🔗 Share this article Big 12 Commissioner Labels Notre Dame Comments After CFP Omission as ‘Completely Out of Bounds’ In a notable statement, Big 12 Conference commissioner 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 Dispute The Fighting Irish has a football scheduling alliance with the ACC and is a participating member in all other sports. Bevacqua has contended that the ACC hurt Notre Dame’s bid to enter the College Football Playoff, instead pushing for the selection of the University of Miami. “The ACC do great things for Notre Dame, but we offer tremendous football value to the ACC, and we couldn't comprehend why you would make an effort to try to hurt us in this selection,” the athletic director said. The Hurricanes ultimately received the CFP invitation over Notre Dame, primarily due to securing the direct meeting between the two schools. Notre Dame's AD further alleged that the ACC conducted a coordinated social media push over multiple weeks demonstrating its preference for Miami. An Egregious Response Later on Tuesday, Yormark addressed the allegations at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum. “I think his actions has been unacceptable,” Yormark commented. “He is totally out of bounds in his approach and if he was in the room, I’d tell him the same thing.” The response is particularly striking given Bevacqua’s prominent position. He sits on the College Football Playoff Management Committee alongside the ten FBS conference commissioners, advocating for the interests of independent Notre Dame. Historical Context and Future Rumors Yormark further pointed out the assistance the ACC provided 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 unacceptable criticizing the ACC commissioner, when they rescued Notre Dame during Covid...” Rumors had circulated about Notre Dame possibly leaving the ACC and partnering with the Big 12. Yet, Yormark's strong reprimand on Tuesday seem to make such a move highly improbable in the near term. The Irish, who reached the CFP championship game last season, have stated they plan to decline a bowl game after missing out this year.