Big 12 Conference Chief Calls Notre Dame Comments Following CFP Omission as ‘Totally Out of Bounds’
During a strong rebuke, Big 12 chief stated that Notre Dame AD, Pete Bevacqua, was “entirely out of bounds” for public remarks targeting the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
The Source of the Controversy
Notre Dame maintains a gridiron scheduling agreement with the ACC and is a full member in all other sports. The AD has argued that the ACC actively damaged Notre Dame’s chances to enter the College Football Playoff, instead choosing to campaigning for the inclusion of the University of Miami.
“They do great things for Notre Dame, but we provide substantial football value to the ACC, and we couldn't comprehend why you would make an effort to try to damage us in this selection,” the athletic director remarked.
The Hurricanes eventually received the CFP invitation over Notre Dame, largely due to winning the direct meeting between the two schools. Bevacqua additionally stated that the ACC ran a coordinated social media campaign over multiple weeks showing its support for Miami.
An Egregious Reaction
Subsequently on Tuesday, the Big 12 commissioner spoke about the allegations at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum.
“In my view his conduct has been out of line,” the commissioner commented. “He is totally out of bounds in his tactics and if he was in the room, I’d say to him the same thing.”
The criticism is especially significant given Bevacqua’s unique position. He serves on the College Football Playoff Management Committee with the ten FBS conference commissioners, advocating for the concerns of independent Notre Dame.
Historical Context and Future Moves
Yormark further highlighted the assistance the ACC offered Notre Dame in the pandemic-disrupted 2020 season, giving the Irish a complete ACC schedule and a place in its championship game.
“His behavior has been unacceptable,” Yormark reiterated. “It’s been egregious criticizing Jim Phillips, when they saved Notre Dame during Covid...”
Rumors had circulated about Notre Dame potentially leaving the ACC and aligning with the Big 12. Yet, Yormark's public comments on Tuesday seem to make such a scenario unlikely in the near term.
Notre Dame, who reached the CFP final last season, have announced they plan to decline a bowl game after failing to qualify this year.
