Big 12 Commissioner Labels Notre Dame Comments Following CFP Snub as ‘Totally Out of Bounds’
In a notable rebuke, Big 12 chief stated that Notre Dame athletic director, Pete Bevacqua, was “totally out of bounds” for public remarks about the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
The Source of the Dispute
Notre Dame has a gridiron scheduling agreement with the ACC and is a full member in other sports. Bevacqua has argued that the ACC actively damaged Notre Dame’s opportunities to qualify for the College Football Playoff, instead choosing to campaigning for the spot of the University of Miami.
“They does great things for Notre Dame, but we offer 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 selection,” the athletic director remarked.
Miami ultimately received the CFP invitation over Notre Dame, mostly due to securing the head-to-head contest between the two programs. Bevacqua additionally stated that the ACC ran a targeted social media campaign over several weeks indicating its support for Miami.
An Egregious Reaction
Subsequently on Tuesday, the Big 12 commissioner addressed the criticism at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum.
“I think his actions has been unacceptable,” Yormark commented. “He is completely out of bounds in his method and if he was in the same room, I’d tell him the same thing.”
The pushback is particularly significant given Bevacqua’s special role. He sits on the College Football Playoff Management Committee with the ten FBS conference commissioners, representing the concerns of football independent Notre Dame.
Past Support and Future Moves
Yormark further highlighted the lifeline the ACC offered Notre Dame during the pandemic-disrupted 2020 season, giving the Irish a full conference schedule and a berth in its title game.
“His behavior has been unacceptable,” Yormark said again. “It’s been unacceptable attacking Jim Phillips, when they rescued Notre Dame during Covid...”
Speculation had spread about Notre Dame potentially leaving the ACC and partnering with the Big 12. Yet, Yormark's pointed comments on Tuesday appear to make such a scenario highly improbable in the near term.
The Irish, who reached the CFP final last season, have announced they will decline a bowl game after missing out this year.
