Big 12 Vows to Stop Fan Chants Targeting Mormons at BYU Games

BYU athletic director confident conference schools are serious about addressing the issue

Feb. 5, 2026 at 5:47pm

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BYU athletic director Brian Santiago says the school has been the target of derogatory chants against Mormons at opponent's venues at least four times in the past year. The Big 12 conference has vowed to investigate the latest incident at Oklahoma State and enforce its sportsmanship policies to address the problem.

Why it matters

The repeated incidents of anti-Mormon chants directed at BYU, the flagship school of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, highlight ongoing religious discrimination and intolerance that the university and its athletes face. The Big 12's response will set an important precedent for how major college sports conferences handle such discriminatory behavior from fans.

The details

In the latest incident, BYU men's basketball coach Kevin Young said he heard 'F--- The Mormons' chants from the Oklahoma State student section during a game on Wednesday. BYU athletic director Brian Santiago said he received an apology from Oklahoma State's athletic director and is confident administrators across the Big 12 are taking the situation seriously. The conference has a 'zero tolerance' policy for such behavior and is investigating the matter.

  • On Wednesday, February 5, 2026, the BYU men's basketball team played at Oklahoma State.
  • In February 2025, Arizona apologized after fans participated in an 'unacceptable chant' against Mormons following a basketball game against BYU.
  • In September 2025, Colorado was fined $50,000 by the Big 12 after football fans directed expletives and religious slurs at Mormons during a game against BYU.
  • In November 2025, Cincinnati apologized for football fans' anti-Mormon chants during a game against BYU.

The players

Brian Santiago

The athletic director at Brigham Young University (BYU), the flagship school of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Kevin Young

The head coach of the 16th-ranked BYU men's basketball team.

Chad Weiberg

The athletic director at Oklahoma State University.

Jim Hess

The president of Oklahoma State University.

Brett Yormark

The commissioner of the Big 12 Conference.

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What they’re saying

“It's super hurtful and unacceptable for these chants to be going on, these discriminatory chants, against our religion, against any religion. There's a human element of it that we want people to understand how hurtful it is and how unsafe it feels for members of our faith.”

— Brian Santiago, BYU Athletic Director

“It's a great win for Oklahoma State University. Their fans should be proud. It would be great if some class was warranted in there as well. I've got four small kids at home. I'm a Mormon. When I go home, they're going to ask me about it, same way as 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 at people's religion and beliefs and whether it's in vogue or not.”

— Kevin Young, BYU Men's Basketball Coach

“The Cowboy Code calls us to treat others with respect and dignity, and we are reviewing what occurred and will address any violations of our standards of conduct appropriately. Oklahoma State University values the relationship we have with BYU and deeply respects their community and their faith. I have reached out to BYU leadership directly to express our commitment to upholding the standards we expect from our community. We will continue to work with our students and fans to ensure that the atmosphere at our events reflects the values of the Cowboy family.”

— Jim Hess, Oklahoma State University President

“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.”

— Brett Yormark, Big 12 Conference Commissioner

What’s next

The Big 12 Conference is investigating the incident at Oklahoma State and will address any violations of its sportsmanship policies. The conference commissioner has vowed to take action against the discriminatory behavior.

The takeaway

This ongoing issue highlights the need for major college sports conferences and universities to take a strong stand against religious discrimination and intolerance directed at student-athletes. The Big 12's response will set an important precedent for how such incidents are handled going forward to ensure a safe and inclusive environment for all participants.