Big 12 Investigating Offensive Chants During Oklahoma State-BYU Game
Oklahoma State’s 99-92 win over BYU on Wednesday night should’ve been remembered for what it was on the court - a high-scoring, hard-fought Big 12 battle between two teams trying to find their rhythm down the stretch. But after the final whistle, the conversation quickly shifted off the hardwood and into a far more troubling space.
BYU head coach Kevin Young made headlines postgame, not just for his team’s performance, but for what he says he heard coming from the stands during the game.
“There was some ‘F the Mormons’ chants tonight by the student section that I heard,” Young said. “It’s a great win for Oklahoma State University. Their fans should be proud, but it’d be great if some class was in there, as well.”
Young, who is Mormon and has four young children, didn’t hold back as he explained how chants like that hit far beyond the arena walls.
“When I go home, they’re gonna ask me about it, same way they asked me about it last year at Arizona,” he continued. “There’s just too much hate in the world to be saying stuff like that when we got enough problems in our world without going at people’s religion and beliefs - whether it’s in vogue or not.”
Young also noted that while BYU is often associated with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, only a handful of players on the current roster - “probably four or five guys,” he said - are actually Mormon. Still, the team represents the university and its values, and when those values are targeted, it resonates throughout the locker room.
For their part, some Oklahoma State fans have taken to social media to push back, claiming the chant was actually “Ref’s a Mormon,” in reference to an official. But from where the media sat - up in the 300 level - neither version of the chant was clearly audible.
Regardless of what exactly was said, the Big 12 isn’t brushing it aside. Conference commissioner Brett Yormark released a statement Thursday addressing the situation.
“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. 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 BYU has been on the receiving end of this type of behavior. Young referenced a similar incident at Arizona last season, and since 2021, schools like USC, Oregon, Providence, and Cincinnati have all issued apologies for chants targeting BYU’s religious affiliation.
It’s a reminder that while college basketball thrives on passion, energy, and school pride, there’s a line - and when that line gets crossed, it’s not just a bad look for the school, it’s a stain on the game itself.
The Big 12’s response will be closely watched, but so too will the behavior of fan bases across the conference. Because in a league that prides itself on competition and class, moments like these test more than just sportsmanship - they test the culture.