🔗 Share this article Big 12 Conference Commissioner Calls Notre Dame Comments After CFP Omission as ‘Totally Out of Bounds’ During a strong criticism, Brett Yormark asserted that Notre Dame athletic director, Pete Bevacqua, was “totally out of bounds” for recent remarks concerning the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). Root of the Controversy The Fighting Irish maintains a gridiron scheduling agreement with the ACC and is a full member in other sports. The AD has claimed that the ACC actively damaged Notre Dame’s bid to make the College Football Playoff, instead choosing to campaigning for the inclusion of the University of Miami. “They does wonderful things for Notre Dame, but we offer substantial 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 procedure,” Bevacqua said. Miami ultimately received the CFP berth over Notre Dame, primarily due to securing the direct contest between the two programs. Bevacqua additionally stated that the ACC engaged in a targeted social media push over multiple weeks demonstrating its preference for Miami. A Strong Reaction Later on Tuesday, the Big 12 commissioner addressed the comments at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum. “I think his behavior has been out of line,” the commissioner stated. “He is completely out of bounds in his approach and if he was in the same room, I’d say to him the same thing.” This public response is particularly notable given Bevacqua’s prominent position. He sits on the College Football Playoff Management Committee alongside the ten FBS conference commissioners, representing the concerns of independent Notre Dame. Historical Context and Future Moves The commissioner further remarked the assistance the ACC gave Notre Dame in the Covid-affected 2020 season, giving the Irish a complete conference schedule and a berth in its title game. “It has been egregious,” Yormark reiterated. “It’s been egregious criticizing Jim Phillips, when they helped Notre Dame during Covid...” Speculation had spread about Notre Dame possibly splitting with the ACC and aligning with the Big 12. However, the commissioner's public comments on Tuesday appear to make such a move highly improbable in the near term. The Irish, who made the CFP final last season, have stated they will decline a postseason invitation after missing out this year.