Big 12 Fines UCF $100,000 for Fans' Chants Against BYU's Faith and Toughens Its Penalties

The Big 12 Conference fined UCF $100,000 on Wednesday after fans at last Saturday's game against BYU chanted a profane slur aimed at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the faith that founded and runs BYU.

"Discriminatory behavior has no place in the Big 12," the conference said in its official statement. The money will go to "student education initiatives."

The league didn't stop at one fine. It also rolled out tougher rules, effective immediately, for every school in the conference. If the same thing happens twice in one game, the home team can now be hit with a penalty on the field.

What happened

UCF beat BYU, then ranked No. 2 in the country, 39-31 in double overtime at its stadium in Orlando on Oct. 24. During the game, groups of fans chanted "[expletive] the Mormons," according to multiple outlets that reported it. Members of the faith prefer the full name of their church, and its own style guide asks people not to use "Mormons" as a substitute for it.

The conference gave UCF some credit. It said the school followed its pregame protocols and acted during the game, "including removal of some individuals responsible for the conduct." But it still issued the fine.

UCF said it is "reviewing our options" after learning of the decision, in a statement to USA Today.

The new rules

Here is what the Big 12 says will happen from now on when fans aim discriminatory chants at an opponent:

First incident: an automatic fine of at least $100,000, plus a formal warning so the school can stop it on the spot.

Second incident in the same game: an in-game penalty, such as a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct flag in football or a two-shot technical foul in basketball, and possibly another $500,000 fine.

Fans who get thrown out: banned from all of that school's athletic events for the rest of the academic year, on top of any school discipline.

Think of it like a referee's warning to a team bench: the first one costs money, and the second one costs your team on the scoreboard.

Not the first time

BYU has heard this before. In September 2025, Colorado fans aimed similar chants at BYU in Boulder, and the Big 12 fined Colorado $50,000 and issued a public reprimand. "Hateful and discriminatory language has no home in the Big 12 Conference," Commissioner Brett Yormark said in the conference's announcement at the time. "While we appreciate Colorado apologizing for the chants that occurred in the stands during Saturday's game, the Big 12 maintains zero tolerance for such behavior."

UCF's fine is double that, and it is now the floor for any school that lets it happen again.

After the Colorado game, BYU posted on X: "We denounce all forms of religious discrimination & appreciate @CUBoulder's example in rooting out these inappropriate actions. We invite all to showcase their fandom with enthusiasm & respect."

Why it matters

BYU is owned and run by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and it plays in stadiums across the league every season. A chant that singles out a team's religion goes after millions of believers, not just 11 players on a field. The conference is now saying, in dollars and yards, that cheering against a team is fine and mocking its faith is not.

The Big 12 says it "will continue working with its member institutions to prevent such behavior and ensure meaningful consequences when incidents occur."