If you look up the word crybaby, then you may end up seeing a picture of Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua. After Notre Dame was left out of the College Football Playoff on Sunday, Bevacqua accused the ACC of favoring the Hurricanes over his school on social media and in league programming.
Now keep in mind that team that Miami got into the Playoff over Notre Dame because the Hurricanes had a head-to-head win over the Irish. Yet, Bevecqua put the blame on the ACC and the playoff committee. You know what would have fixed this whole situation for Notre Dame? Winning.
While Notre Dame is a part of the ACC for most sports, football is not one of them. If you want a conference to go to bat for you, then maybe join a conference full time. Even Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark shared his thoughts on Pete’s comments from earlier this week.
Yormark said, “I don’t like how Notre Dame has reacted to it. I think Pete’s behavior has been egregious. It’s been egregious going after [ACC Commissioner] Jim Phillips, when they saved Notre Dame during COVID. We all knew, Hunter was very transparent about it, that as Notre Dame and Miami got closer together, head-to-head would be a factor. BYU lost, they became closer together, head-to-head made a difference in that decision. I think he was totally out of bounds in his approach, and if he was in the room I’d say the same thing.”
Yormark is 100% right on the money. Also, BYU missed the College Football Playoff too and got completely screwed. The Cougars had one less loss than the Irish, while also having a better strength of record and strength of schedule. In fact, BYU couldn’t even get ESPN’s time of day on Sunday because they were a complete afterthought. Yet, you don’t see Yormark acting like a child. Was he upset? Sure, but there’s a certain way to go about it and Notre Dame didn’t.
Since Pete’s comments, the ACC is now in favor of expanding the playoff, and Notre Dame is doing the same. Bevacqua said Sunday that language in a memorandum of understanding signed by Notre Dame last spring guarantees the Fighting Irish a playoff appearance if they rank inside the Top 12 of the final poll.
Is it me or is anyone else tired of these schools getting preferential treatment? Well, it appears that some are finally putting their foot down. According to Yahoo Sports’ Dan Wolken, “athletic directors in other leagues are threatening to freeze Notre Dame out of future schedules.”
By opting out of the Pop-Tarts Bowl against BYU, Notre Dame took their ball and went home. You don’t see BYU crying and opting out of a bowl game. Nobody feels sorry for Notre Dame. For years, they have gotten their way and whatever they want and the one time they don’t, they act like a three-year old throwing a fit. I know it won’t happen anytime soon, but I do hope at some point Notre Dame is forced to join a conference and play like the rest of the power four schools.
