Big 12 Chief Labels Notre Dame Remarks Following CFP Snub as ‘Completely Out of Bounds’
In a notable criticism, Brett Yormark declared that Notre Dame's athletic director, Pete Bevacqua, was “entirely out of bounds” for his comments targeting the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
The Source of the Controversy
Notre Dame maintains a gridiron scheduling agreement with the ACC and is a participating member in other sports. Bevacqua has argued that the ACC harmed Notre Dame’s bid to enter the College Football Playoff, instead campaigning for the inclusion of the University of Miami.
“They does great things for Notre Dame, but we offer tremendous football value to the ACC, and we couldn't comprehend why you would go out of your way to try to hurt us in this process,” the athletic director stated.
The Hurricanes ultimately earned the CFP spot over Notre Dame, largely due to winning the head-to-head matchup between the two schools. Notre Dame's AD also claimed that the ACC ran a targeted social media push over multiple weeks indicating its preference for Miami.
An Egregious Reaction
Subsequently on Tuesday, the Big 12 commissioner spoke about the comments at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum.
“My opinion is that his behavior has been egregious,” Yormark commented. “He is completely out of bounds in his tactics and if he was in the room, I’d tell him the same thing.”
This public criticism is particularly significant given Bevacqua’s prominent position. He serves on the College Football Playoff Management Committee with the ten FBS conference commissioners, advocating for the concerns of independent Notre Dame.
Past Support and Future Moves
The commissioner further pointed out the lifeline the ACC gave Notre Dame during the Covid-affected 2020 season, providing the Irish a complete conference schedule and a place in its championship game.
“It has been egregious,” Yormark reiterated. “It’s been unacceptable attacking the ACC commissioner, when they saved Notre Dame during Covid...”
Speculation had spread about Notre Dame potentially leaving the ACC and partnering with the Big 12. However, Yormark's strong reprimand on Tuesday appear to make such a move less likely in the near term.
The Irish, who reached the CFP final last season, have stated they plan to decline a postseason invitation after failing to qualify this year.
