In a heated response to the College Football Playoff (CFP) selection process, Notre Dame’s athletic director, Pete Bevacqua, criticized the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) for what he views as detrimental actions against the university’s football program. Bevacqua expressed his frustrations during an appearance on “The Dan Patrick Show,” following Notre Dame’s exclusion from the playoff field, which has left a significant strain on the ties between the institution and the conference.
Notre Dame, an independent in football but a member of the ACC for nearly all other sports, was reportedly sidelined in favor of Miami, which Bevacqua found perplexing. He specifically highlighted the ACC’s promotional efforts, including a contentious social media post that favored Miami, a school that defeated Notre Dame early in the season. “We were mystified by the actions of the conference to attack their biggest partner in football,” Bevacqua remarked, labeling the situation as having caused “permanent damage” to Notre Dame’s relationship with the ACC.
This fallout follows a season where Miami, with a matching 10-2 record as Notre Dame, gained the No. 10 seed for the playoffs, while the Irish were overlooked despite a strong finish to their season following an early 0-2 start. This led to their decision to decline a bowl invitation entirely, opting instead to end their season rather than accept a tie-in to the lesser Pop-Tarts Bowl.
ACC commissioner Jim Phillips responded by stating that the conference remains committed to advocating for all its football programs. He noted that Notre Dame remains a highly valued member of the ACC, despite the current tensions. Phillips defended the conference’s decision-making during the playoff selection process, emphasizing that there was no suggestion that Notre Dame was unworthy of consideration.
Bevacqua’s discontent extends beyond the playoff selection itself; he criticized the overall inconsistency in rankings that had previously indicated Notre Dame would qualify for the CFP. “If we had assembled as a team on Sunday and rankings hadn’t told us for the previous weeks, ‘We’re in, we’re in, we’re in,’… it just felt like the rug was taken out from under us,” he said.
In light of the CFP outcome, Notre Dame’s players, particularly those with NFL aspirations, expressed reluctance to participate in bowl games with a diminished roster, a sentiment shared during conversations between coach Marcus Freeman and the team’s captains. Bevacqua noted that the situation has prompted the university to reevaluate its position within the ACC, describing the relationship as strained but not necessarily irreparably damaged.
As these developments unfold, Bevacqua is scheduled to hold a press conference to further address the situation and express Notre Dame’s perspective on the matter.
