Big 12 Chief Calls Notre Dame Remarks Following CFP Snub as ‘Totally Out of Bounds’
In a strong rebuke, Brett Yormark stated that Notre Dame's AD, Pete Bevacqua, was “completely out of bounds” for recent criticisms concerning the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
The Source of the Dispute
The Fighting Irish maintains a gridiron scheduling agreement with the ACC and is a full member in other sports. Bevacqua has argued that the ACC harmed Notre Dame’s opportunities to make the College Football Playoff, instead choosing to advocating for the inclusion of the University of Miami.
“They does great things for Notre Dame, but we provide substantial football value to the ACC, and we couldn't comprehend why you would make an effort to try to undermine us in this procedure,” Bevacqua remarked.
Miami eventually secured the CFP berth over Notre Dame, mostly due to securing the head-to-head contest between the two schools. Bevacqua additionally stated that the ACC ran a coordinated social media push over multiple weeks showing its support for Miami.
An Egregious Rebuke
Later on Tuesday, Yormark addressed the allegations at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum.
“In my view his behavior has been out of line,” Yormark stated. “He is completely out of bounds in his approach and if he was in the room, I’d tell him the same thing.”
The response is particularly notable given Bevacqua’s prominent standing. He sits on the College Football Playoff Management Committee with the ten FBS conference commissioners, representing the concerns of football independent Notre Dame.
Historical Context and Future Moves
Yormark also highlighted the lifeline the ACC offered Notre Dame during the Covid-affected 2020 season, giving the Irish a full conference schedule and a berth in its championship game.
“His behavior has been egregious,” he reiterated. “It’s been egregious criticizing Jim Phillips, when they saved Notre Dame during Covid...”
Speculation had spread about Notre Dame potentially leaving the ACC and aligning with the Big 12. Yet, Yormark's strong comments on Tuesday seem to make such a move highly improbable in the near term.
Notre Dame, who made the CFP final last season, have indicated they plan to decline a bowl game after missing out this year.
