Big 12 Conference Chief Labels Notre Dame Remarks After CFP Snub as ‘Totally Out of Bounds’
In a strong statement, Big 12 chief asserted 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 has 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 opportunities to make the College Football Playoff, instead pushing for the spot of the University of Miami.
“The ACC do great things for Notre Dame, but we provide tremendous football value to the ACC, and we didn’t understand why you would make an effort to try to damage us in this process,” Bevacqua said.
The Hurricanes ultimately earned the CFP spot over Notre Dame, mostly due to winning the direct matchup between the two teams. Bevacqua also claimed that the ACC conducted a coordinated social media campaign over several weeks demonstrating its preference for Miami.
An Egregious Reaction
Later on Tuesday, the Big 12 commissioner addressed 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 tactics and if he was in the room, I’d tell him the same thing.”
This public response is particularly significant given Bevacqua’s prominent role. He serves on the College Football Playoff Management Committee with the ten FBS conference commissioners, representing the concerns of independent Notre Dame.
Historical Context and Speculative Rumors
Yormark also highlighted the support the ACC gave Notre Dame during the Covid-affected 2020 season, giving the Irish a full ACC schedule and a berth in its championship game.
“It has been egregious,” Yormark said again. “It’s been unacceptable criticizing the ACC commissioner, when they saved Notre Dame during Covid...”
Speculation had spread about Notre Dame possibly splitting with the ACC and aligning with the Big 12. However, Yormark's pointed comments on Tuesday appear to make such a partnership unlikely in the immediate future.
Notre Dame, who reached the CFP final last season, have indicated they plan to decline a postseason invitation after missing out this season.
