“These types of actions go against everything the university stands for and goes against the spirit of competition,” the statement said. “We can and will do better as a campus community that has no place for hatred, bias, or bigotry.”
The student who shot the video – who asked not to be named – said she was Mormon and used to people making anti-Mormon comments, but asked: “When is it time for Mormons to be accepted into religious acceptance?”
The singing happened at least five times, she said.
“I wouldn’t say it made me emotional,” she told CNN. “It was just like in my head I was like, ‘That, that’s not right,’ and our society still seems to think it’s okay to poke fun at Mormons and … I’m going to say something .”
The Oregon Pit Crew, a student-run Twitter account for the university’s student section, issued a self-apology.
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown (D) condemned the singing as “unacceptable”.
“In Oregon, we strive to be a welcoming, inclusive state for all, regardless of race, religion, gender or background. Our state and nation have an ugly history of discrimination and bigotry. The singing at yesterday’s Oregon-BYU game was unacceptable. We have to do better,” she tweeted.
Before the start of the game, the BYU team ran out of the tunnel with an Oregon flag bearing the name and number of Oregon player Spencer Webb, who died in July after suffering a head injury in a rock climbing accident.
BYU was founded in 1875 by the second President of the Mormon Church, Brigham Young. The university is sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and almost all of its students are Mormons.
Saturday’s incident is under investigation, according to Kris Winter, Oregon’s interim vice president for the Department of Student Life.
“We call on our students and the campus community to refuse to accept or tolerate this type of behavior,” she said in a statement.
CNN’s David Williams contributed to this report.