Notre Dame AD rips ACC, saying ‘permanent damage’ has been done

Notre Dame Athletic director Pete Bevacqua attacked the ACC in the wake of Sunday’s College Football Playoff fiasco, saying the conference that includes nearly every Fighting Irish sports team has caused “permanent damage” to the relationship.

Bevacqua told “The Dan Patrick Show” on Monday that he has great respect for miami, alabama and all teams that stated their cases for CFP inclusion and were ultimately included in the field of 12. But Bevacqua is angry at how the ACC pushed Miami to select Miami over Notre Dame.

“We were appalled by the conference’s actions to attack their largest, de facto partner in football and a member of their conference in 24 other sports,” Bevacqua told Patrick. “…He has certainly done lasting damage to the relationship between the conference and Notre Dame.”

ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips said in a statement Monday that the conference “stands behind the support and advocacy efforts of all 17 of our football-playing member institutions.”

Last month, ACC’s official account on X, amid comparisons with other schools, A side-by-side comparison of Miami and Notre Dame postedWith the text, “No fiction, just facts.” Miami defeated Notre Dame 27–24 in the season opener, a game in which the Hurricanes never trailed, finishing with an identical 10–2 record.

Nothing imaginary, just facts.

Team A ✅ https://t.co/2SshUcSWhK pic.twitter.com/eyHadwcQYt

– ACC Football (@ACCFootball) 11 November 2025

The ACC Network, whose programming is not controlled by the conference, repeated the Miami–Notre Dame game more than a dozen times on Thursday and Friday over championship weekend, despite Miami not participating in the league title game. rulerwhich won the ACC but had five losses in the regular season did not make the CFP.

The Hurricanes were seeded 10th and will play at No. 7. Texas A&M In the first round of CFP. Notre Dame announced Sunday that it will Decline a bowl invitation and end its seasonInstead of accepting the ACC’s involvement in the Pop-Tarts Bowl.

Aside from football, which is an FBS independent, and men’s hockey, which is an affiliate member of the Big Ten, all of Notre Dame’s other varsity sports are in the ACC. Since 2014, there has been a scheduling partnership between Notre Dame and the ACC in which the Irish play at least five ACC opponents per season.

Bevacqua said, “We didn’t appreciate the fact that we were repeatedly picked on and compared to Miami. Not by Miami; Miami has every right to do that.” “But people’s eyebrows were raised here that we were being targeted at the conference.”

Phillips said in his statement Monday that Notre Dame is an “incredibly valued member” of the ACC and has “respect and admiration” for the Irish.

Phillips said, “As said, when it comes to football, it is our responsibility to support and advocate for all 17 of our member institutions that play football, and I stand behind our conference’s efforts to do just that on Sunday by selecting the College Football Playoff committee.” “At no time was it suggested by the ACC that Notre Dame was not a worthy candidate to join the field. We are thrilled for the University of Miami, while also understanding and appreciating the significant disappointment of the Notre Dame players, coaches and program.”

Bevacqua was asked by Patrick if Notre Dame would re-evaluate its relationship with the ACC.

“I’ll just say it’s been stressful,” Bevacqua said. “You never say irreparable, but it has opened our eyes and it has caught our attention.”

Bevacqua reiterated Notre Dame’s frustrations over the CFP selection process, including the weekly rankings in which the Irish were in the field as of Sunday. After an 0–2 start, Notre Dame won its last 10 games, all by 10 points or more.

“We’re confused, we’re saddened and we’re disappointed,” Bevacqua told Patrick.

“… If we had gathered as a team on Sunday and the rankings hadn’t told us for the past weeks, ‘We’re in, we’re in, we’re in. Take care of business, take care of business’ … Hey, I get it. But these rankings shows, like, what do they mean? Why send these signals and get expectations. [up] These teams, these coaches, these kids on the team believe they are doing everything necessary. It felt like, in that room, without any explanation, a collective feeling of having the rug pulled out from under us.”

Bevacqua said Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman talked to team captains about other bowl opportunities after being overlooked by the CFP. The captains told Freeman that they knew many players with NFL draft potential would opt out and did not want to play games with a dramatically different roster.

“It just won’t be the same,” Bevacqua said.

Bevacqua will address reporters at a press conference on Tuesday at noon ET.