Big 12 Chief Calls Notre Dame Remarks Following CFP Snub as ‘Completely Out of Bounds’

In a strong statement, Brett Yormark asserted that Notre Dame's athletic director, Pete Bevacqua, was “entirely out of bounds” for recent comments targeting the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).

The Source of the Tension

The Fighting Irish maintains a gridiron scheduling agreement with the ACC and is a full member in other sports. Bevacqua has claimed that the ACC hurt Notre Dame’s bid to qualify for the College Football Playoff, instead pushing for the selection of the University of Miami.

“They does great things for Notre Dame, but we provide significant football value to the ACC, and we couldn't comprehend why you would go out of your way to try to damage us in this process,” Bevacqua stated.

The Hurricanes eventually received the CFP berth over Notre Dame, largely due to winning the head-to-head meeting between the two programs. Notre Dame's AD further alleged that the ACC conducted a coordinated social media campaign over multiple weeks indicating its preference for Miami.

An Egregious Rebuke

Later on Tuesday, the Big 12 commissioner addressed the criticism at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum.

“In my view his actions has been unacceptable,” the commissioner 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 interests of independent Notre Dame.

Historical Support and Future Moves

The commissioner also highlighted the assistance the ACC gave Notre Dame in the Covid-affected 2020 season, giving the Irish a full conference schedule and a berth in its championship game.

“It has been unacceptable,” Yormark reiterated. “It’s been unacceptable criticizing Jim Phillips, when they saved Notre Dame during Covid...”

Rumors had spread about Notre Dame possibly leaving the ACC and aligning with the Big 12. Yet, Yormark's strong comments on Tuesday appear to make such a scenario highly improbable in the immediate future.

The Irish, who reached the CFP championship game last season, have announced they are declining a postseason invitation after missing out this season.