Big 12 levies $100,000 fine on UCF after anti-Mormon chants at BYU game

The Big 12 Conference announced on Wednesday that it is fining the University of Central Florida $100,000 for discriminatory behavior at a football game held in Orlando, Florida. The penalty stems from chants directed at Brigham Young University during a match played on Saturday, which saw unranked UCF defeat then-No. 2 ranked BYU in double overtime.

Conference officials stated that the $100,000 payment will go directly to student education initiatives. While the Big 12 acknowledged that UCF followed pregame protocols and removed specific individuals responsible for the conduct, the organization maintained that discriminatory behavior has no place in the conference.

The fine comes with a set of updated guidelines for handling discriminatory conduct at athletic events. Under the new rules, a first incident carries an automatic minimum fine of $100,000. A second incident during the same game results in an in-game competitive penalty, such as a 15-yard unsportsmanlike foul in football or a technical foul in basketball, alongside a potential additional $500,000 fine.

Individuals ejected for discriminatory conduct are now barred from attending all athletic events for the remainder of the academic year. The Big 12 noted that UCF’s situation is not an isolated incident in recent memory. The conference previously fined Oklahoma State $50,000 in February for chants during a men’s basketball game against BYU. Colorado also received a $50,000 fine last year for similar conduct at a football game.

UCF Athletics told ABC News that the department is reviewing its options following the decision. The game marked the first loss of the season for BYU, while UCF improved its record to 4-3. Social media videos shared after the game appeared to show explicit anti-Mormon chants directed at followers of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The conference’s announcement clarifies the financial and competitive consequences for teams that allow such behavior on their home fields. The new policy structure creates a tiered system of penalties that increases in severity with each subsequent offense at the same event. BYU Athletics was contacted for comment but has not yet responded.

The outcome of the match and the subsequent administrative actions are now part of the official record for both institutions. The $100,000 fine is the largest single penalty issued by the Big 12 for this type of conduct in the current season. The updated guidelines apply to all member institutions moving forward.