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In a notable criticism, Big 12 chief stated that Notre Dame athletic director, Pete Bevacqua, was “totally out of bounds” for public remarks about the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).

Root of the Tension

The Fighting Irish maintains a gridiron scheduling agreement with the ACC and is a participating member in all other sports. Bevacqua has argued that the ACC actively damaged Notre Dame’s opportunities 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 significant football value to the ACC, and we couldn't comprehend why you would make an effort to try to damage us in this selection,” Bevacqua stated.

The Hurricanes eventually earned the CFP spot over Notre Dame, primarily due to winning the head-to-head meeting between the two teams. Notre Dame's AD further alleged that the ACC engaged in a coordinated social media campaign over multiple weeks demonstrating its preference for Miami.

A Strong Response

Later on Tuesday, the Big 12 commissioner spoke about the allegations at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum.

“In my view his actions has been out of line,” the commissioner said. “He is completely out of bounds in his method and if he was in the same room, I’d tell him the same thing.”

This public pushback is especially striking given Bevacqua’s prominent position. He sits on the College Football Playoff Management Committee with the ten FBS conference commissioners, advocating for the concerns of independent Notre Dame.

Past Support and Speculative Rumors

Yormark further remarked the lifeline the ACC provided Notre Dame during the Covid-affected 2020 season, giving the Irish a full conference schedule and a berth in its championship game.

“His behavior has been egregious,” Yormark reiterated. “It’s been egregious criticizing the ACC commissioner, when they rescued Notre Dame during Covid...”

Speculation had circulated about Notre Dame potentially splitting with the ACC and aligning with the Big 12. However, the commissioner's strong reprimand on Tuesday seem to make such a scenario less likely in the immediate future.

The Irish, who made the CFP championship game last season, have announced they plan to decline a postseason invitation after failing to qualify this year.