Notre Dame AD Criticizes ACC, Claims ‘Permanent Damage’ to Relationship and Reputation

Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua strongly criticized the ACC following the Fighting Irish’s exclusion from the College Football Playoff (CFP). He described the situation as causing “permanent damage” to the relationship between Notre Dame and the ACC, the conference hosting nearly all of Notre Dame’s sports teams except football and men’s hockey.

Bevacqua expressed respect for teams like Miami and Alabama that secured CFP spots but took issue with the ACC’s aggressive push for Miami over Notre Dame. He said on “The Dan Patrick Show” that the conference’s actions, which involved attacking Notre Dame, were baffling given the Irish’s integral role in the ACC across 24 other sports.

ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips responded by affirming the conference’s support for all 17 football-playing members and praising Notre Dame as a valued member. He denied any suggestion that Notre Dame was unworthy of CFP consideration, acknowledging Miami’s victory over Notre Dame and their identical 10-2 record as facts supporting Miami’s selection.

The ACC’s official social media accounts fueled controversy by comparing Miami and Notre Dame statistics, with the tweet “No hypotheticals, just facts” sparking criticism from the Irish. Furthermore, ACC Network replayed the Miami-Notre Dame game multiple times before championship weekend despite Miami’s absence in the ACC title game and Duke’s conference championship.

After being excluded from the CFP, Notre Dame declined a bowl invitation through the ACC’s tie-ins, ending the season early. Bevacqua highlighted confusion and frustration over the CFP selection process, criticizing weekly rankings that kept Notre Dame in playoff conversations until the final announcement.

He also shared that team captains, concerned about NFL draft prospects opting out, influenced the decision to forgo bowl participation. Bevacqua called the whole experience one that “opened our eyes” and strained the Notre Dame-ACC partnership, emphasizing the need for reflection moving forward.

Bevacqua planned to address the media further at a scheduled news conference to discuss the fallout and Notre Dame’s future relationship with the ACC.