Big 12 Commissioner Labels Notre Dame Remarks Following CFP Omission as ‘Totally Out of Bounds’
During a public rebuke, Big 12 chief stated that Notre Dame's athletic director, Pete Bevacqua, was “completely out of bounds” for public remarks concerning the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
The Source of the Dispute
Notre Dame maintains a gridiron scheduling agreement with the ACC and is a full member in other sports. Bevacqua has contended that the ACC hurt Notre Dame’s opportunities to make the College Football Playoff, instead advocating for the spot of the University of Miami.
“They does wonderful things for Notre Dame, but we bring tremendous football value to the ACC, and we couldn't comprehend why you would go out of your way to try to hurt us in this procedure,” Bevacqua stated.
Miami eventually received the CFP invitation over Notre Dame, largely due to securing the head-to-head meeting between the two teams. Bevacqua further alleged that the ACC engaged in a targeted social media push over several weeks indicating its preference for Miami.
A Strong Reaction
Subsequently on Tuesday, the Big 12 commissioner addressed the allegations at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum.
“In my view his actions has been out of line,” Yormark said. “He is totally out of bounds in his tactics and if he was in the room, I’d tell him the same thing.”
The response is particularly striking given Bevacqua’s unique position. He serves on the College Football Playoff Management Committee alongside the ten FBS conference commissioners, representing the concerns of football independent Notre Dame.
Past Support and Speculative Moves
The commissioner also highlighted the assistance the ACC offered Notre Dame during the pandemic-disrupted 2020 season, giving the Irish a full ACC schedule and a place in its championship game.
“His behavior has been egregious,” he said again. “It’s been egregious criticizing Jim Phillips, when they saved Notre Dame during Covid...”
Rumors had spread about Notre Dame possibly splitting with the ACC and partnering with the Big 12. Yet, Yormark's public comments on Tuesday appear to make such a partnership highly improbable in the near term.
The Irish, who made the CFP final last season, have announced they are declining a bowl game after failing to qualify this season.
