Big 12 Fines UCF $100,000 Over Fan Chants Aimed at BYU and Latter-day Saints

The Big 12 Conference has fined UCF $100,000 after fans directed derogatory chants at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints during last weekend's football game against BYU. The league announced the penalty on Wednesday.

In a statement, the conference said the money will go toward "student education initiatives." The league also said it has put in place a conference-wide policy with "escalating consequences for discriminatory conduct," which it says "has no place in the Big 12."

Video posted on social media showed UCF fans chanting an obscenity-laced slur about Mormons before kickoff on Saturday. University security later removed some fans from the stadium. UCF went on to win the game in overtime.

Under the new policy, a first confirmed incident at an athletic event brings an automatic minimum fine of $100,000 and a warning. If a second incident occurs at the same game, the offending school faces an in-game penalty. In football, that could be a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, and in basketball, a two-shot technical foul. The league said a $500,000 fine may also be imposed.

Fans who are ejected for such behavior will be barred from athletic events for the rest of the school year and may face further action under their university's fan or student conduct rules, according to the conference.

UCF athletics spokesman Adam Widman said in an email Wednesday night that the school would be "reviewing our options" once it became aware of the conference's decision.

The fine is the latest involving a Big 12 school and the treatment of BYU, the flagship university of the church widely known as the Mormon church. Colorado State apologized in September after its fans targeted BYU and the church with derogatory chants. In February, the Big 12 fined Oklahoma State $50,000 over inappropriate chants at a men's basketball game against BYU. A year earlier, Colorado received a $50,000 fine for similar chants at a football game.

Comparable incidents were reported at an Arizona men's basketball game during the 2024-25 season and at a Cincinnati football game in November 2025. Neither school was fined.

On the field, No. 8 BYU (6-1, 3-1 Big 12) hosts Arizona State (4-3, 2-2) on Saturday. The Cougars then travel to face No. 6 Utah (7-0, 4-0) in the Holy War rivalry game on Nov. 7.