Big 12 Conference Chief Calls Notre Dame Comments Following CFP Omission as ‘Completely Out of Bounds’
In a public statement, Brett Yormark asserted that Notre Dame athletic director, Pete Bevacqua, was “completely out of bounds” for public remarks targeting the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
The Source of the Dispute
The Fighting Irish has a gridiron scheduling agreement with the ACC and is a full member in all other sports. The AD has contended that the ACC harmed Notre Dame’s bid to make the College Football Playoff, instead advocating for the spot of the University of Miami.
“They does great things for Notre Dame, but we bring tremendous football value to the ACC, and we didn’t understand why you would go out of your way to try to hurt us in this selection,” Bevacqua stated.
The Hurricanes eventually received the CFP invitation over Notre Dame, largely due to winning the head-to-head contest between the two teams. Notre Dame's AD also claimed that the ACC conducted a targeted social media push over several weeks indicating its support for Miami.
An Egregious Rebuke
Later on Tuesday, Yormark responded to the allegations at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum.
“In my view his behavior has been out of line,” Yormark commented. “He is totally out of bounds in his method and if he was in the same room, I’d say to him the same thing.”
The response is especially striking given Bevacqua’s special role. He serves on the College Football Playoff Management Committee with the ten FBS conference commissioners, advocating for the concerns of football independent Notre Dame.
Past Support and Speculative Moves
The commissioner also highlighted the lifeline the ACC offered Notre Dame in the pandemic-disrupted 2020 season, providing the Irish a complete conference schedule and a place in its title game.
“His behavior has been egregious,” Yormark reiterated. “It’s been unacceptable attacking Jim Phillips, when they helped Notre Dame during Covid...”
Rumors had circulated about Notre Dame possibly splitting with the ACC and aligning with the Big 12. Yet, Yormark's pointed reprimand on Tuesday seem to make such a partnership unlikely in the immediate future.
Notre Dame, who made the CFP championship game last season, have indicated they are declining a bowl game after failing to qualify this year.
