Big 12 Conference Commissioner Calls Notre Dame Comments After CFP Snub as ‘Completely Out of Bounds’

At a notable rebuke, Brett Yormark stated that Notre Dame athletic director, Pete Bevacqua, was “completely out of bounds” for public comments concerning the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).

Root of the Controversy

Notre Dame has a football scheduling alliance with the ACC and is a participating member in all other sports. The AD has claimed that the ACC hurt Notre Dame’s chances to qualify for the College Football Playoff, instead campaigning for the inclusion of the University of Miami.

“They does wonderful things for Notre Dame, but we provide significant football value to the ACC, and we didn’t understand why you would make an effort to try to damage us in this procedure,” the athletic director stated.

The Hurricanes eventually secured the CFP invitation over Notre Dame, primarily due to winning the direct contest between the two teams. Notre Dame's AD additionally stated that the ACC ran a targeted social media push over several weeks indicating its support for Miami.

A Strong Reaction

Later on Tuesday, Yormark responded to the criticism at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum.

“In my view his behavior has been unacceptable,” the commissioner said. “He is completely out of bounds in his tactics and if he was in the room, I’d say to him the same thing.”

This public criticism is especially notable given Bevacqua’s unique standing. He sits on the College Football Playoff Management Committee alongside the ten FBS conference commissioners, representing the interests of independent Notre Dame.

Historical Context and Future Rumors

The commissioner further highlighted the lifeline the ACC provided Notre Dame in the Covid-affected 2020 season, giving the Irish a complete ACC schedule and a berth in its title game.

“His behavior has been unacceptable,” Yormark said again. “It’s been egregious criticizing Jim Phillips, when they rescued Notre Dame during Covid...”

Speculation had spread about Notre Dame possibly leaving the ACC and partnering with the Big 12. Yet, the commissioner's strong comments on Tuesday appear to make such a scenario less likely in the near term.

The Irish, who made the CFP final last season, have stated they are declining a bowl game after failing to qualify this season.