The Texas Tech Red Raiders are officially ending a long-standing game day tradition following an NCAA crackdown.
Athletic director Kirby Hocutt announced Monday that the university will no longer allow or promote the throwing of tortillas onto the field before the opening kickoff at football games — a ritual that has been part of Texas Tech culture since 1989.
For years, the Big 12 largely ignored Texas Tech’s tortilla-throwing tradition in the spirit of school pride. But this season, the conference has begun strictly enforcing penalties and fines against teams whose fans throw objects onto the field.
Texas Tech had attempted to limit the tradition to only the opening kickoff, but that effort failed — tortillas kept flying throughout games. The Red Raiders were flagged twice for 15-yard penalties during last week’s matchup against Kansas and fined $25,000 by the league, with additional fines expected if the issue persists.
The quirky custom had become a signature part of the game-day experience in Lubbock, but now, fans will need to find a new way to celebrate kickoffs moving forward.
No Comment! Be the first one.