Big 12 Conference Chief Calls Notre Dame Remarks After CFP Snub as ‘Totally Out of Bounds’
At a notable statement, Big 12 chief declared that Notre Dame's athletic director, Pete Bevacqua, was “entirely out of bounds” for recent remarks targeting the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
The Source of the Controversy
Notre Dame maintains a gridiron scheduling agreement with the ACC and is a full member in other sports. The AD has claimed that the ACC actively damaged Notre Dame’s bid to make the College Football Playoff, instead choosing to campaigning for the selection of the University of Miami.
“The ACC do wonderful things for Notre Dame, but we provide tremendous football value to the ACC, and we couldn't comprehend why you would go out of your way to try to hurt us in this procedure,” the athletic director remarked.
Miami eventually earned the CFP spot over Notre Dame, primarily due to winning the direct contest between the two teams. Bevacqua also claimed that the ACC engaged in a coordinated social media effort over multiple weeks showing its support for Miami.
A Strong Response
Subsequently on Tuesday, the Big 12 commissioner responded to the comments at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum.
“In my view his conduct has been out of line,” the commissioner said. “He is totally out of bounds in his method and if he was in the room, I’d tell him the same thing.”
This public pushback is particularly striking given Bevacqua’s special position. He sits on the College Football Playoff Management Committee alongside the ten FBS conference commissioners, representing the interests of independent Notre Dame.
Historical Context and Speculative Rumors
The commissioner also pointed out the assistance the ACC offered Notre Dame in the pandemic-disrupted 2020 season, giving the Irish a full ACC schedule and a berth in its championship game.
“It has been unacceptable,” Yormark reiterated. “It’s been egregious going after Jim Phillips, when they rescued Notre Dame during Covid...”
Speculation had spread about Notre Dame potentially leaving the ACC and aligning with the Big 12. However, Yormark's strong comments on Tuesday appear to make such a partnership highly improbable in the immediate future.
Notre Dame, who made the CFP final last season, have announced they will decline a bowl game after failing to qualify this season.
