🔗 Share this article Big 12 Commissioner Calls Notre Dame Remarks After CFP Snub as ‘Totally Out of Bounds’ During a strong rebuke, Brett Yormark asserted that Notre Dame athletic director, Pete Bevacqua, was “entirely out of bounds” for recent remarks concerning the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). The Source of the Controversy The Fighting Irish maintains a football scheduling alliance with the ACC and is a full member in all other sports. Bevacqua has argued that the ACC hurt Notre Dame’s chances to enter the College Football Playoff, instead choosing to pushing for the spot of the University of Miami. “They does great things for Notre Dame, but we provide significant football value to the ACC, and we didn’t understand why you would go out of your way to try to undermine us in this selection,” the athletic director stated. The Hurricanes ultimately earned the CFP invitation over Notre Dame, mostly due to securing the direct contest between the two schools. Bevacqua further alleged that the ACC conducted a coordinated social media campaign over several weeks indicating its support for Miami. A Strong Response Later on Tuesday, the Big 12 commissioner responded to the allegations at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum. “My opinion is that his actions has been out of line,” Yormark stated. “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 significant given Bevacqua’s special role. He serves on the College Football Playoff Management Committee with the ten FBS conference commissioners, advocating for the interests of independent Notre Dame. Historical Context and Speculative Moves Yormark also pointed out the lifeline the ACC gave Notre Dame in the Covid-affected 2020 season, giving the Irish a complete ACC schedule and a berth in its title game. “His behavior has been unacceptable,” Yormark reiterated. “It’s been egregious criticizing Jim Phillips, when they rescued Notre Dame during Covid...” Speculation had circulated about Notre Dame potentially splitting with the ACC and partnering with the Big 12. Yet, the commissioner's strong comments on Tuesday seem to make such a scenario less likely in the near term. Notre Dame, who reached the CFP championship game last season, have announced they will decline a bowl game after failing to qualify this year.