Big 12 Chief Labels Notre Dame Remarks After CFP Omission as ‘Completely Out of Bounds’
In a notable criticism, Big 12 chief asserted that Notre Dame's AD, Pete Bevacqua, was “entirely out of bounds” for public comments concerning the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
Root of the Tension
The Fighting Irish has a gridiron scheduling agreement with the ACC and is a full member in other sports. The AD has contended that the ACC actively damaged Notre Dame’s opportunities to enter the College Football Playoff, instead pushing for the selection of the University of Miami.
“The ACC does wonderful things for Notre Dame, but we provide tremendous 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 process,” the athletic director remarked.
Miami eventually received the CFP spot over Notre Dame, mostly due to winning the head-to-head contest between the two schools. Notre Dame's AD additionally stated that the ACC conducted a targeted social media effort over several weeks indicating its preference for Miami.
A Strong Reaction
Subsequently on Tuesday, the Big 12 commissioner responded to the comments at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum.
“My opinion is that his actions has been out of line,” Yormark said. “He is totally out of bounds in his tactics and if he was in the same room, I’d say to him the same thing.”
This public pushback is especially significant given Bevacqua’s special position. He serves on the College Football Playoff Management Committee with the ten FBS conference commissioners, advocating for the interests of independent Notre Dame.
Past Support and Future Moves
The commissioner further highlighted the support the ACC offered Notre Dame during the pandemic-disrupted 2020 season, giving the Irish a complete ACC schedule and a berth in its championship game.
“His behavior has been unacceptable,” Yormark said again. “It’s been unacceptable going after the ACC commissioner, when they saved Notre Dame during Covid...”
Rumors had circulated about Notre Dame possibly leaving the ACC and partnering with the Big 12. Yet, Yormark's strong reprimand on Tuesday appear to make such a move highly improbable in the immediate future.
Notre Dame, who made the CFP championship game last season, have stated they are declining a bowl game after missing out this year.
