Big 12 Commissioner Labels Notre Dame Remarks After CFP Snub as ‘Totally Out of Bounds’
At a notable criticism, Big 12 Conference commissioner declared that Notre Dame's athletic director, Pete Bevacqua, was “totally out of bounds” for his comments about 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 other sports. Bevacqua has claimed that the ACC actively damaged Notre Dame’s bid to make the College Football Playoff, instead choosing to advocating for the inclusion of the University of Miami.
“The ACC does great things for Notre Dame, but we bring tremendous football value to the ACC, and we couldn't comprehend why you would go out of your way to try to damage us in this process,” Bevacqua remarked.
The Hurricanes ultimately secured the CFP spot over Notre Dame, mostly due to winning the direct contest between the two programs. Bevacqua also claimed that the ACC engaged in a targeted social media campaign over multiple weeks indicating its support for Miami.
An Egregious Reaction
Subsequently on Tuesday, the Big 12 commissioner addressed the criticism at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum.
“In my view his actions has been out of line,” Yormark 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.”
The pushback is particularly striking given Bevacqua’s special standing. He serves on the College Football Playoff Management Committee alongside the ten FBS conference commissioners, representing the concerns of football independent Notre Dame.
Historical Support and Future Rumors
The commissioner also highlighted the lifeline the ACC provided Notre Dame during the Covid-affected 2020 season, providing the Irish a full conference schedule and a berth in its championship game.
“His behavior has been egregious,” Yormark said again. “It’s been egregious attacking the ACC commissioner, when they saved Notre Dame during Covid...”
Talk had circulated about Notre Dame potentially splitting with the ACC and aligning with the Big 12. However, the commissioner's public comments on Tuesday seem to make such a move highly improbable in the near term.
The Irish, who made the CFP final last season, have announced they plan to decline a postseason invitation after missing out this season.
