Big 12 fines UCF for fans' chant aimed at BYU, Mormon church - ESPN

IRVING, Texas — The Big 12 Conference has fined UCF $100,000 for fans' derogatory chants aimed at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at last weekend's football game against BYU.

The league also announced Wednesday that it has established a conference-wide policy with «escalating consequences for discriminatory conduct» that it says «has no place in the Big 12.»

The fine against UCF will be directed toward «student education initiatives,» the league said in a statement. It's the latest fine against a Big 12 school over fan treatment of BYU, the flagship school for what's widely known as the Mormon church.

«After becoming aware of the conference's decision, we will be reviewing our options,» UCF athletics spokesman Adam Widman said in an email Wednesday night.

Video shared on social media showed UCF fans chanting «F--- the Mormons!» before kickoff Saturday. University security then removed some fans from the game, won by UCF in overtime.

The Big 12's conduct policy at athletic events will now include an automatic minimum $100,000 fine and a warning after a first confirmed incident. A second incident at the same game will result in an in-game penalty, such as a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty in football or a two-shot technical foul in basketball. A $500,000 fine also may be levied, the league said.

Fans who are kicked out for such conduct will be banned from attending athletic events for the remainder of the school year and are subject to university fan or student conduct policies, the league said.

Colorado State issued an apology in September after fans targeted BYU and the Mormon church with derogatory chants.

The Big 12 fined Oklahoma State $50,000 in February following inappropriate chants during a men's