Big 12 Conference Commissioner Labels Notre Dame Remarks Following CFP Omission as ‘Completely Out of Bounds’
In a notable statement, Big 12 chief stated that Notre Dame athletic director, Pete Bevacqua, was “completely out of bounds” for public comments concerning the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
Root of the Dispute
The Fighting Irish maintains a gridiron scheduling agreement with the ACC and is a participating member in other sports. The AD has argued that the ACC harmed Notre Dame’s bid to qualify for the College Football Playoff, instead advocating for the spot of the University of Miami.
“The ACC does wonderful things for Notre Dame, but we provide significant football value to the ACC, and we didn’t understand why you would go out of your way to try to undermine us in this process,” the athletic director said.
Miami ultimately received the CFP spot over Notre Dame, primarily due to winning the head-to-head matchup between the two teams. Bevacqua further alleged that the ACC conducted a coordinated social media push over several weeks demonstrating its preference for Miami.
A Strong Reaction
Later on Tuesday, the Big 12 commissioner spoke about the allegations at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum.
“I think his actions has been unacceptable,” the commissioner stated. “He is completely out of bounds in his method and if he was in the same room, I’d say to him the same thing.”
The response is particularly notable given Bevacqua’s prominent role. He serves on the College Football Playoff Management Committee alongside the ten FBS conference commissioners, representing the interests of independent Notre Dame.
Historical Support and Future Rumors
The commissioner also pointed out the lifeline the ACC gave Notre Dame in the pandemic-disrupted 2020 season, giving the Irish a complete conference schedule and a berth in its title game.
“It has been egregious,” he reiterated. “It’s been egregious attacking the ACC commissioner, when they helped Notre Dame during Covid...”
Rumors had circulated about Notre Dame potentially splitting with the ACC and aligning with the Big 12. However, Yormark's strong comments on Tuesday appear to make such a scenario unlikely in the immediate future.
The Irish, who reached the CFP final last season, have announced they plan to decline a bowl game after failing to qualify this season.
