Big 12 Chief Calls Notre Dame Remarks Following CFP Omission as ‘Completely Out of Bounds’
At a notable criticism, Big 12 chief declared that Notre Dame's AD, Pete Bevacqua, was “completely out of bounds” for public criticisms about the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
The Source of the Tension
The Fighting Irish has a gridiron scheduling agreement with the ACC and is a participating member in all other sports. The AD has claimed that the ACC hurt Notre Dame’s opportunities to enter the College Football Playoff, instead advocating for the inclusion of the University of Miami.
“They do wonderful things for Notre Dame, but we provide substantial football value to the ACC, and we couldn't comprehend why you would make an effort to try to hurt us in this procedure,” Bevacqua stated.
The Hurricanes eventually received the CFP spot over Notre Dame, primarily due to securing the direct meeting between the two teams. Bevacqua also claimed that the ACC ran a targeted social media effort over several weeks showing its support for Miami.
A Strong Rebuke
Subsequently on Tuesday, Yormark spoke about the criticism at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum.
“I think his behavior has been egregious,” Yormark said. “He is completely out of bounds in his method and if he was in the same room, I’d tell him the same thing.”
The response is especially significant given Bevacqua’s unique standing. He sits on the College Football Playoff Management Committee alongside the ten FBS conference commissioners, representing the interests of football independent Notre Dame.
Past Support and Future Rumors
The commissioner further highlighted the assistance the ACC provided Notre Dame in the Covid-affected 2020 season, giving the Irish a full conference schedule and a berth in its title game.
“His behavior has been egregious,” he said again. “It’s been egregious going after Jim Phillips, when they rescued Notre Dame during Covid...”
Talk had spread about Notre Dame potentially leaving the ACC and aligning with the Big 12. However, Yormark's pointed comments on Tuesday appear to make such a scenario unlikely in the immediate future.
The Irish, who reached the CFP final last season, have indicated they will decline a bowl game after missing out this year.
