Big 12 Investigating Offensive Chants During BYU-Oklahoma State Game
The Big 12 Conference is once again facing a troubling situation involving fan behavior, this time stemming from Wednesday night’s men’s basketball matchup between BYU and Oklahoma State in Stillwater. Reports surfaced alleging that a section of the crowd at Gallagher-Iba Arena chanted offensive remarks aimed at BYU, specifically targeting the school’s religious affiliation.
On Thursday morning, Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark addressed the situation in an official statement, confirming that the conference is actively investigating the incident.
“The Big 12 Conference is aware of and is investigating reports of inappropriate chants that occurred during last night’s BYU-Oklahoma State Men’s Basketball game,” Yormark said. “All parties have been notified. The Conference has zero tolerance for behavior of this nature and will address the matter in accordance with Big 12 sportsmanship policies.”
The chant in question, allegedly “F the Mormons,” was caught on video and quickly circulated on social media, drawing widespread criticism. Some Oklahoma State fans have pushed back, claiming the chant was actually “Ref’s a Mormon,” not a slur against the LDS community. But regardless of the exact wording, the reaction has been swift, and the Big 12 is taking it seriously.
This isn’t the first time BYU has encountered this kind of hostility on the road. The Cougars have faced similar incidents at other venues, both in football and basketball, which has raised broader concerns about how visiting fan bases treat teams with religious affiliations.
In fact, the conference recently had to take disciplinary action in a similar case. Back in September during a football game between Colorado and BYU at Folsom Field, fans were heard chanting the same offensive phrase.
The Big 12 responded by issuing a public reprimand and levying a $50,000 fine against Colorado. Commissioner Yormark was direct in his response at the time:
“Hateful and discriminatory language has no home in the Big 12 Conference,” he said. “While we appreciate Colorado apologizing for the chants that occurred in the stands during Saturday’s game, the Big 12 maintains zero tolerance for such behavior.”
The conference cited its Principles and Standards of Sportsmanship in that decision, which clearly prohibit any form of discriminatory language. That precedent now looms large as the league reviews what happened in Stillwater.
Whether Oklahoma State faces similar consequences remains to be seen, but the Big 12’s stance has been consistent: there’s no place for this kind of behavior in college athletics. The league has made it clear that schools will be held accountable for the conduct of their fans, especially when it crosses the line into hate speech.
For BYU, these incidents are more than just distractions-they’re reminders of the challenges that can come with being a faith-based institution competing at the highest level of college sports. And for the Big 12, it’s another test of how seriously it enforces its own standards of respect and sportsmanship.
As the investigation unfolds, all eyes will be on the conference’s next move.