Big 12 Conference Commissioner Labels Notre Dame Comments After CFP Snub as ‘Completely Out of Bounds’
At a notable statement, Brett Yormark declared that Notre Dame athletic director, Pete Bevacqua, was “entirely out of bounds” for his remarks targeting the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
Root of the Dispute
Notre Dame has a football scheduling alliance with the ACC and is a participating member in other sports. Bevacqua has argued that the ACC harmed Notre Dame’s chances to enter the College Football Playoff, instead choosing to campaigning for the selection of the University of Miami.
“They does wonderful things for Notre Dame, but we bring significant football value to the ACC, and we didn’t understand why you would make an effort to try to undermine us in this process,” Bevacqua said.
The Hurricanes eventually earned the CFP spot over Notre Dame, mostly due to winning the direct meeting between the two teams. Notre Dame's AD additionally stated that the ACC engaged in a targeted social media campaign over several weeks demonstrating its preference for Miami.
A Strong Rebuke
Subsequently on Tuesday, Yormark spoke about the criticism at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum.
“My opinion is that his conduct has been out of line,” Yormark said. “He is completely out of bounds in his tactics and if he was in the room, I’d tell him the same thing.”
The response is particularly notable given Bevacqua’s unique position. He sits on the College Football Playoff Management Committee with the ten FBS conference commissioners, advocating for the interests of football independent Notre Dame.
Past Support and Speculative Moves
Yormark further pointed out the lifeline the ACC offered Notre Dame during the Covid-affected 2020 season, providing the Irish a complete conference schedule and a place in its championship game.
“It has been egregious,” Yormark reiterated. “It’s been unacceptable going after the ACC commissioner, when they helped Notre Dame during Covid...”
Rumors had circulated about Notre Dame possibly splitting with the ACC and aligning with the Big 12. Yet, the commissioner's strong reprimand on Tuesday appear to make such a partnership unlikely in the near term.
The Irish, who made the CFP championship game last season, have indicated they are declining a postseason invitation after missing out this year.
