🔗 Share this article Big 12 Conference Chief Labels Notre Dame Remarks After CFP Omission as ‘Totally Out of Bounds’ At a public statement, Brett Yormark asserted that Notre Dame's AD, Pete Bevacqua, was “totally out of bounds” for public comments targeting the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). Root of the Controversy The Fighting Irish has a gridiron scheduling agreement with the ACC and is a full member in all other sports. Bevacqua has argued that the ACC actively damaged Notre Dame’s chances to qualify for 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 provide substantial football value to the ACC, and we didn’t understand why you would make an effort to try to damage us in this process,” the athletic director remarked. Miami ultimately earned the CFP invitation over Notre Dame, mostly due to winning the head-to-head matchup between the two teams. Bevacqua additionally stated that the ACC conducted a targeted social media push over several weeks demonstrating its support for Miami. An Egregious Rebuke Later on Tuesday, Yormark responded to the comments at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum. “My opinion is that his actions has been egregious,” Yormark commented. “He is completely out of bounds in his approach and if he was in the same room, I’d tell him the same thing.” This public criticism is especially notable given Bevacqua’s prominent position. He serves on the College Football Playoff Management Committee alongside the ten FBS conference commissioners, advocating for the concerns of independent Notre Dame. Historical Context and Future Moves The commissioner also remarked the lifeline the ACC provided Notre Dame during the Covid-affected 2020 season, giving the Irish a complete conference schedule and a berth in its title game. “His behavior has been unacceptable,” Yormark reiterated. “It’s been egregious attacking Jim Phillips, when they rescued Notre Dame during Covid...” Talk had spread about Notre Dame possibly leaving the ACC and aligning with the Big 12. However, Yormark's strong reprimand on Tuesday appear to make such a scenario unlikely in the immediate future. The Irish, who reached the CFP final last season, have indicated they plan to decline a postseason invitation after failing to qualify this year.