Big 12 Conference Chief Calls Notre Dame Comments Following CFP Snub as ‘Completely Out of Bounds’
During a strong statement, Big 12 chief stated that Notre Dame AD, Pete Bevacqua, was “entirely out of bounds” for his remarks concerning 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 argued that the ACC actively damaged Notre Dame’s chances to qualify for the College Football Playoff, instead choosing to pushing for the spot of the University of Miami.
“They does wonderful things for Notre Dame, but we offer significant football value to the ACC, and we couldn't comprehend why you would go out of your way to try to damage us in this procedure,” the athletic director remarked.
The Hurricanes ultimately secured the CFP spot over Notre Dame, mostly due to winning the head-to-head matchup between the two schools. Bevacqua additionally stated that the ACC engaged in a coordinated social media campaign over several weeks demonstrating its support for Miami.
An Egregious Response
Subsequently on Tuesday, the Big 12 commissioner responded to the criticism at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum.
“My opinion is that his conduct has been egregious,” the commissioner said. “He is completely out of bounds in his approach and if he was in the same room, I’d tell him the same thing.”
The criticism is particularly significant given Bevacqua’s unique standing. He serves on the College Football Playoff Management Committee alongside the ten FBS conference commissioners, representing the concerns of football independent Notre Dame.
Past Support and Speculative Rumors
The commissioner further highlighted the assistance the ACC provided Notre Dame during the pandemic-disrupted 2020 season, providing the Irish a complete conference schedule and a berth in its championship game.
“His behavior has been egregious,” he said again. “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. However, Yormark's strong reprimand on Tuesday seem to make such a move less likely in the near term.
Notre Dame, who made the CFP final last season, have stated they are declining a bowl game after failing to qualify this year.
