Big 12 Commissioner Labels Notre Dame Comments After CFP Omission as ‘Completely Out of Bounds’
At a notable statement, Big 12 Conference commissioner stated that Notre Dame's athletic director, Pete Bevacqua, was “totally out of bounds” for public criticisms concerning the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
Root of the Controversy
The Fighting Irish has a football scheduling alliance with the ACC and is a full member in other sports. The AD has claimed that the ACC harmed Notre Dame’s bid to enter the College Football Playoff, instead choosing to campaigning for the spot of the University of Miami.
“They do wonderful things for Notre Dame, but we offer significant football value to the ACC, and we didn’t understand why you would make an effort to try to hurt us in this process,” Bevacqua said.
The Hurricanes ultimately received the CFP berth over Notre Dame, largely due to winning the direct contest between the two schools. Bevacqua further alleged that the ACC engaged in a targeted social media push over several weeks indicating its support for Miami.
A Strong Rebuke
Subsequently on Tuesday, the Big 12 commissioner addressed the comments at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum.
“In my view his conduct has been egregious,” the commissioner said. “He is completely out of bounds in his method and if he was in the same room, I’d say to him the same thing.”
This public response is especially striking given Bevacqua’s unique standing. He sits on the College Football Playoff Management Committee alongside the ten FBS conference commissioners, representing the concerns of independent Notre Dame.
Historical Context and Speculative Rumors
The commissioner also remarked the lifeline the ACC provided Notre Dame during the Covid-affected 2020 season, providing the Irish a full 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 helped Notre Dame during Covid...”
Rumors had circulated about Notre Dame potentially leaving the ACC and aligning with the Big 12. Yet, the commissioner's public reprimand on Tuesday appear to make such a scenario unlikely in the near term.
The Irish, who made the CFP championship game last season, have indicated they will decline a bowl game after failing to qualify this season.
