Big 12 Hits UCF With $100,000 Fine Over Anti-byu Chants

WHO:

Fox News - The Big 12 Conference fined the University of Central Florida (UCF) Knights after fans chanted a discriminatory phrase about Mormons before a game against the BYU Cougars.

ABC News - The Big 12, UCF, BYU, and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were involved in the incident and league response.

ABC News - UCF athletics spokesman Adam Widman said the university would review its options after learning of the conference’s decision.

ABC News - BYU is described as the flagship school for what is widely known as the Mormon church.

ABC News - The league’s policy applies to fans, and fans removed for discriminatory conduct may also be subject to university fan or student conduct policies.

WHAT:

ABC News - The conference said it recognized UCF’s pregame protocols and its removal of individuals responsible for the conduct when determining the fine.

ABC News - The conference’s updated policy gives schools a formal warning and an opportunity to address the issue after a first confirmed incident.

ABC News - UCF’s win gave then-undefeated BYU its first loss of the season and improved UCF’s record to 4–3.

Fox News - The Big 12 fined UCF $100,000 over fans’ discriminatory chants directed at BYU.

ABC News - The Big 12 announced a conference-wide policy providing escalating consequences for discriminatory conduct, which it said “has no place in the Big 12.”

ABC News - The $100,000 fine will be directed toward “student education initiatives.”

ABC News - Video shared on social media showed UCF fans chanting “(expletive) the Mormons!” before kickoff; university security removed some fans.

ABC News - UCF won the game in overtime.

IJR - UCF beat BYU 39–31 in double overtime; fans chanted “f--- the Mormons” before the game.

ABC News - A first confirmed incident triggers an automatic minimum $100,000 fine and a warning. A second incident at the same game can bring an in-game penalty and may also result in a $500,000 fine.

ABC News - Possible in-game penalties include a 15-yard unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty in football or a two-shot technical foul in basketball.

ABC News - Fans removed for such conduct will be banned from athletic events for the remainder of the school year.

ABC News - Colorado State apologized after fans targeted BYU and the Mormon church with derogatory chants. The Big 12 fined Oklahoma State $50,000 over chants during a men’s basketball game against BYU, and fined Colorado $50,000 over similar chants at a football game.

ABC News - Similar incidents occurred at an Arizona men’s basketball game and a Cincinnati football game; neither school was fined.

WHERE:

ABC News - The game was played at the Acrisure Bounce House in Orlando, Florida.

ABC News - The game was played at UCF; the league announcement was reported from Irving, Texas.

WHEN:

ABC News - The chants occurred before kickoff at the BYU game; the conference announced its policy on Wednesday.

ABC News - The report says Colorado State apologized in September and Oklahoma State was fined in February.

ABC News - The article identifies the Arizona incident as occurring during the 2024–25 season and the Cincinnati incident as occurring in November 2025.

ABC News - BYU was scheduled to host Arizona State on Saturday and play at Utah on Nov. 7.

WHY:

ABC News - The Big 12 imposed the fine in response to fans’ derogatory chants aimed at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

HOW:

ABC News - Social-media video documented the chants, and university security removed some fans from the game.

IJR - The Big 12 added in-game penalties for repeat incidents.

The Big 12 fined UCF $100,000 after fans chanted discriminatory slurs about Mormons. Security removed some fans, and the conference cited UCF’s pregame protocols. The league also adopted escalating penalties, including game sanctions for repeat incidents.