Big 12 Commissioner Calls Notre Dame Comments After CFP Snub as ‘Completely Out of Bounds’
During a notable criticism, Big 12 Conference commissioner asserted that Notre Dame's athletic director, Pete Bevacqua, was “entirely out of bounds” for public criticisms concerning the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
The Source of the Controversy
The Fighting Irish has a gridiron scheduling agreement with the ACC and is a participating member in all other sports. Bevacqua has claimed that the ACC hurt Notre Dame’s opportunities to qualify for the College Football Playoff, instead choosing to pushing for the inclusion of the University of Miami.
“They does wonderful 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 undermine us in this process,” the athletic director said.
The Hurricanes ultimately earned the CFP berth over Notre Dame, mostly due to winning the head-to-head matchup between the two programs. Notre Dame's AD further alleged that the ACC engaged in a targeted social media effort over several weeks demonstrating its support for Miami.
A Strong Rebuke
Later on Tuesday, the Big 12 commissioner addressed the criticism at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum.
“My opinion is that his conduct has been out of line,” Yormark said. “He is totally out of bounds in his method and if he was in the room, I’d tell him the same thing.”
This public pushback is especially striking given Bevacqua’s unique standing. He sits on the College Football Playoff Management Committee alongside the ten FBS conference commissioners, advocating for the interests of independent Notre Dame.
Historical Support and Speculative Rumors
Yormark further remarked the lifeline the ACC provided Notre Dame in the Covid-affected 2020 season, providing the Irish a full conference schedule and a berth in its title game.
“His behavior has been egregious,” Yormark reiterated. “It’s been egregious going after Jim Phillips, when they rescued Notre Dame during Covid...”
Rumors had spread about Notre Dame possibly 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 immediate future.
Notre Dame, who made the CFP final last season, have stated they will decline a bowl game after failing to qualify this year.
