Big 12 Chief Calls Notre Dame Remarks Following CFP Omission as ‘Completely Out of Bounds’
At a notable rebuke, Brett Yormark asserted that Notre Dame's athletic director, Pete Bevacqua, was “completely out of bounds” for his comments about the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
The Source of the Tension
Notre Dame has a gridiron scheduling agreement with the ACC and is a participating member in other sports. The AD has claimed that the ACC hurt Notre Dame’s opportunities to make the College Football Playoff, instead campaigning for the inclusion of the University of Miami.
“They do great things for Notre Dame, but we offer tremendous football value to the ACC, and we couldn't comprehend why you would make an effort to try to hurt us in this procedure,” the athletic director remarked.
The Hurricanes eventually secured the CFP spot over Notre Dame, largely due to securing the direct meeting between the two teams. Notre Dame's AD further alleged that the ACC engaged in a targeted social media campaign over several 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.
“In my view his conduct has been out of line,” Yormark commented. “He is totally out of bounds in his method and if he was in the room, I’d say to him the same thing.”
The criticism is especially notable given Bevacqua’s unique position. He sits on the College Football Playoff Management Committee with the ten FBS conference commissioners, advocating for the interests of football independent Notre Dame.
Past Context and Future Moves
Yormark further pointed out the lifeline 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.
“It has been egregious,” he reiterated. “It’s been unacceptable attacking the ACC commissioner, when they helped Notre Dame during Covid...”
Rumors had circulated about Notre Dame potentially splitting with the ACC and partnering with the Big 12. Yet, Yormark's pointed reprimand on Tuesday appear to make such a scenario highly improbable in the immediate future.
The Irish, who made the CFP championship game last season, have stated they plan to decline a postseason invitation after failing to qualify this season.
