Big 12 Conference Commissioner Calls Notre Dame Remarks After CFP Snub as ‘Completely Out of Bounds’
At a public rebuke, Brett Yormark stated that Notre Dame AD, Pete Bevacqua, was “completely out of bounds” for public remarks about the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
The Source of the Tension
The Fighting Irish has a gridiron scheduling agreement with the ACC and is a full member in other sports. Bevacqua has claimed that the ACC actively damaged Notre Dame’s bid to qualify for the College Football Playoff, instead campaigning for the inclusion of the University of Miami.
“The ACC does great things for Notre Dame, but we bring tremendous football value to the ACC, and we couldn't comprehend why you would make an effort to try to hurt us in this selection,” the athletic director stated.
Miami ultimately secured the CFP spot over Notre Dame, largely due to securing the direct meeting between the two programs. Bevacqua further alleged that the ACC conducted a targeted social media push over multiple weeks indicating its preference for Miami.
A Strong Rebuke
Later on Tuesday, Yormark responded to the allegations at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum.
“My opinion is that his actions has been unacceptable,” Yormark said. “He is totally out of bounds in his approach and if he was in the room, I’d tell him the same thing.”
The response is especially notable given Bevacqua’s prominent role. He sits on the College Football Playoff Management Committee with the ten FBS conference commissioners, advocating for the concerns of football independent Notre Dame.
Historical Context and Speculative Rumors
Yormark further highlighted the support the ACC gave Notre Dame in the pandemic-disrupted 2020 season, giving the Irish a complete ACC schedule and a place in its title game.
“His behavior has been egregious,” he said again. “It’s been unacceptable attacking the ACC commissioner, when they helped Notre Dame during Covid...”
Rumors had circulated about Notre Dame possibly leaving the ACC and aligning with the Big 12. Yet, the commissioner's public comments on Tuesday seem to make such a move highly improbable in the near term.
The Irish, who reached the CFP championship game last season, have indicated they are declining a bowl game after missing out this season.
