UCF Pays Fine for Chants

Fans at a UCF football stadium chanted a derogatory phrase aimed at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints just before kickoff against BYU last Saturday. The video circulated on social media showed the crowd shouting “(expletive) the Mormons!” moments before the start of play. UCF security removed several spectators from the venue before the team took the field. The Knights won the game in overtime.

The Big 12 Conference fined UCF $100,000 on Wednesday for the incident. The league stated that the money will go toward student education initiatives. This is the third time the conference has penalized a school for fan behavior directed at BYU, a flagship institution for the church.

Adam Widman, a UCF athletics spokesman, said in an email Wednesday night that the university would review its options after learning of the decision. “After becoming aware of the conference’s decision, we will be reviewing our options,” Widman wrote.

The league also announced a new conference-wide policy for discriminatory conduct at athletic events. The policy states that such behavior “has no place in the Big 12.” It introduces escalating consequences for confirmed incidents.

Under the new rules, a first confirmed incident triggers an automatic minimum fine of $100,000 and a formal warning. If a second incident occurs during the same game, officials may assess an in-game penalty. In football, this could be a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. In basketball, it would be a two-shot technical foul. The league may also levy a fine up to $500,000.

Fans ejected for this conduct are banned from attending athletic events for the rest of the school year. They also remain subject to their university’s specific fan or student conduct policies.

The conference has addressed similar behavior in the past. Colorado State apologized in September after fans targeted BYU with chants. In February, the Big 12 fined Oklahoma State $50,000 for inappropriate chants during a men’s basketball game. Colorado received a $50,000 fine a year ago for similar football game incidents. Similar events occurred at an Arizona basketball game in the 2024-25 season and a Cincinnati football game in November 2025, but neither school was fined.