Big 12 Conference Chief Labels Notre Dame Remarks After CFP Omission as ‘Completely Out of Bounds’
At a notable rebuke, Big 12 chief declared that Notre Dame's AD, Pete Bevacqua, was “completely out of bounds” for recent remarks targeting the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
The Source of the Tension
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 harmed Notre Dame’s chances to make the College Football Playoff, instead choosing to campaigning for the spot of the University of Miami.
“The ACC do wonderful things for Notre Dame, but we bring 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,” Bevacqua said.
Miami eventually received the CFP berth over Notre Dame, primarily due to winning the head-to-head contest between the two schools. Bevacqua further alleged that the ACC engaged in a targeted social media effort over several weeks showing its preference for Miami.
A Strong Response
Later on Tuesday, the Big 12 commissioner spoke about the comments at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum.
“I think his behavior has been egregious,” Yormark said. “He is totally 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 striking given Bevacqua’s special standing. He serves on the College Football Playoff Management Committee with the ten FBS conference commissioners, advocating for the concerns of football independent Notre Dame.
Historical Context and Speculative Moves
Yormark further pointed out the lifeline the ACC provided Notre Dame during the pandemic-disrupted 2020 season, giving the Irish a full conference schedule and a place in its championship game.
“His behavior has been egregious,” he said again. “It’s been egregious attacking the ACC commissioner, when they rescued Notre Dame during Covid...”
Speculation had spread about Notre Dame potentially splitting with the ACC and aligning with the Big 12. Yet, Yormark's public reprimand on Tuesday seem to make such a scenario less likely in the immediate future.
Notre Dame, who made the CFP final last season, have announced they are declining a bowl game after missing out this season.