Big 12 Chief Labels Notre Dame Remarks After CFP Omission as ‘Totally Out of Bounds’
In a public rebuke, Big 12 chief stated that Notre Dame athletic director, Pete Bevacqua, was “entirely out of bounds” for his remarks targeting the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
Root of the Tension
The Fighting Irish has a football scheduling alliance with the ACC and is a participating member in other sports. Bevacqua has argued that the ACC actively damaged Notre Dame’s bid to enter the College Football Playoff, instead choosing to advocating for the spot of the University of Miami.
“The ACC does great things for Notre Dame, but we bring tremendous football value to the ACC, and we didn’t understand why you would make an effort to try to damage us in this procedure,” the athletic director remarked.
The Hurricanes ultimately earned the CFP berth over Notre Dame, mostly due to securing the head-to-head meeting between the two schools. Notre Dame's AD further alleged that the ACC conducted a targeted social media effort over several weeks indicating its support for Miami.
A Strong Rebuke
Subsequently on Tuesday, the Big 12 commissioner spoke about the comments at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum.
“My opinion is that his actions has been out of line,” Yormark stated. “He is totally out of bounds in his tactics and if he was in the same room, I’d tell him the same thing.”
This public response is especially striking given Bevacqua’s prominent position. He serves on the College Football Playoff Management Committee with the ten FBS conference commissioners, advocating for the concerns of football independent Notre Dame.
Past Context and Future Rumors
The commissioner further remarked the assistance the ACC offered Notre Dame in the pandemic-disrupted 2020 season, providing the Irish a full ACC schedule and a berth in its title game.
“It has been egregious,” Yormark said again. “It’s been egregious attacking the ACC commissioner, when they rescued Notre Dame during Covid...”
Speculation had circulated about Notre Dame potentially splitting with the ACC and aligning with the Big 12. However, Yormark's pointed reprimand on Tuesday appear to make such a partnership unlikely in the immediate future.
Notre Dame, who made the CFP championship game last season, have indicated they are declining a postseason invitation after missing out this season.
