Big 12 Commissioner Labels Notre Dame Remarks After CFP Omission as ‘Completely Out of Bounds’
In a public rebuke, Brett Yormark declared that Notre Dame athletic director, Pete Bevacqua, was “entirely out of bounds” for public criticisms about the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
Root of the Controversy
Notre Dame maintains a gridiron scheduling agreement with the ACC and is a full member in all other sports. Bevacqua has claimed that the ACC hurt Notre Dame’s opportunities to qualify for the College Football Playoff, instead campaigning for the selection of the University of Miami.
“They do wonderful things for Notre Dame, but we bring tremendous football value to the ACC, and we couldn't comprehend why you would make an effort to try to undermine us in this selection,” Bevacqua said.
Miami eventually earned the CFP invitation over Notre Dame, mostly due to winning the direct matchup between the two programs. Bevacqua additionally stated that the ACC conducted a coordinated social media campaign over multiple weeks indicating its preference for Miami.
A Strong Rebuke
Subsequently on Tuesday, the Big 12 commissioner addressed the criticism at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum.
“My opinion is that his actions has been egregious,” Yormark said. “He is completely out of bounds in his tactics and if he was in the room, I’d tell him the same thing.”
The pushback is especially significant given Bevacqua’s prominent role. He serves on the College Football Playoff Management Committee with the ten FBS conference commissioners, advocating for the concerns of independent Notre Dame.
Historical Context and Future Moves
The commissioner further pointed out the lifeline the ACC provided Notre Dame during the pandemic-disrupted 2020 season, giving the Irish a full ACC schedule and a berth in its title game.
“It has been unacceptable,” he said again. “It’s been unacceptable attacking the ACC commissioner, when they saved Notre Dame during Covid...”
Rumors had circulated about Notre Dame potentially leaving the ACC and aligning with the Big 12. However, Yormark's public comments on Tuesday seem to make such a move less likely in the immediate future.
Notre Dame, who reached the CFP championship game last season, have indicated they will decline a bowl game after failing to qualify this season.
