The Pac-12 moved quickly Friday to address a chant that crossed a line last weekend at Texas State’s home football game against Utah State.
The conference said it was notified on Saturday, Oct. 24, of “religiously discriminatory conduct directed at Utah State student-athletes and fans” during the game. The chant in question was “(expletive) the Mormons,” a phrase that has surfaced at BYU road games in football and basketball in recent years.
This time, though, the target was Utah State, marking the first major public instance of the chant being directed at the Aggies.
“On Saturday, Oct. 24, the conference was notified of religiously discriminatory conduct directed at Utah State student-athletes and fans during Texas State’s home football game,” the statement read. “Similar conduct has occurred at games across college football this season, including one other of our own member institutions.
“There is no place for such behavior in any venue, nor should it be tolerated. The league has reviewed the preventive measures in place at both instances at Pac-12 venues this season, and will be working with its board of directors to strengthen fan conduct standards and accountability, both to prevent this behavior at our own games and to better protect our student-athletes and fans across any sporting events.”
The issue has already surfaced elsewhere this season. In September, fans of Colorado State joined in the same chant when BYU played in Fort Collins, and Colorado State apologized within hours.
Other schools have also had to respond after similar incidents involving BYU fans or games. USC issued an apology in 2021, Oregon in 2022, Providence in 2024 and Cincinnati in 2025.
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