Big 12 Chief Labels Notre Dame Remarks Following CFP Omission as ‘Totally Out of Bounds’
At a notable criticism, Big 12 chief asserted that Notre Dame AD, Pete Bevacqua, was “completely out of bounds” for public criticisms concerning 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 other sports. Bevacqua has argued that the ACC harmed Notre Dame’s chances to enter the College Football Playoff, instead advocating for the inclusion of the University of Miami.
“The ACC does wonderful things for Notre Dame, but we provide tremendous 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 process,” the athletic director remarked.
The Hurricanes ultimately received the CFP spot over Notre Dame, largely due to winning the head-to-head meeting between the two programs. Notre Dame's AD additionally stated that the ACC engaged in a targeted social media campaign over several weeks demonstrating its preference for Miami.
A Strong Reaction
Later on Tuesday, Yormark responded to the comments at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum.
“In my view his conduct has been out of line,” 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 criticism is especially striking given Bevacqua’s prominent position. He sits on the College Football Playoff Management Committee alongside the ten FBS conference commissioners, representing the concerns of independent Notre Dame.
Historical Support and Speculative Moves
Yormark also highlighted the support the ACC offered Notre Dame during the pandemic-disrupted 2020 season, providing the Irish a full conference schedule and a berth in its championship game.
“His behavior has been unacceptable,” he reiterated. “It’s been egregious going after Jim Phillips, when they rescued Notre Dame during Covid...”
Speculation had circulated about Notre Dame potentially leaving the ACC and aligning with the Big 12. However, Yormark's strong comments on Tuesday seem to make such a partnership highly improbable in the near term.
Notre Dame, who reached the CFP championship game last season, have indicated they plan to decline a postseason invitation after failing to qualify this season.
