Big 12 Conference Commissioner Labels Notre Dame Comments Following CFP Snub as ‘Totally Out of Bounds’
During a strong criticism, Brett Yormark stated that Notre Dame athletic director, Pete Bevacqua, was “totally out of bounds” for public criticisms about the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
The Source of the Dispute
The Fighting Irish maintains a gridiron scheduling agreement with the ACC and is a full member in all other sports. Bevacqua has claimed that the ACC harmed Notre Dame’s chances to enter the College Football Playoff, instead pushing for the inclusion of the University of Miami.
“They does wonderful things for Notre Dame, but we bring tremendous 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 procedure,” the athletic director said.
Miami eventually received the CFP berth over Notre Dame, mostly due to winning the direct matchup between the two teams. Notre Dame's AD additionally stated that the ACC engaged in a coordinated social media push over multiple weeks indicating its preference for Miami.
An Egregious Response
Subsequently on Tuesday, Yormark spoke about the criticism at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum.
“In my view his behavior has been unacceptable,” the commissioner commented. “He is completely out of bounds in his approach and if he was in the room, I’d say to him the same thing.”
The response is particularly notable given Bevacqua’s unique role. He sits on the College Football Playoff Management Committee with the ten FBS conference commissioners, representing the concerns of independent Notre Dame.
Historical Context and Speculative Moves
The commissioner further remarked the lifeline the ACC provided Notre Dame during the Covid-affected 2020 season, giving the Irish a full conference schedule and a place in its title game.
“His behavior has been egregious,” he said again. “It’s been egregious criticizing the ACC commissioner, when they rescued Notre Dame during Covid...”
Speculation had circulated about Notre Dame possibly leaving the ACC and partnering with the Big 12. Yet, Yormark's public reprimand on Tuesday seem to make such a scenario less likely in the immediate future.
Notre Dame, who made the CFP championship game last season, have indicated they are declining a postseason invitation after failing to qualify this season.
