Fans Penalized

[JasonTX]

Did I miss a rule interpretation that allows a flag to be thrown for the action of fans?

[TxJim]

An AR on 1-1-6-b??  Nothing. Did something happen?

[JasonTX]

An AR on 1-1-6-b??  Nothing. Did something happen?

Apparently in the Texas Tech game fans were throwing stuff on the field and were warned that a penalty would be enforced if it happened again.  Well, it happened again and a 15-yard penalty was assessed against the home team.

[dammitbobby]

 https://www.cnn.com/2025/10/12/sport/football-ncaa-texas-tech-tortilla-penalty-intl

[ElvisLives]

For those unaware, a “tradition’” started at Tech a very long time ago (20 years+) of throwing tortillas at the opening kickoff, because some moron at another Big XII school made some reference to Texas Tech and tortillas in the same context (we DO have a lot of really good Mexican food restaurants). You want tortillas? We’ll give ya tortillas. They are very dangerous, you know. Why, a flying tortilla can wreak absolute havoc on a…a…a… Hmmm. Can’t think of a thing.
The truth is, an AD at one particular school wanted to attempt to intimidate Tech and other Big XII schools by pushing this issue. I believe the Big XII now has a rule that restricts such actions, because of this. No problem on the first two or 3 kickoffs, but eventually, I believe the ‘command center’ ordered the flag. You can see the R having a conversation with the command center before the announcement of the penalty. Yeah, a knife being thrown is far more serious than a tortilla. But, had no one made a big deal of the tortillas, this would not be a problem. The tortillas get picked up immediately, and the field is fully ready for play on the next down.

[JasonTX]

So some fans of the opposing team could show up in force and throw tortillas and get a penalty against the hime team.

[ElvisLives]

So some fans of the opposing team could show up in force and throw tortillas and get a penalty against the hime team.

In theory.🌮
Although I certainly have no way to confirm, if there really was a knife thrown into the opposing team area, that is not something that can be tolerated. The Rules don’t actually give game officials authority to take any action against persons not subject to the rules, which includes spectators. So, the Big XII enacted a rule to restrict throwing things on the field. I don’t know the specifics of that rule, but, I have to believe it only applies to conference games. The NCAA Rules clearly state that institutions NOT following the rules (which enacting their own rule would seem to be violating) would be subject to sanctions. So, their rule can’t apply to games at non-conference sites. Nobody (except Tech) in-conference is gonna complain about the rule to the NCAA. And, since getting into the NCAA playoffs is still by invitation (not by pure record), Tech doesn’t want to rile-up the NCAA when they are having a fantasy season dreaming that they might be able to compete for a National Championship. Politics, based on revenues determined by wins.

[Grant - AR]

For those unaware, a “tradition’” started at Tech a very long time ago (20 years+) of throwing tortillas at the opening kickoff, because some moron at another Big XII school made some reference to Texas Tech and tortillas in the same context (we DO have a lot of really good Mexican food restaurants). You want tortillas? We’ll give ya tortillas. They are very dangerous, you know. Why, a flying tortilla can wreak absolute havoc on a…a…a… Hmmm. Can’t think of a thing.
The truth is, an AD at one particular school wanted to attempt to intimidate Tech and other Big XII schools by pushing this issue. I believe the Big XII now has a rule that restricts such actions, because of this. No problem on the first two or 3 kickoffs, but eventually, I believe the ‘command center’ ordered the flag. You can see the R having a conversation with the command center before the announcement of the penalty. Yeah, a knife being thrown is far more serious than a tortilla. But, had no one made a big deal of the tortillas, this would not be a problem. The tortillas get picked up immediately, and the field is fully ready for play on the next down.

This was actually an issue way back in the old Southwest Conference (I think it folded in 1995?).  With a couple of quick google searches, it looks like it started in about 1989.  My dad was an R in the SWC and has a good story about Spike Dykes and tortillas being thrown on the field.