🔗 Share this article Big 12 Commissioner Labels Notre Dame Remarks After CFP Omission as ‘Totally Out of Bounds’ In a public statement, Brett Yormark asserted that Notre Dame AD, Pete Bevacqua, was “entirely out of bounds” for public comments concerning the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). Root of the Dispute Notre Dame has a football scheduling alliance with the ACC and is a full member in all other sports. Bevacqua has claimed that the ACC hurt Notre Dame’s opportunities to qualify for 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 substantial football value to the ACC, and we didn’t understand why you would make an effort to try to undermine us in this procedure,” the athletic director said. Miami eventually received the CFP invitation over Notre Dame, primarily due to winning the direct contest between the two teams. Notre Dame's AD further alleged that the ACC ran a coordinated social media push over multiple weeks demonstrating its preference for Miami. A Strong Response Subsequently on Tuesday, Yormark spoke about the comments at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum. “In my view his actions has been egregious,” Yormark commented. “He is totally out of bounds in his method and if he was in the room, I’d say to him the same thing.” This public response is particularly notable given Bevacqua’s unique position. He sits on the College Football Playoff Management Committee alongside the ten FBS conference commissioners, representing the interests of independent Notre Dame. Historical Context and Speculative Rumors The commissioner further remarked the lifeline the ACC offered Notre Dame during the pandemic-disrupted 2020 season, giving the Irish a full conference schedule and a berth in its championship game. “His behavior has been unacceptable,” Yormark reiterated. “It’s been unacceptable criticizing the ACC commissioner, when they helped Notre Dame during Covid...” Rumors had spread about Notre Dame possibly splitting with the ACC and aligning with the Big 12. However, Yormark's public reprimand on Tuesday seem to make such a partnership unlikely in the immediate future. Notre Dame, who made the CFP final last season, have stated they will decline a postseason invitation after failing to qualify this year.