Big 12 Commissioner Labels Notre Dame Remarks Following CFP Omission as ‘Totally Out of Bounds’
In a public statement, Big 12 Conference commissioner declared that Notre Dame's AD, Pete Bevacqua, was “entirely out of bounds” for his remarks concerning the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
Root of the Dispute
Notre Dame has a gridiron scheduling agreement with the ACC and is a full member in other sports. The AD has contended that the ACC actively damaged Notre Dame’s bid to qualify for the College Football Playoff, instead advocating for the inclusion of the University of Miami.
“They does great things for Notre Dame, but we offer tremendous football value to the ACC, and we couldn't comprehend why you would make an effort to try to damage us in this selection,” Bevacqua remarked.
The Hurricanes ultimately secured the CFP invitation over Notre Dame, mostly due to winning the head-to-head contest between the two teams. Notre Dame's AD also claimed that the ACC ran a targeted social media push over multiple weeks showing its support for Miami.
A Strong Rebuke
Subsequently on Tuesday, the Big 12 commissioner responded to the allegations at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum.
“I think his behavior has been egregious,” 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 striking given Bevacqua’s prominent standing. He sits on the College Football Playoff Management Committee with the ten FBS conference commissioners, advocating for the interests of independent Notre Dame.
Historical Context and Future Rumors
Yormark further pointed out the assistance the ACC gave Notre Dame in the pandemic-disrupted 2020 season, providing the Irish a complete ACC schedule and a berth in its championship game.
“It has been egregious,” Yormark reiterated. “It’s been unacceptable attacking the ACC commissioner, when they rescued Notre Dame during Covid...”
Talk had spread about Notre Dame potentially splitting with the ACC and partnering with the Big 12. Yet, the commissioner's strong reprimand on Tuesday seem to make such a move unlikely in the near term.
Notre Dame, who reached the CFP final last season, have stated they plan to decline a postseason invitation after failing to qualify this year.
