CINCINNATI — The University of Cincinnati's athletic director has apologized after viral videos showed fans yelling anti-Mormon chants during BYU's 26-14 win over the Bearcats on Saturday.
Rosanna Hicken, a Cincinnati native who went to BYU and now lives in Utah, posted a video on social media showing a large group of students chanting "F—k the Mormons" during the second quarter of their Big 12 matchup.
"This made me feel super welcome visiting my hometown 👎," Hicken said in her post.
WATCH: We talked to Hicken about what happened at the game Saturday
We spoke with Hicken Monday about the experience. She said she never expected her video to go viral, racking up millions of views in a matter of days.
"Maybe some alcohol-fueled mob mentality, but we saw it. I posted it. I was disappointed," Hicken said. "Listen, it's only been a few weeks since we had that attack on our church in Michigan when the guy drove his truck in, started shooting, set it on fire. Things feel tense now."
Hicken said her disappointment doesn't extend to every Bearcat. She praised UC fans for their hospitality before the game. Hicken also pointed to several UC fans around her looking uncomfortable with the chants.
Barstool Cincinnati, a UC fan page affiliated with Barstool Sports, posted an apology on X Sunday morning.
"BYU fans, We apologize for the students actions during the football game yesterday. It is inexcusable and we need to be better. It is not representative of the university and this city. You are the classiest fan base in the Big 12 and we are sorry we did not return the favor," the post says.
BYU fans,
— Barstool Cincinnati (@UCBarstool) November 23, 2025
We apologize for the students actions during the football game yesterday. It is inexcusable and we need to be better. It is not representative of the university and this city. You are the classiest fan base in the Big 12 and we are sorry we did not return the favor.
On Monday, AD John Cunningham released a statement apologizing for the fans' behavior.
"On behalf of the University of Cincinnati and Bearcats Athletics, I want to sincerely apologize to the BYU community and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints," Cunningham said. "The use of offensive or religiously derogatory language by a group of fans during Saturday's game was unacceptable and does not reflect our values. We remain committed to creating an environment at Nippert Stadium where every visiting team and its supporters are treated with dignity and respect."
Statement from University of Cincinnati Director of Athletics John Cunningham pic.twitter.com/7Ql3ZTZNMq
— Cincinnati Bearcats (@GoBEARCATS) November 24, 2025
This isn't the first time BYU fans have had to hear that chant during their games. Earlier this year, the Big 12 Conference issued the University of Colorado a public reprimand and $50,000 fine for "inappropriate chants" during BYU's 24-21 win in Boulder.
"Hateful and discriminatory language has no home in the Big 12 Conference. While we appreciate Colorado apologizing for the chants that occurred in the stands during Saturday’s game, the Big 12 maintains zero tolerance for such behavior," Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark said when the conference fined Colorado.
"There is a massive LDS community in Colorado. They have LDS players. I don't know, maybe they just think it's a cool thing to do," Hicken said. "If this was, 'F the Jews, F the Muslims, F anything else,' it would be a bigger story, and somehow it just doesn't seem to matter as much for us."
Athletic directors from the University of Arizona, Providence College and more have also had to issue apologies in past years for their fans' derogatory chants.
Before Saturday's game, BYU fans who attended the game participated in a coat drive for local children in partnership with the Cincinnati chapter of the NAACP. On Friday, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints also donated 27,000 pounds of food to the University of Cincinnati food pantry.
We spoke with Tommy Montoya, a member of BYU's local alumni chapter, who told us that when their team is on the road, they always try to give back.
"We kind of tailor what we do to the needs that we find in the community that we are," Montoya said.
We reached out to the Big 12 conference to ask whether UC will be fined. We are still waiting to hear back.
Hicken said a fine for any fan base spewing offensive or derogatory language at games is a start, but she feels more still needs to be done.
"A fine means zero to the student body. They're not paying it. It does nothing for them," Hicken said. "So, I'm hoping that we can get a resolution that's maybe just a little bit stronger so that people actually take it seriously, whether it's a penalty on the field or something else."
