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In a public rebuke, Big 12 chief declared that Notre Dame's athletic director, Pete Bevacqua, was “totally out of bounds” for recent comments concerning the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).

The Source of the Dispute

Notre Dame maintains a gridiron scheduling agreement with the ACC and is a full member in all other sports. The AD has claimed that the ACC hurt Notre Dame’s bid to enter the College Football Playoff, instead pushing for the selection of the University of Miami.

“They do wonderful things for Notre Dame, but we bring significant football value to the ACC, and we couldn't comprehend why you would go out of your way to try to hurt us in this process,” Bevacqua said.

Miami ultimately received the CFP berth over Notre Dame, largely due to securing the head-to-head contest between the two schools. Notre Dame's AD additionally stated that the ACC ran a coordinated social media effort over several weeks showing its support for Miami.

A Strong Response

Later on Tuesday, the Big 12 commissioner responded to the criticism at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum.

“My opinion is that his behavior has been out of line,” Yormark commented. “He is completely out of bounds in his approach and if he was in the room, I’d tell him the same thing.”

This public pushback is especially striking given Bevacqua’s special standing. He sits on the College Football Playoff Management Committee with the ten FBS conference commissioners, representing the interests of independent Notre Dame.

Past Context and Future Moves

Yormark also pointed out the lifeline the ACC offered 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 unacceptable,” he reiterated. “It’s been egregious going after the ACC commissioner, when they saved Notre Dame during Covid...”

Talk had spread about Notre Dame potentially leaving the ACC and aligning with the Big 12. However, Yormark's public comments on Tuesday seem to make such a move unlikely in the immediate future.

The Irish, who reached the CFP championship game last season, have stated they will decline a postseason invitation after failing to qualify this season.