Big 12 Commissioner Calls Notre Dame Remarks After CFP Omission as ‘Totally Out of Bounds’
At a notable rebuke, Brett Yormark stated that Notre Dame athletic director, Pete Bevacqua, was “totally out of bounds” for public criticisms about the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
The Source of the Controversy
The Fighting Irish has a gridiron scheduling agreement with the ACC and is a full member in other sports. The AD has claimed that the ACC harmed Notre Dame’s chances to make the College Football Playoff, instead choosing to pushing for the selection of the University of Miami.
“The ACC do great things for Notre Dame, but we bring tremendous football value to the ACC, and we couldn't comprehend why you would go out of your way to try to damage us in this selection,” Bevacqua remarked.
The Hurricanes eventually earned the CFP berth over Notre Dame, largely due to securing the direct meeting between the two teams. Bevacqua further alleged that the ACC ran a targeted social media campaign over multiple weeks indicating its preference for Miami.
A Strong Response
Subsequently on Tuesday, the Big 12 commissioner spoke about the criticism at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum.
“In my view his behavior has been unacceptable,” Yormark commented. “He is completely out of bounds in his method and if he was in the room, I’d tell him the same thing.”
The pushback is especially striking given Bevacqua’s unique standing. He sits on the College Football Playoff Management Committee with the ten FBS conference commissioners, representing the concerns of football independent Notre Dame.
Historical Context and Future Moves
Yormark also highlighted the assistance the ACC offered Notre Dame during the Covid-affected 2020 season, providing the Irish a full ACC schedule and a place in its championship game.
“It has been egregious,” he reiterated. “It’s been unacceptable attacking the ACC commissioner, when they rescued Notre Dame during Covid...”
Rumors had spread about Notre Dame potentially leaving the ACC and partnering with the Big 12. Yet, Yormark's public comments on Tuesday seem to make such a scenario highly improbable in the immediate future.
The Irish, who reached the CFP final last season, have stated they will decline a postseason invitation after failing to qualify this year.
