The Big 12 Conference is once again facing a troubling situation after reports of offensive chants surfaced during Oklahoma State’s 99-92 upset win over No. 16 BYU on Wednesday night. Late in the second half, as tensions rose on the court, broadcast cameras captured a portion of the Oklahoma State student section launching into chants that were reportedly religiously charged, prompting swift reaction from the league office.
Following the game, Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark released a statement acknowledging the incident and confirming that the conference has launched a formal investigation.
“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.”
This isn’t the first time the conference has had to respond to similar incidents. Back in September, Colorado was fined $50,000 and publicly reprimanded after its student section directed explicit chants at BYU during a football game. The language used in that case mirrored what was allegedly heard in Stillwater on Wednesday night.
BYU, a university operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has unfortunately found itself at the center of this kind of behavior before. And for head coach Kevin Young, the impact of what happened in Gallagher-Iba Arena goes beyond the final score.
“It’s a great win for Oklahoma State University. Their fans should be proud,” Young said postgame.
“But it would be great if some class was in there as well. I got four small kids at home, you know.
I’m a Mormon. When I go home, they’re going to ask me about it, same way they asked me about it last year at Arizona.
There’s just too much hate in the world to be saying stuff like that. We’ve got enough problems in our world without going after people’s religion and beliefs.”
Young’s comments strike a chord. This wasn’t just a coach venting after a tough loss - BYU played hard and came up short in a high-scoring, competitive game. But when postgame conversations are dominated by off-court issues, it’s a reminder that the atmosphere surrounding college sports matters just as much as what happens between the lines.
The game itself was a statement win for Oklahoma State, one that could serve as a turning point in their season. The Cowboys not only took down a ranked opponent, but also did so with enough energy to spark a court-storming celebration - a moment that’s almost certainly going to draw a separate fine from the Big 12, which has been cracking down on such incidents in recent years.
But the celebration was overshadowed by the chants, and now the conference has to navigate another incident that challenges its commitment to sportsmanship and inclusivity. The Big 12 has made it clear that it won’t tolerate discriminatory or offensive behavior from fans, and this investigation will likely be a test of how seriously that stance is enforced.
For BYU, this is a familiar - and unfortunate - narrative. The Cougars continue to compete at a high level in a new conference, but moments like these underscore the challenges that come with being a faith-based institution in the national spotlight. And for Oklahoma State, a night that should’ve been remembered purely for a big win is now tied to something far more disappointing.