Texas Tech and BYU Are Still Talking About the Spitting Penalty

Originally posted on FanNation Cougs Daily
By Casey Lundquist | Last updated 10/26/23

During Saturday's game between Texas Tech and BYU, Texas Tech tight end Jayden York was ejected for spitting on BYU defensive end Tyler Batty. Batty met with the media after the game and he was asked about the spitting penalty.

"It was a field goal...I get up and this dude just comes out of nowhere and then spits in my face," Batty said. He continued, saying it wasn't the only time a Tech player spit in his face. "Actually to end the game. Their right tackle, number 76, did the same thing."

In the days following the game, few people on either side were talking about the spitting penalty. Then, Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire defended Jayden York in an interview with the media on Wednesday.

"Jayden York said he did not do it," McGuire said. "I've seen every video, tv copy, I would ask y'all to go back and review the TV copy...if I spit in your face there would be a reaction and the reaction is you either wipe it off or you hit me in the mouth...just go watch the TV copy as a logical human being the conclusions that you draw."

McGuire's comments prompted BYU cornerback Eddie Heckard to post that Jayden York also spit on him earlier in the game. "He spit on me early in the game, it's on film too!" Heckard wrote.

BYUtv's Jarom Jordan looked back at the tape and found the play where York allegedly spit on Heckard. In the first quarter, York removes his mouthpiece, checks for a referee, then he appears to spit on Heckard who wears the number five jersey.

This isn't the first time a Texas Tech player has been accused of spitting on an opponent under head coach Joey McGuire. After the TaxAct Bowl last year, Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin accused a Tech player of spitting on one of his players.

Whether York spit on two BYU players or not, we may never know. It seems unlikely that two BYU players, who have never accused another player of spitting on them in the past, would falsely accuse a player of spitting on them. Regardless, it's moments like this that will create future rivalries in a Big 12 conference that has forced former strangers to live under the same roof. Saturday's game between Texas Tech and BYU was the first game between these two programs since the 1940's. Now that the Red Raiders and the Cougars are in the same conference, these two teams will play each other a lot more frequently.

Up until this point, Big 12 fanbases have been united in their fight for survival and supremacy over the Pac-12. Now that games are being played and teams are losing games, those days are over.

This article first appeared on FanNation Cougs Daily and was syndicated with permission.

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