Tortilla-throwing at football games is banned after 30 years with harsh punishment for fans who break new rule
Texas Tech bans tortilla-throwing tradition at kickoffs
- Texas Tech has banned the long-standing tradition of fans throwing tortillas onto the field during football games.
- The decision follows the Big 12 Conference fining the university $25,000 and penalizing the team twice for unsportsmanlike conduct during a recent game against Kansas.
- Athletic director Kirby Hocutt announced that fans will be instructed to discard tortillas upon entry, with reminders before kick-off, and those caught throwing them will lose ticket privileges for the academic year.
- Both Hocutt and coach Joey McGuire, who previously encouraged the tradition, now urge fans to stop, citing the high stakes for the team's potential Big 12 championship and College Football Playoff aspirations.
- The ban aims to prevent further penalties under the Big 12's new policy, which issues warnings and 15-yard penalties for objects thrown on the field.