Big 12 Conference Commissioner Labels Notre Dame Remarks Following CFP Omission as ‘Totally Out of Bounds’

At a strong criticism, Brett Yormark stated that Notre Dame AD, Pete Bevacqua, was “completely out of bounds” for recent remarks targeting the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).

Root of the Dispute

The Fighting Irish has a gridiron scheduling agreement with the ACC and is a full member in all other sports. The AD has contended that the ACC actively damaged Notre Dame’s opportunities to enter the College Football Playoff, instead choosing to pushing for the inclusion of the University of Miami.

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

The Hurricanes eventually secured the CFP spot over Notre Dame, largely due to winning the head-to-head matchup between the two programs. Notre Dame's AD also claimed that the ACC conducted a coordinated social media push over several weeks showing its support for Miami.

An Egregious Response

Subsequently on Tuesday, Yormark addressed the allegations at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum.

“In my view his conduct has been out of line,” the commissioner stated. “He is totally out of bounds in his method and if he was in the room, I’d say to him the same thing.”

The pushback is especially notable given Bevacqua’s unique standing. He sits on the College Football Playoff Management Committee with the ten FBS conference commissioners, representing the concerns of independent Notre Dame.

Past Context and Speculative Rumors

The commissioner further highlighted the assistance the ACC offered Notre Dame during the pandemic-disrupted 2020 season, providing the Irish a full conference schedule and a place in its championship game.

“His behavior has been unacceptable,” he reiterated. “It’s been unacceptable going after the ACC commissioner, when they helped Notre Dame during Covid...”

Speculation had circulated about Notre Dame potentially leaving the ACC and aligning with the Big 12. However, the commissioner's pointed comments on Tuesday seem to make such a scenario less likely in the near term.

The Irish, who made the CFP championship game last season, have announced they plan to decline a postseason invitation after failing to qualify this year.