Big 12 Commissioner Labels Notre Dame Comments Following CFP Snub as ‘Totally Out of Bounds’
In a public rebuke, Brett Yormark declared that Notre Dame's AD, Pete Bevacqua, was “totally out of bounds” for public comments concerning the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
The Source of the Tension
Notre Dame has a football scheduling alliance with the ACC and is a full member in all other sports. Bevacqua has argued that the ACC actively damaged Notre Dame’s bid to enter the College Football Playoff, instead advocating for the inclusion of the University of Miami.
“They does wonderful things for Notre Dame, but we offer substantial football value to the ACC, and we didn’t understand why you would make an effort to try to hurt us in this procedure,” the athletic director stated.
Miami eventually earned the CFP berth over Notre Dame, largely due to securing the direct matchup between the two programs. Notre Dame's AD additionally stated that the ACC conducted a targeted social media campaign over multiple weeks indicating its support for Miami.
An Egregious Response
Subsequently on Tuesday, Yormark spoke about the comments 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 approach and if he was in the same room, I’d say to him the same thing.”
The criticism is especially notable given Bevacqua’s special standing. He serves on the College Football Playoff Management Committee with the ten FBS conference commissioners, representing the concerns of independent Notre Dame.
Past Support and Future Rumors
The commissioner further highlighted the assistance the ACC offered Notre Dame in the Covid-affected 2020 season, giving the Irish a complete conference schedule and a place in its championship game.
“His behavior has been unacceptable,” Yormark reiterated. “It’s been unacceptable criticizing Jim Phillips, when they saved Notre Dame during Covid...”
Speculation had spread about Notre Dame potentially leaving the ACC and aligning with the Big 12. However, Yormark's pointed reprimand on Tuesday seem to make such a partnership less likely in the immediate future.
The Irish, who made the CFP final last season, have stated they are declining a postseason invitation after failing to qualify this season.
