Big 12 Conference Commissioner Calls Notre Dame Remarks After CFP Omission as ‘Totally Out of Bounds’
At a strong criticism, Big 12 Conference commissioner asserted that Notre Dame athletic director, Pete Bevacqua, was “totally out of bounds” for recent criticisms targeting the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
Root of the Controversy
The Fighting Irish has a football scheduling alliance with the ACC and is a participating member in other sports. The AD has argued that the ACC actively damaged Notre Dame’s opportunities to enter the College Football Playoff, instead pushing for the spot 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 make an effort to try to undermine us in this selection,” the athletic director said.
The Hurricanes eventually received the CFP berth over Notre Dame, mostly due to securing the head-to-head contest between the two programs. Bevacqua further alleged that the ACC engaged in a coordinated social media effort over multiple weeks indicating its support for Miami.
An Egregious Rebuke
Subsequently on Tuesday, Yormark spoke about the criticism at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum.
“My opinion is that his actions has been out of line,” Yormark stated. “He is totally out of bounds in his method and if he was in the same room, I’d tell him the same thing.”
The criticism is particularly significant given Bevacqua’s prominent position. 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
Yormark also pointed out the support the ACC gave Notre Dame in the pandemic-disrupted 2020 season, giving the Irish a complete conference schedule and a berth in its title game.
“His behavior has been unacceptable,” Yormark reiterated. “It’s been egregious criticizing Jim Phillips, when they rescued Notre Dame during Covid...”
Talk had circulated about Notre Dame possibly splitting with the ACC and partnering with the Big 12. Yet, the commissioner's public reprimand on Tuesday appear to make such a partnership highly improbable in the immediate future.
The Irish, who reached the CFP championship game last season, have indicated they will decline a bowl game after missing out this season.
