College Football Upset Marred by Profane Anti-Mormon Chants

Central Florida (UCF) upset undefeated No. 2 BYU in Orlando on Saturday, but the victory was overshadowed by profane anti-Mormon chants from some students in the crowd. Stadium officials repeatedly warned attendees against derogatory language, and some students were ejected.

The chants of 'f*** the Mormons' continued even as a BYU player received medical attention on the field. The public address announcer at UCF's stadium, the Acrisure Bounce House, made multiple announcements urging the crowd to refrain from vulgar chants. Several groups of students were observed being escorted out of the venue.

McKay Coppins, a reporter at The Atlantic and a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, acknowledged UCF's efforts to address the chants, noting it was a more proactive response than the typical post-game apology. "Appreciate UCF doing something about 'F*** the Mormons' chants from their student section besides issuing a copy-and-paste apology statement after the game," Coppins posted on X.

The chants detracted from what was otherwise a thrilling contest between the previously unbeaten Cougars and coach Scott Frost's Knights. UCF secured the 39-31 upset victory in double overtime with a touchdown pass from Keyone Jenkins to tight end Grayson Brousseau. BYU's final drive ended with an incomplete pass on fourth down, sealing the win for UCF.

BYU, now 6-1 on the season, had entered the game ranked No. 2 after a significant win the previous week. The loss marked another instance of an unbeaten team falling in a turbulent college football season. This was UCF's first win over a top-5 team in school history.

BYU's athletic department has previously addressed such chants, issuing a statement last year acknowledging that disparaging religion crosses a line. The statement emphasized that while they understand such occurrences are minor compared to larger issues, words do matter and prejudice and hate should be eliminated. BYU expressed hope for productive conversations on campuses where these chants occur and reminded opposing fan bases that disparaging their faith impacts more than just the university, including members, fans, and athletes within their own communities.

In a previous statement, BYU stated: "Ultimately, it's our hope that in times of increasing cultural division, athletics can be a mechanism to bring people together in positive ways. Religious bigotry is counterproductive to that, and while it can be disappointing and frustrating for BYU student-athletes, coaches, staff and fans to experience that on the road, we also recognize all of the incredible goodness that we find in various fan bases across the country. We want BYU Athletics to be a vehicle for showcasing that goodness, whether through the service tailgates that are happening before road events or simple acts of sportsmanship during the events. While we'll never be able to control the amount of negativity we experience at a road game, we can always control the amount of positivity that we strive to share."

The game itself saw several lead changes in regulation. UCF’s Jenkins completed 25 of 41 passes for 293 yards and three touchdowns, adding a rushing score. Tyren Hornes contributed six catches for 137 yards for the Knights, and Duke Watson rushed for 94 yards on 15 carries. For BYU, Bear Bachmeier threw for 257 yards and two touchdowns with one interception.

UCF coach Scott Frost called the game's ending "the weirdest end of a game I have ever seen." The Knights drove for a potential game-winning field goal in regulation, but a penalty and a replay review led to a turnover on downs. The initial ruling of a sack was overturned to an incomplete pass, and BYU was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct. However, BYU managed to block the subsequent field goal attempt, forcing overtime.