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At a public criticism, Big 12 chief asserted that Notre Dame AD, Pete Bevacqua, was “entirely out of bounds” for recent remarks targeting the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).

The Source of the Controversy

Notre Dame has a gridiron scheduling agreement with the ACC and is a participating member in all other sports. The AD has argued that the ACC actively damaged Notre Dame’s chances to qualify for the College Football Playoff, instead campaigning for the inclusion of the University of Miami.

“They do great things for Notre Dame, but we bring substantial football value to the ACC, and we didn’t understand why you would make an effort to try to hurt us in this process,” the athletic director said.

The Hurricanes eventually secured the CFP spot over Notre Dame, primarily due to winning the direct meeting between the two teams. Notre Dame's AD additionally stated that the ACC engaged in a coordinated social media effort over several weeks showing its support for Miami.

A Strong Rebuke

Later on Tuesday, Yormark responded to the comments at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum.

“In my view his behavior has been egregious,” Yormark commented. “He is totally out of bounds in his approach and if he was in the same room, I’d say to him the same thing.”

The response is particularly significant given Bevacqua’s unique role. He serves on the College Football Playoff Management Committee with the ten FBS conference commissioners, advocating for the concerns of independent Notre Dame.

Past Context and Speculative Rumors

The commissioner also pointed out the lifeline the ACC offered Notre Dame in the pandemic-disrupted 2020 season, providing the Irish a full conference schedule and a berth in its title game.

“It has been unacceptable,” he reiterated. “It’s been unacceptable attacking 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. Yet, the commissioner's strong comments on Tuesday seem to make such a move highly improbable in the immediate future.

Notre Dame, who reached the CFP championship game last season, have stated they plan to decline a postseason invitation after failing to qualify this season.