UCF pays $100,000 fine for chants at BYU

The Big 12 Conference fined University of Central Florida $100,000 on Wednesday for derogatory chants directed at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The penalty follows a Saturday football game between UCF and Brigham Young University. UCF won the match in overtime.

League officials directed the money toward student education initiatives. UCF athletics spokesman Adam Widman said in an email that the school is reviewing its options after learning of the decision. Video from the game showed fans in the UCF section chanting “(expletive) the Mormons!” before kickoff. University security removed some spectators from the venue.

The league also announced a new conference-wide policy regarding fan behavior. The rules apply to all athletic events. A first confirmed incident of discriminatory conduct triggers a warning and a minimum $100,000 fine. If a second incident occurs during the same game, the school faces an in-game penalty. In football, this penalty is a 15-year unsportsmanlike conduct call. In basketball, it is a two-shot technical foul. The league may also levy a $500,000 fine for such incidents.

Fans ejected for this conduct are banned from attending events for the rest of the school year. They also face university-specific conduct policies. The Big 12 stated that discriminatory behavior has no place in the conference.

This is not the first fine related to BYU fans. Colorado State apologized in September after similar chants. Oklahoma State paid a $50,000 fine in February for chants during a men’s basketball game. Colorado paid a $50,000 fine a year ago for football chants.

Other incidents have occurred without fines. Arizona fans chanted during a men’s basketball game in the 2024-25 season. Cincinnati fans chanted during a football game in November 2025. Neither school received a penalty.

BYU enters the next week as the No. 8 team in the country. The Cougars are 6-1 overall and 3-1 in conference play. They host Arizona State on Saturday. BYU then travels to play No. 6 Utah on Nov. 7 in the Holy War rivalry game.