Big 12 Chief Labels Notre Dame Remarks Following CFP Snub as ‘Totally Out of Bounds’
During a notable statement, Big 12 Conference commissioner asserted that Notre Dame's AD, Pete Bevacqua, was “entirely out of bounds” for recent remarks concerning the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
Root of the Tension
The Fighting Irish has a gridiron scheduling agreement with the ACC and is a participating member in other sports. The AD has contended that the ACC actively damaged Notre Dame’s bid to enter the College Football Playoff, instead choosing to advocating for the selection of the University of Miami.
“The ACC do great things for Notre Dame, but we bring significant 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 process,” the athletic director stated.
The Hurricanes eventually earned the CFP invitation over Notre Dame, mostly due to securing the head-to-head matchup between the two teams. Notre Dame's AD also claimed that the ACC ran a coordinated social media campaign over multiple weeks showing its preference for Miami.
An Egregious Reaction
Later on Tuesday, Yormark responded to the allegations at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum.
“I think his actions has been out of line,” the commissioner said. “He is completely out of bounds in his approach and if he was in the room, I’d say to him the same thing.”
The criticism is especially striking given Bevacqua’s prominent position. He serves on the College Football Playoff Management Committee with the ten FBS conference commissioners, advocating for the interests of football independent Notre Dame.
Historical Context and Future Rumors
The commissioner also remarked the support the ACC provided Notre Dame in the pandemic-disrupted 2020 season, giving the Irish a full conference schedule and a berth in its championship game.
“It has been unacceptable,” he said again. “It’s been unacceptable criticizing the ACC commissioner, when they rescued Notre Dame during Covid...”
Rumors had circulated about Notre Dame potentially splitting with the ACC and partnering with the Big 12. However, Yormark's pointed comments on Tuesday appear to make such a scenario less likely in the immediate future.
The Irish, who made the CFP final last season, have indicated they will decline a bowl game after failing to qualify this season.
