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

The Source of the Dispute

The Fighting Irish has a gridiron scheduling agreement with the ACC and is a participating member in other sports. The AD has claimed that the ACC harmed Notre Dame’s bid to enter the College Football Playoff, instead choosing to campaigning for the spot of the University of Miami.

“They does wonderful things for Notre Dame, but we bring substantial football value to the ACC, and we couldn't comprehend why you would go out of your way to try to undermine us in this procedure,” Bevacqua stated.

The Hurricanes ultimately earned the CFP invitation over Notre Dame, primarily due to securing the head-to-head meeting between the two schools. Notre Dame's AD additionally stated that the ACC conducted a targeted social media effort over multiple weeks demonstrating its support for Miami.

A Strong Response

Subsequently on Tuesday, Yormark responded to the allegations at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate Athletics Forum.

“In my view his conduct has been unacceptable,” Yormark commented. “He is completely out of bounds in his tactics and if he was in the room, I’d tell him the same thing.”

This public pushback is particularly significant given Bevacqua’s special standing. He sits on the College Football Playoff Management Committee with the ten FBS conference commissioners, advocating for the interests of football independent Notre Dame.

Past Support and Future Rumors

The commissioner further pointed out the assistance the ACC offered Notre Dame in the pandemic-disrupted 2020 season, giving the Irish a complete ACC schedule and a place in its title game.

“It has been unacceptable,” he said again. “It’s been egregious attacking Jim Phillips, when they rescued Notre Dame during Covid...”

Speculation had circulated about Notre Dame potentially leaving the ACC and partnering with the Big 12. Yet, Yormark's public reprimand on Tuesday seem to make such a partnership highly improbable in the near term.

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