Big 12 Commissioner Calls Notre Dame Comments Following CFP Snub as ‘Completely Out of Bounds’
At a notable rebuke, Brett Yormark stated that Notre Dame's AD, Pete Bevacqua, was “entirely out of bounds” for public remarks concerning the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
The Source of the Controversy
Notre Dame maintains a gridiron scheduling agreement with the ACC and is a participating member in other sports. The AD has argued that the ACC actively damaged Notre Dame’s opportunities to make the College Football Playoff, instead advocating for the selection of the University of Miami.
“They do great things for Notre Dame, but we offer tremendous football value to the ACC, and we couldn't comprehend why you would make an effort to try to undermine us in this process,” Bevacqua said.
The Hurricanes eventually earned the CFP invitation over Notre Dame, primarily due to winning the head-to-head meeting between the two schools. Notre Dame's AD also claimed that the ACC conducted a coordinated social media campaign over multiple weeks indicating its preference for Miami.
An Egregious Response
Subsequently on Tuesday, Yormark spoke about the comments at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum.
“I think his conduct has been out of line,” Yormark stated. “He is completely out of bounds in his tactics and if he was in the room, I’d say to him the same thing.”
This public pushback is especially significant given Bevacqua’s special role. He serves on the College Football Playoff Management Committee alongside the ten FBS conference commissioners, advocating for the concerns of independent Notre Dame.
Past Support and Future Moves
The commissioner further remarked the lifeline the ACC provided Notre Dame in the Covid-affected 2020 season, giving the Irish a complete conference schedule and a place in its championship game.
“It has been egregious,” he said again. “It’s been unacceptable going after Jim Phillips, when they saved Notre Dame during Covid...”
Rumors had circulated about Notre Dame possibly splitting with the ACC and partnering with the Big 12. However, Yormark's strong comments on Tuesday appear to make such a move less likely in the near term.
The Irish, who made the CFP final last season, have indicated they will decline a bowl game after missing out this year.
