Big 12 Conference Commissioner Calls Notre Dame Comments Following CFP Omission as ‘Completely Out of Bounds’
At a public rebuke, Big 12 Conference commissioner stated that Notre Dame's athletic director, Pete Bevacqua, was “completely out of bounds” for recent remarks concerning the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
Root of the Controversy
The Fighting Irish has a gridiron scheduling agreement with the ACC and is a full member in other sports. The AD has argued that the ACC hurt Notre Dame’s bid to qualify for the College Football Playoff, instead pushing for the inclusion of the University of Miami.
“They does great things for Notre Dame, but we provide substantial football value to the ACC, and we couldn't comprehend why you would go out of your way to try to undermine us in this procedure,” the athletic director said.
The Hurricanes eventually secured the CFP spot over Notre Dame, mostly due to winning the direct matchup between the two programs. Notre Dame's AD also claimed that the ACC conducted a coordinated social media effort over multiple weeks demonstrating its support for Miami.
An Egregious Rebuke
Subsequently on Tuesday, Yormark responded to the criticism at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum.
“My opinion is that his behavior has been out of line,” the commissioner stated. “He is completely out of bounds in his tactics and if he was in the same room, I’d tell him the same thing.”
The response is particularly significant given Bevacqua’s unique role. 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 Context and Speculative Rumors
The commissioner further highlighted the support the ACC provided Notre Dame in the pandemic-disrupted 2020 season, giving the Irish a complete conference schedule and a place in its title game.
“His behavior has been unacceptable,” he said again. “It’s been unacceptable attacking Jim Phillips, when they helped Notre Dame during Covid...”
Talk had spread about Notre Dame potentially leaving the ACC and aligning with the Big 12. However, the commissioner's pointed comments on Tuesday appear to make such a scenario unlikely in the immediate future.
The Irish, who made the CFP final last season, have indicated they are declining a postseason invitation after failing to qualify this year.
