Big 12 Conference Commissioner Labels Notre Dame Remarks After CFP Snub as ‘Totally Out of Bounds’
In a strong criticism, Brett Yormark declared that Notre Dame AD, Pete Bevacqua, was “totally out of bounds” for his remarks targeting the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
Root of the Dispute
Notre Dame has a gridiron scheduling agreement with the ACC and is a full member in all other sports. The AD has argued that the ACC harmed Notre Dame’s chances to enter the College Football Playoff, instead choosing to advocating for the selection of the University of Miami.
“They does wonderful things for Notre Dame, but we offer significant football value to the ACC, and we didn’t understand why you would go out of your way to try to hurt us in this process,” Bevacqua stated.
Miami eventually received the CFP berth over Notre Dame, mostly due to securing the head-to-head matchup between the two teams. Bevacqua further alleged that the ACC engaged in a targeted social media push over several weeks indicating its preference for Miami.
An Egregious Response
Subsequently 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 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 criticism is particularly significant given Bevacqua’s unique standing. He serves on the College Football Playoff Management Committee with the ten FBS conference commissioners, representing the concerns of football independent Notre Dame.
Historical Support and Speculative Moves
The commissioner further pointed out the assistance the ACC provided Notre Dame in the Covid-affected 2020 season, providing the Irish a complete conference schedule and a place in its title game.
“It has been unacceptable,” Yormark reiterated. “It’s been unacceptable criticizing the ACC commissioner, when they rescued Notre Dame during Covid...”
Talk had spread about Notre Dame possibly splitting with the ACC and aligning with the Big 12. However, the commissioner's strong comments on Tuesday seem to make such a partnership highly improbable in the near term.
The Irish, who made the CFP championship game last season, have indicated they will decline a postseason invitation after missing out this season.
