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During a public statement, Brett Yormark declared that Notre Dame athletic director, Pete Bevacqua, was “entirely out of bounds” for recent criticisms concerning the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).

Root of the Dispute

Notre Dame has a football scheduling alliance 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 make the College Football Playoff, instead advocating for the spot 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 process,” the athletic director stated.

The Hurricanes eventually secured the CFP berth over Notre Dame, mostly due to securing the direct contest between the two programs. Notre Dame's AD further alleged that the ACC engaged in a coordinated social media campaign over multiple weeks indicating its support for Miami.

An Egregious Rebuke

Subsequently on Tuesday, Yormark addressed the comments at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum.

“I think his conduct has been unacceptable,” the commissioner stated. “He is totally out of bounds in his approach and if he was in the room, I’d say to him the same thing.”

This public pushback is especially notable given Bevacqua’s unique role. He sits on the College Football Playoff Management Committee with the ten FBS conference commissioners, representing the interests of football independent Notre Dame.

Historical Context and Speculative Moves

Yormark further highlighted the support the ACC gave Notre Dame during the Covid-affected 2020 season, providing the Irish a complete ACC schedule and a berth in its title game.

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

Talk had spread about Notre Dame possibly leaving the ACC and aligning with the Big 12. However, the commissioner's strong reprimand on Tuesday seem to make such a move highly improbable in the immediate future.

Notre Dame, who made the CFP championship game last season, have indicated they will decline a bowl game after failing to qualify this year.