After earlier talk of a "cold war" starting between the ACC and Notre Dame, it feels like the conference should be at DEFCON 2 at the very least. Comments by Irish AD Pete Bevacqua on Monday morning seem to indicate the cold war could escalate to a shooting war soon, and a breakup is on the way.
At issue is both ND being left out of the College Football Playoff and the campaigning the ACC did on behalf of Miami. The ACC even went so far as to televise replays of the game between the two teams on its own network more than 10 times in a two-day period. The ACC's social media accounts also repeatedly fired shots across the bow at Marcus Freeman's squad in making the case for the Hurricanes.
Bevacqua appeared on the Dan Patrick show on Monday and relayed how angry he is with how the ACC comported itself in the last few weeks. In the process, he said Notre Dame's relationship with the ACC suffered "permanent damage."
Bevacqua’s fiery criticism signals a potential fracture between Notre Dame and the ACC
"I have tremendous respect for Miami. You know, great team, great school. Their athletic director, Dan Radakovich, is a good friend. And all the teams in the ACC, great, wonderful universities. We have no... No gripes about any of the schools in the ACC.," Bevacqua began.
"But we were mystified by the actions of the conference."
"To attack their biggest really business partner in football and a member of their conference in 24 of our other sports. And I would tell you, Dan, I wouldn't be honest with you if I didn't say that they have certainly done permanent damage to the relationship between the conference and Notre Dame."
When the Irish AD was asked what he meant by that, he once again said that he doesn't have any problems with any schools and respects Miami getting in. However, he's clearly furious at how the ACC behaved.
His comments come one day after there were more than a few whispers that the school was furious with the conference leadership and that it wasn't out of the realm of possibility that a divorce was on the way.
Bevaqua also has a press conference scheduled for noon on Tuesday and his comments on Monday will fuel the fire that Notre Dame might be preparing a big announcement in the wake of their College Football Playoff snub.