Tempers are flaring in the college football world! Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark has publicly criticized Notre Dame's Athletic Director, Pete Bevacqua, for his recent comments regarding the ACC and the College Football Playoff (CFP) selection process. But what exactly sparked this heated exchange? Let's dive in.
Dave Wilson, a seasoned college football reporter, broke the news on December 9, 2025. The core of the issue stems from Notre Dame being left out of the CFP in favor of Miami, who had a head-to-head victory over the Fighting Irish. Bevacqua didn't hold back, accusing the ACC of favoring Miami on social media and in league programming.
During the Sports Business Journal's Intercollegiate Athletics Forum, Yormark didn't mince words. He called Bevacqua's behavior "egregious," even stating he'd tell him the same thing to his face.
For context, it's important to know that while Notre Dame is independent in football, most of its other sports are members of the ACC. Furthermore, since 2014, Notre Dame and the ACC have had a scheduling partnership, with the Irish playing at least five ACC opponents each season. This partnership is a key point to understand the complexities of the situation.
Bevacqua's criticism has been ongoing, with multiple media appearances where he's alleged the ACC orchestrated a targeted social media campaign against Notre Dame. ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips has stood by the conference, emphasizing their support for all 17 football-playing member institutions.
But here's where it gets controversial... Yormark highlighted the ACC's support for Notre Dame during the 2020 COVID season, when the Irish played a 10-game ACC schedule and went 9-0 in league play. Despite losing the championship game to Clemson, Notre Dame still made the four-team CFP. Yormark sees Bevacqua's criticism as ungrateful, especially considering the support the ACC provided.
Adding another layer, Yormark pointed out that his own Big 12 team, BYU, was also excluded from the CFP, with the committee citing head-to-head results as a deciding factor. He noted the CFP chair Hunter Yurachek's transparency about the committee's logic.
So, what do you think? Was Bevacqua out of line, or does he have a point? Do you agree with Yormark's assessment of the situation? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
