Big 12 Conference Commissioner Calls Notre Dame Comments After CFP Snub as ‘Completely Out of Bounds’
At a strong rebuke, Big 12 Conference commissioner stated that Notre Dame athletic director, Pete Bevacqua, was “entirely out of bounds” for recent comments targeting the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
The Source of the Dispute
Notre Dame maintains a football scheduling alliance with the ACC and is a participating member in other sports. The AD has contended that the ACC hurt Notre Dame’s bid to qualify for the College Football Playoff, instead campaigning for the inclusion of the University of Miami.
“They does great things for Notre Dame, but we provide significant 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 stated.
Miami eventually secured the CFP invitation over Notre Dame, largely due to securing the direct matchup between the two programs. Notre Dame's AD also claimed that the ACC conducted a targeted social media campaign over multiple weeks indicating its support for Miami.
A Strong Reaction
Subsequently on Tuesday, Yormark spoke about the allegations at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum.
“In my view his conduct has been egregious,” Yormark said. “He is totally out of bounds in his method and if he was in the room, I’d say to him the same thing.”
This public criticism is particularly striking given Bevacqua’s prominent position. He serves on the College Football Playoff Management Committee alongside the ten FBS conference commissioners, advocating for the concerns of independent Notre Dame.
Historical Support and Future Rumors
Yormark also pointed out the lifeline the ACC gave Notre Dame in the pandemic-disrupted 2020 season, providing the Irish a complete conference schedule and a place in its championship game.
“It has been unacceptable,” he reiterated. “It’s been egregious attacking the ACC commissioner, when they rescued Notre Dame during Covid...”
Rumors had spread about Notre Dame potentially splitting with the ACC and partnering with the Big 12. However, Yormark's public comments on Tuesday seem to make such a partnership unlikely in the immediate future.
Notre Dame, who reached the CFP final last season, have stated they plan to decline a postseason invitation after failing to qualify this season.
