Big 12 Conference Chief Labels Notre Dame Comments After CFP Omission as ‘Completely Out of Bounds’
During a strong rebuke, Big 12 Conference commissioner stated that Notre Dame AD, Pete Bevacqua, was “entirely out of bounds” for recent comments about the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
Root of the Tension
The Fighting Irish maintains a gridiron scheduling agreement with the ACC and is a full member in all other sports. The AD has argued that the ACC hurt Notre Dame’s chances to enter the College Football Playoff, instead choosing to pushing 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 couldn't comprehend why you would make an effort to try to damage us in this procedure,” Bevacqua remarked.
The Hurricanes eventually secured the CFP spot over Notre Dame, largely due to securing the direct contest between the two teams. Bevacqua further alleged that the ACC conducted a targeted social media push over multiple weeks demonstrating its preference for Miami.
An Egregious Reaction
Subsequently on Tuesday, Yormark responded to the allegations at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum.
“My opinion is that his behavior has been out of line,” Yormark stated. “He is totally out of bounds in his tactics and if he was in the room, I’d tell him the same thing.”
This public pushback is particularly notable given Bevacqua’s special standing. He sits on the College Football Playoff Management Committee alongside the ten FBS conference commissioners, advocating for the interests of independent Notre Dame.
Past Support and Future Moves
Yormark further remarked the assistance the ACC gave Notre Dame during the pandemic-disrupted 2020 season, providing the Irish a complete ACC schedule and a place in its championship game.
“His behavior has been unacceptable,” he said again. “It’s been unacceptable criticizing the ACC commissioner, when they helped Notre Dame during Covid...”
Speculation had circulated about Notre Dame possibly leaving the ACC and partnering with the Big 12. Yet, Yormark's strong comments on Tuesday appear to make such a scenario unlikely in the immediate future.
The Irish, who reached the CFP final last season, have announced they will decline a bowl game after failing to qualify this year.
