actively damaged Notre Dame’s chances to qualify for the College Football Playoff, instead choosing to pushing for the inclusion of the University of Miami.
“They does great things for Notre Dame, but we offer significant football value to the ACC, and we couldn't comprehend why you would make an effort to try to undermine us in this selection,” the athletic director stated.
Miami eventually received the CFP spot over Notre Dame, primarily due to securing the head-to-head matchup between the two programs. Bevacqua further alleged that the ACC conducted a coordinated social media push over several weeks showing its support for Miami.
A Strong Response
Later on Tuesday, Yormark responded to the criticism at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum.
“I think his actions has been unacceptable,” the commissioner said. “He is completely out of bounds in his approach and if he was in the same room, I’d tell him the same thing.”
This public pushback is especially striking given Bevacqua’s prominent position. He sits on the College Football Playoff Management Committee alongside the ten FBS conference commissioners, representing the concerns of football independent Notre Dame.
Past Support and Future Moves
The commissioner also pointed out the lifeline the ACC offered Notre Dame in the Covid-affected 2020 season, giving the Irish a complete conference schedule and a place in its title game.
“His behavior has been egregious,” Yormark said again. “It’s been egregious going after Jim Phillips, when they saved Notre Dame during Covid...”
Talk had spread about Notre Dame potentially leaving the ACC and aligning with the Big 12. However, the commissioner's strong reprimand on Tuesday seem to make such a scenario less likely in the immediate future.
The Irish, who reached the CFP final last season, have indicated they plan to decline a bowl game after failing to qualify this year.
