Big 12 imposes $100,000 fine on UCF for anti-Mormon chants

The University of Central Florida will pay a $100,000 fine after the Big 12 Conference penalized the school for derogatory chants directed at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The incident occurred during a football game against BYU last Saturday in Irvine, Texas.

Video footage posted to social media showed UCF supporters chanting "(expletive) the Mormons!" before kickoff. University security staff removed several fans from the stadium during the contest, which UCF won in overtime.

The league announced the penalty on Wednesday alongside a new conference-wide policy regarding discriminatory conduct. The Big 12 stated that such behavior has no place in the conference and established a framework of escalating consequences for future incidents.

Under the new rules, a first confirmed incident of discriminatory conduct at an athletic event triggers an automatic minimum fine of $100,000 and a formal warning. If a second incident occurs at the same game, the offending team faces an in-game penalty. In football, this would be a 15-year unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. In basketball, it would be a two-shot technical foul. The league also retains the authority to levy a $500,000 fine for severe cases.

Fans ejected for such behavior will be banned from attending home athletic events for the remainder of the academic year. They remain subject to their university's specific fan or student conduct policies as well.

The $100,000 fine imposed on UCF will fund student education initiatives, according to a league statement. This penalty follows a pattern of fines for similar behavior involving BYU. Oklahoma State paid a $50,000 fine in February for inappropriate chants during a men's basketball game against BYU. Colorado paid a $50,000 fine a year ago for similar chants during a football matchup.

Colorado State issued a public apology in September after fans targeted BYU and the church with derogatory chants. Similar incidents occurred during an Arizona men's basketball game in the 2024-25 season and a Cincinnati football game in November 2025, though neither school was fined. UCF athletics spokesman Adam Widman said in an email Wednesday night that the university is reviewing its options after learning of the decision.