Big 12 Commissioner Calls Notre Dame Comments Following CFP Omission as ‘Totally Out of Bounds’
During a notable criticism, Brett Yormark asserted that Notre Dame's AD, Pete Bevacqua, was “entirely out of bounds” for recent criticisms targeting the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
The Source of the Tension
The Fighting Irish maintains 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 chances to enter the College Football Playoff, instead pushing for the spot of the University of Miami.
“The ACC does great things for Notre Dame, but we provide significant football value to the ACC, and we didn’t understand why you would go out of your way to try to damage us in this process,” the athletic director remarked.
Miami eventually earned the CFP spot over Notre Dame, largely due to securing the head-to-head matchup between the two schools. Notre Dame's AD additionally stated that the ACC ran a targeted social media effort over multiple weeks demonstrating its support for Miami.
An Egregious Reaction
Later on Tuesday, Yormark spoke about the comments at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum.
“I think his behavior has been unacceptable,” Yormark stated. “He is completely out of bounds in his approach and if he was in the same room, I’d tell him the same thing.”
This public response is especially notable given Bevacqua’s unique standing. He serves on the College Football Playoff Management Committee with the ten FBS conference commissioners, advocating for the interests of football independent Notre Dame.
Historical Context and Speculative Moves
The commissioner further remarked the lifeline the ACC gave Notre Dame during the pandemic-disrupted 2020 season, providing the Irish a full conference schedule and a place in its title game.
“It has been unacceptable,” Yormark reiterated. “It’s been egregious going after the ACC commissioner, when they saved Notre Dame during Covid...”
Rumors had spread about Notre Dame possibly splitting with the ACC and partnering with the Big 12. However, the commissioner's strong reprimand on Tuesday seem to make such a move less likely in the near term.
The Irish, who reached the CFP final last season, have announced they will decline a postseason invitation after missing out this year.
