Mark Harlan paid $40,000 fine to Big 12 without university funds, per report

Utah athletic director criticized the official after a controversial ending in this month's Holy War

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The aftermath of the controversial Utah-BYU football game on November 9 took a dramatic turn when Utah athletic director Mark Harlan was fined $40,000 and publicly reprimanded for his critical comments about the Big 12 officiating crew. The fine, however, did not come from university funds, as confirmed by a University of Utah spokesperson, addressing speculation regarding the payment source, according to a report by the Deseret News.

“I’ve been an athletic director for 12 years. This game was absolutely stolen from us,” Harlan said after the game. “We were excited about being in the Big 12, but tonight, I am not. We won this game. Someone else stole it from us. Very disappointed. I will talk to the commissioner. This was not fair to our team. I’m disgusted by the professionalism of the officiating crew tonight.”

The Holy War controversy stemmed from two pivotal moments during BYU’s final drive in the game, which ended in a narrow 22-21 victory for BYU. Facing a critical fourth and 10, BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff was nearly sacked by Utah defensive end Logan Fano before officials stopped the play, citing a timeout called by BYU head coach Kalani Sitake.

On the ensuing play, Utah appeared to seal the win when linebacker Karene Reid sacked Retzlaff, but a defensive holding penalty on Zemaiah Vaughn nullified the stop, granting BYU a first down and extending the drive. The controversial calls led to heated reactions from Harlan and Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham, both visibly upset on the field.

Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark justified the penalty, stating Harlan’s comments challenged the integrity of conference officials and violated professionalism standards. Harlan later issued an apology, acknowledging his emotional response after witnessing his team’s disappointment in the locker room but reaffirming Utah’s commitment to the Big 12 and extending good wishes to BYU.

Harlan accepted the consequences of his actions. The Big 12 has not disclosed how the fine will be allocated, leaving questions about its final use unanswered, according to the report. This incident underscores the high stakes and emotions involved in college football rivalries.