Big 12 Conference Commissioner Calls Notre Dame Remarks After CFP Snub as ‘Completely Out of Bounds’
At a public rebuke, Big 12 Conference commissioner asserted that Notre Dame athletic director, Pete Bevacqua, was “totally out of bounds” for his remarks concerning the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
The Source of the Dispute
Notre Dame has a gridiron scheduling agreement with the ACC and is a full member in all other sports. Bevacqua has argued that the ACC harmed Notre Dame’s chances to qualify for the College Football Playoff, instead advocating for the inclusion of the University of Miami.
“The ACC does great things for Notre Dame, but we bring substantial 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 selection,” Bevacqua stated.
Miami ultimately earned the CFP spot over Notre Dame, primarily due to winning the head-to-head matchup between the two teams. Notre Dame's AD also claimed that the ACC engaged in a targeted social media campaign over several weeks showing its preference for Miami.
An Egregious Reaction
Later on Tuesday, the Big 12 commissioner spoke about the allegations at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum.
“I think his behavior has been egregious,” the commissioner said. “He is totally out of bounds in his approach and if he was in the room, I’d say to him the same thing.”
This public pushback is especially notable given Bevacqua’s unique standing. He sits on the College Football Playoff Management Committee with the ten FBS conference commissioners, advocating for the interests of independent Notre Dame.
Historical Support and Speculative Rumors
The commissioner also highlighted the support the ACC provided Notre Dame in the pandemic-disrupted 2020 season, providing the Irish a full ACC schedule and a berth in its title game.
“His behavior has been egregious,” Yormark said again. “It’s been egregious criticizing the ACC commissioner, when they saved Notre Dame during Covid...”
Rumors had circulated about Notre Dame possibly splitting with the ACC and aligning with the Big 12. Yet, Yormark's pointed 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 stated they will decline a bowl game after failing to qualify this season.
