Big 12 Conference Chief Calls Notre Dame Remarks Following CFP Omission as ‘Totally Out of Bounds’
In a strong statement, Brett Yormark declared that Notre Dame AD, Pete Bevacqua, was “totally out of bounds” for his comments 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. Bevacqua has contended that the ACC actively damaged Notre Dame’s chances to qualify for the College Football Playoff, instead choosing to pushing for the spot of the University of Miami.
“They do wonderful things for Notre Dame, but we bring substantial football value to the ACC, and we didn’t understand why you would make an effort to try to hurt us in this procedure,” Bevacqua remarked.
The Hurricanes ultimately secured the CFP berth over Notre Dame, largely due to securing the head-to-head contest between the two teams. Bevacqua also claimed that the ACC ran a coordinated social media campaign over several weeks indicating its support for Miami.
A Strong Rebuke
Subsequently on Tuesday, Yormark responded to the comments at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum.
“I think his actions has been unacceptable,” Yormark said. “He is completely out of bounds in his method and if he was in the same room, I’d say to him the same thing.”
This public pushback is particularly notable given Bevacqua’s prominent role. He sits on the College Football Playoff Management Committee alongside the ten FBS conference commissioners, representing the interests of football independent Notre Dame.
Past Context and Speculative Rumors
Yormark also remarked the support the ACC offered Notre Dame during the pandemic-disrupted 2020 season, providing the Irish a complete ACC schedule and a place in its championship game.
“His behavior has been egregious,” Yormark reiterated. “It’s been unacceptable attacking Jim Phillips, when they saved Notre Dame during Covid...”
Rumors had spread about Notre Dame potentially leaving the ACC and aligning with the Big 12. However, Yormark's strong comments on Tuesday seem to make such a scenario unlikely in the near term.
The Irish, who made the CFP final last season, have indicated they are declining a bowl game after failing to qualify this year.
