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In a public statement, Brett Yormark declared that Notre Dame's AD, Pete Bevacqua, was “completely out of bounds” for his comments targeting the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).

The Source of the Dispute

Notre Dame has a gridiron scheduling agreement with the ACC and is a participating member in all other sports. The AD has contended that the ACC hurt Notre Dame’s chances to enter the College Football Playoff, instead pushing for the spot of the University of Miami.

“They does great things for Notre Dame, but we provide substantial football value to the ACC, and we couldn't comprehend why you would make an effort to try to hurt us in this selection,” Bevacqua stated.

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

An Egregious Rebuke

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

“My opinion is that his conduct has been unacceptable,” the commissioner said. “He is totally out of bounds in his tactics and if he was in the room, I’d say to him the same thing.”

The criticism is especially significant given Bevacqua’s prominent role. He serves on the College Football Playoff Management Committee alongside the ten FBS conference commissioners, advocating for the concerns of football independent Notre Dame.

Past Context and Speculative Moves

Yormark also pointed out the lifeline the ACC gave Notre Dame during the pandemic-disrupted 2020 season, giving the Irish a complete conference schedule and a berth in its title game.

“His behavior has been unacceptable,” Yormark said again. “It’s been egregious going after Jim Phillips, when they saved Notre Dame during Covid...”

Speculation had circulated about Notre Dame potentially splitting with the ACC and aligning with the Big 12. Yet, the commissioner's pointed reprimand on Tuesday appear to make such a move unlikely in the immediate future.

Notre Dame, who made the CFP championship game last season, have announced they are declining a postseason invitation after failing to qualify this year.