When will it end? Hateful chants continue against BYU

TEMPE, Ariz. — Another BYU athletic event was marred by religiously charged vitriol on Saturday night, as Arizona students directed derogatory chants at BYU players, fans, and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The incident, which took place after BYU’s dramatic 96-95 victory over Arizona, is just the latest in a troubling pattern of hostility toward the university and its affiliated faith community.

After the Cougars defeated the Arizona Wildcats, tensions were high among players as they met in the handshake line. Coaches had to separate players and BYU coaches began to escort and guide their players off the court and into the tunnel.

As the Cougars headed for the tunnel, fans located in the ZonaZoo (Arizona’s student section) were yelling “(expletive) the Mormons.” Fans could be heard yelling other obscenities and slurs towards the players. Some items were thrown from the student section onto the court but luckily no one was struck. Video of the incident quickly spread on social media.

This is not an isolated incident. Just months earlier, during BYU’s Dec. 3, 2024, game at Providence, the student section directed the same offensive chant at BYU players and fans. In both cases, the respective universities issued apologies, with Arizona and Providence athletic directors insisting that the behavior did not reflect their schools’ values. However, these apologies have done little to prevent further occurrences.

Offensive chants aimed towards BYU and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints have happened many times over the years. These actions have occurred during many football games such as a 2021 game against USC at the Los Angeles Coliseum and in 2022 against the Oregon Ducks at Autzen Stadium. There have been other accusations of profane chants directed towards BYU but no responsibility was taken.

The chants from the Oregon fans shouting obscenities were filmed just as the Arizona fans were.

Both USC and Oregon apologized for the actions and we were told once again that this behavior does not reflect the university or its beliefs.

Some fans were quick to point out that if roles were switched in this scenario and a different religion or group was targeted then there would be national outrage and would be taken more seriously.

If opposing fans yelled similar things at a Notre Dame game toward them and their fans you would see national headlines about it for a week and the outrage would be loud.

BYU quarterback Jake Retlaff spoke on a podcast with former BYU basketball player Eric Mika about this issue.

Retzlaff made headlines during the college football season as he was the only Jewish starting quarterback in the entire country. He has used his platform and success on the field to share his beliefs and what it is like to be Jewish on a campus that is predominantly LDS.

The impact that Retlzaff has had on BYU as well as the Jewish community in Utah has allowed the relationship between those of the Jewish faith and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints to grow.

Photo by Chaim Zippel

The United Jewish Federation of Utah put out a statement expressing their support for BYU and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints after the hate-filled remarks during Saturday’s game.

“The United Jewish Federation of Utah expresses deep concern and disappointment over the derogatory chants directed at Brigham Young University (BYU) and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints during the recent basketball game against the University of Arizona.

“Such incidents are unacceptable and have no place in our society. They not only harm the targeted community but also undermine the principles of respect and unity that bind us together.

“In times like these, it is imperative for all communities to stand together against hate and bigotry. The Jewish community, having faced its own history of prejudice, understands the profound impact of such actions. We extend our solidarity to the members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and BYU, reaffirming our commitment to fostering an environment where all individuals are treated with dignity and respect.

“The United Jewish Federation of Utah calls upon educational institutions, athletic organizations, and community leaders to actively promote inclusivity and to educate against all forms of discrimination. Together, we can build a society that celebrates diversity and stands united against intolerance.”

During his weekly time with reporters, Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd expressed his disappointment with Wildcat fans with how they handled the end of his team’s game against the Cougars.

“I’ve competed against BYU for years and I really enjoy doing that,” Lloyd said. “My biggest disappointment was the way our fans and students reacted to some of their players coming off the court. There’s no place in society, let’s just start with that overall, but especially in collegiate athletics where anyone’s religion or race should become a focal point ever. So that was my biggest disappointment.”

Lloyd was an assistant coach at Gonzaga for over 20 years and faced BYU many times as rivals in the West Coast Conference.

There have been other attacks directed towards BYU and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, most notably Stanford’s offensive halftime show during a game against the Cougars in 2022.

Members of Stanford’s band performed a skit at halftime that depicted two women getting married “for time and all eternity” while the officiator used terms and phrases from sacred temple ceremonies within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Once again an apology was issued but discrimination and attacks have continued during BYU sporting events.

So why does this keep happening?

Many believe the lack of punishment and repercussions for these offensive statements to be a reason why they continue to occur.

Many believe the Big 12 needs to set a precedent that this type of behavior is not going to be allowed in their conference. BYU is not the only school in the conference with religious ties as Baylor and TCU also have connections to churches and denominations of faith.

Those with that opinion believe commissioner Brett Yormark needs to get a hold of this before this continues to run rampant in the league. BYU has already had issues with its longtime rival, the University of Utah, and its fans yelling “anti-Mormon” rhetoric.

“It’s not the first time it’s happened to (BYU) and it’s disappointing that it continues to happen,” Lloyd said. “Hopefully with us being full-time members in a conference with them, that our fans will learn that that’s just not acceptable."

The recurring nature of these incidents raises pressing questions about accountability in collegiate athletics. While apologies are issued, the lack of real consequences has allowed the behavior to continue unchecked. With BYU now a full member of the Big 12, the conference has an opportunity — and a responsibility — to set a precedent that religious harassment will not be tolerated.

As calls for action grow louder, the response from university administrators, athletic programs, and the NCAA will determine whether meaningful change is finally on the horizon.