Big 12 Commissioner Calls Notre Dame Remarks Following CFP Snub 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 his remarks concerning the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
The Source of the Tension
Notre Dame has a football scheduling alliance with the ACC and is a participating member in other sports. Bevacqua has argued that the ACC harmed Notre Dame’s bid to make the College Football Playoff, instead campaigning for the spot of the University of Miami.
“The ACC do wonderful things for Notre Dame, but we bring substantial football value to the ACC, and we didn’t understand why you would go out of your way to try to hurt us in this selection,” the athletic director remarked.
The Hurricanes eventually secured the CFP spot over Notre Dame, largely due to securing the direct meeting between the two programs. Bevacqua further alleged that the ACC engaged in a coordinated social media effort over several weeks indicating its support for Miami.
A Strong Rebuke
Subsequently on Tuesday, the Big 12 commissioner addressed the allegations at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum.
“My opinion is that his actions has been egregious,” Yormark stated. “He is totally out of bounds in his approach and if he was in the same room, I’d say to 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 interests of football independent Notre Dame.
Past Context and Speculative Rumors
The commissioner further highlighted the support the ACC offered Notre Dame in the pandemic-disrupted 2020 season, providing the Irish a full conference schedule and a berth in its championship game.
“His behavior has been egregious,” Yormark reiterated. “It’s been unacceptable criticizing Jim Phillips, when they saved Notre Dame during Covid...”
Talk had circulated about Notre Dame potentially splitting with the ACC and partnering with the Big 12. Yet, the commissioner's pointed comments on Tuesday seem to make such a partnership highly improbable in the near term.
The Irish, who made the CFP final last season, have announced they plan to decline a bowl game after missing out this season.
