The scoreline from UCF’s 39-31 double-overtime win over BYU suggested a memorable homecoming game. The aftermath made it about something else entirely: how quickly a crowd can cross a line, and how a conference decides to respond when it does.
On Monday, UCF tight end Grayson Brousseau addressed the chants directed at BYU after the game and said he did not personally hear them. He also praised UCF’s handling of the situation, saying he felt the school did a great job of dealing with the individuals involved after security identified and removed fans from the stadium.
The Big 12 still issued UCF a $100,000 fine under its updated discriminatory conduct policy. That punishment matters because it shows the conference is not treating fan behavior as background noise, even when the school takes swift action in the moment. The conference acknowledged UCF’s quick response, but the fine still followed.
What Brousseau said about the moment
Brousseau’s comments were notable because they did not try to turn the issue into a football talking point. He said all he heard was what came over the intercom and that he felt UCF handled the people involved appropriately. He also said he could not do anything about it himself and could only stay true to who he is.
That approach fits the larger tone of his remarks. Brousseau framed the issue as bigger than football, saying people need to remember they are human beings first and should love each other just as much as they love the game. In his view, the point was not to make a scene out of the chants, but to keep the moment in perspective.
Why the fine matters
The Big 12’s decision is part of a broader tightening around discriminatory conduct, and the conference’s message was clear: quick action helps, but it does not erase responsibility. That is especially relevant given the context around BYU road games, where similar chants were also reported at Utah State’s Oct. 24 away game against Texas State.
For UCF, the result on the field was already a dramatic one. For the conference, the off-field response became the bigger test. A 15-yard penalty can change a drive; a $100,000 fine is meant to change behavior.
That is the practical lesson here. UCF won the game, security removed fans, and Brousseau said the team handled the incident well. But the Big 12 still wanted the punishment on record, signaling that the new policy is meant to have real teeth. In other words, the final whistle did not end the story.
