Big 12 Conference Commissioner Calls Notre Dame Remarks After CFP Snub as ‘Completely Out of Bounds’
At a public rebuke, Brett Yormark asserted that Notre Dame AD, Pete Bevacqua, was “completely out of bounds” for his comments targeting the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
The Source of the Tension
Notre Dame has a gridiron scheduling agreement with the ACC and is a participating member in all other sports. The AD has argued that the ACC hurt Notre Dame’s opportunities to enter the College Football Playoff, instead choosing to pushing for the inclusion of the University of Miami.
“They do wonderful things for Notre Dame, but we bring substantial football value to the ACC, and we didn’t understand why you would make an effort to try to damage us in this selection,” the athletic director remarked.
The Hurricanes ultimately received the CFP invitation over Notre Dame, largely due to securing the head-to-head matchup between the two schools. Bevacqua additionally stated that the ACC engaged in a targeted social media campaign over several weeks showing its preference for Miami.
A Strong Response
Later 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,” the commissioner said. “He is completely out of bounds in his tactics and if he was in the same room, I’d say to him the same thing.”
This public pushback is especially notable given Bevacqua’s special position. He sits on the College Football Playoff Management Committee alongside the ten FBS conference commissioners, advocating for the concerns of football independent Notre Dame.
Past Context and Future Moves
The commissioner also highlighted the assistance the ACC provided 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 going after the ACC commissioner, when they saved Notre Dame during Covid...”
Talk had circulated about Notre Dame possibly splitting with the ACC and aligning with the Big 12. Yet, the commissioner's strong comments on Tuesday appear to make such a move less likely in the immediate future.
The Irish, who made the CFP final last season, have indicated they are declining a postseason invitation after missing out this season.
