Colorado State just issued a flat-out apology for some seriously out-of-line chants heard during their game against BYU on Saturday, September 19, where BYU pulled off a 41-23 win in Canvas Stadium. This isn’t just about a bad taste in fans’ mouths; it’s about disrespectful behavior that has absolutely no place in college sports.
Ugly Chants and CSU’s Official Stance
So, what exactly went down? CSU students were reportedly chanting “(expletive) the Mormons” during the game. That’s a low blow, and not just for its derogatory nature; The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints actually discourages the use of “Mormons” as a substitute for their faith’s name. Colorado State University was quick to respond, distributing a statement to media in the press box: “Colorado State University apologizes to BYU, its student-athletes and fans, and to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints for the chant directed at them during Saturday’s game.” They made it clear, saying “Mocking anyone’s faith has no place at CSU. It runs counter to our community’s values and to who we are. BYU’s players, coaches and fans deserved better. We are addressing this with our students.” You gotta wonder how many times schools need to say this before it sinks in.
Not the First Time, and a Class Act From Sitake
Here’s the kicker, though: this incident on September 19 is just the latest in a *string* of apologies issued to BYU by opposing schools for similar chants. Oregon in 2022, Arizona men’s basketball in 2025, Colorado football in 2025, and Cincinnati football in 2025 have all had to apologize. That’s a pattern, folks. BYU coach Kalani Sitake, however, handled it with absolute class in his post-game news conference. He chose not to dwell on it, saying he knows “amazing people” at Colorado State and refusing to “judge the entire fan base on a few.” Sitake focused on the positives, saying, “I know amazing people that are Colorado State fans and alumni and I’m just going to focus on the beautiful people that are positives.” He even added, “The environment here was awesome, the fans were excited about their team.” That’s the kind of leadership you love to see, looking past the hate to the good in people.
This ain’t just about one game or one school anymore. When this type of behavior happens *five times* to the same program across different leagues and years, it’s a huge red flag for the culture around college sports. We gotta hope these schools can actually address this with their students and fans, because this kind of garbage has no place in the game.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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