Big 12 Schools Vow to Stop Anti-Mormon Chants Targeting BYU Teams

BYU athletic director confident conference will address repeated incidents of discriminatory fan behavior.

Feb. 5, 2026 at 9:07pm

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BYU athletic director Brian Santiago says the school is trying to eliminate the cycle of derogatory chants targeting Mormons at opposing venues, which have occurred at least four times in the past year. The Big 12 conference has vowed to investigate the latest incident at Oklahoma State and address any violations of conduct policies, with the conference commissioner stating they have "zero tolerance" for such behavior.

Why it matters

These incidents of anti-Mormon chants at BYU games highlight the ongoing challenges of addressing discriminatory fan behavior in college sports. As the flagship school of the Mormon church, BYU and its athletes have faced this type of targeted abuse, which the school says is "super hurtful and unacceptable." The Big 12's response will be closely watched as a test of whether conferences can effectively curb this type of discriminatory conduct 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 AD and is confident Big 12 schools are taking the situation seriously. Past incidents include Arizona and Colorado fans directing anti-Mormon chants at BYU teams, leading to apologies from those schools.

  • On Wednesday, February 5, 2026, the BYU men's basketball team heard anti-Mormon chants from Oklahoma State fans during a game.
  • In February 2025, Arizona fans participated in an "unacceptable chant" targeting Mormons after 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 anti-Mormon chants from football fans during a game against BYU.

The players

Brian Santiago

The athletic director of Brigham Young University (BYU), the flagship school of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as the Mormon church.

Kevin Young

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

Chad Weiberg

The athletic director of 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

“What we're trying to do is eliminate the behavior from happening and the apologies that come afterward.”

— 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 has stated it will investigate the latest incident at Oklahoma State and address any violations of its sportsmanship policies. The conference commissioner has vowed to take action against the discriminatory fan behavior targeting BYU and its Mormon players and staff.

The takeaway

These repeated incidents of anti-Mormon chants at BYU games underscore the ongoing challenges of addressing discriminatory fan behavior in college sports. While the Big 12's response will be closely watched, the broader issue highlights the need for stronger policies and enforcement to create a more inclusive and respectful atmosphere at college sporting events.