The Big 12 Conference has levied a $100,000 fine against the University of Central Florida following derogatory chants directed at Brigham Young University during a football game. The conference announced that the penalty proceeds will be allocated toward student education initiatives.
According to the conference news release, UCF followed established protocols during last Saturday’s matchup and took action by removing certain spectators from the stadium. Despite acknowledging these steps, the league emphasized that discriminatory behavior violates conference standards and has no place within the athletic organization.
While the official league statement did not detail the specific language used, videos circulating online captured portions of the crowd chanting “f— the Mormons.” BYU is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Alongside the financial penalty, the Big 12 introduced an updated policy framework establishing concrete in-game penalties for persistent discriminatory conduct. Under the new guidelines, an initial confirmed offense triggers a minimum $100,000 fine accompanied by a formal warning.
A second confirmed incident occurring during the same athletic contest will result in direct on-field or on-court penalties. The conference cited examples such as a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty in football or an unsportsmanlike two-shot technical foul in basketball.
Furthermore, the league noted that continued discriminatory behavior could incur an additional $500,000 fine for the institution. Spectators ejected for discriminatory conduct will face bans from all athletic events for the remainder of the academic year.
This disciplinary action marks the second time this year the Big 12 has penalized a member school over fan chants directed at BYU. Earlier in the year, Oklahoma State University received a $50,000 fine following similar derogatory chants during a men’s basketball game against the university.
