Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
Kansas head coach Lance Leipold was understandably angry following his team’s loss to Texas Tech in a game where he claimed a fan threw a knife at the Jayhawks sideline. There was just one small problem: that didn’t actually happen, and the Big 12 handed out a fine after a video showed one of his staffers was actually responsible for the offending item ending up on the field.
Texas Tech went out of its way to ask fans to take it easy with the tortilla-throwing ahead of their showdown with Kansas at home last weekend, but those pleas were not heeded during a game where the Red Raiders were hit with multiple penalties after those flying discs of dough were hurled onto the field.
Those flags didn’t end up being a major factor in the team’s 42-17 win, but we were treated to a spicy interaction between Joey McGuire and Kansas skipper Lance Leipold after the game where the latter took exception to the projectiles that were tossed onto the gridiron during the contest.
It seemed like a bit of an overreaction, but it appeared to be a bit more justified when you consider Leipold asserted a Texas Tech fan had chucked a (thankfully closed) pocket knife at a staffer at some point during the third quarter. That claim sparked a police investigation, but things took an interesting turn after Kansas was hit with a fine after the accusation was debunked.
Video seemingly shows the knife that Lance Leipold said was thrown by a Texas Tech fan fell out of the pocket of someone on the Kansas sideline
If I’ve learned anything in life, it’s that you should never underestimate a drunk college football fan’s ability to make a questionable decision in the heat of the moment. With that said, I was somewhat skeptical that anyone would chuck a perfectly good pocket knife at the sideline of an opposing team for seemingly no reason.
Now, I’d like to tell you there is conclusive video evidence that proves that was not the case, but it would be a stretch to use that word to describe the footage that emerged on Wednesday that purportedly shows the knife in question falling out of the pocket of someone on the Kansas sideline before it was picked up by another staffer.
Here’s the video of the Kansas sideline obtained from Texas Tech as a result of an open records request. https://t.co/tyallPSAQq pic.twitter.com/KdVXqRZpR9
— A David Collier (@CollieronTV) October 15, 2025
According to KCBD, the Big 12 reviewed the footage and was convinced to the point where it decided to fine Kansas $25,000 over Leipold’s postgame comments, saying, they “questioned the integrity and professionalism of both the Conference and a member institution” (Texas Tech was fined the same amount for its failure to “take sufficient steps to prevent and deter the repeated throwing of objects”).
Leipold (and Kansas athletic director Travis Goff) also issued an apology while owning up to what was positioned as an overreaction.
Statements from Travis Goff and Lance Leipold on the Big 12’s investigation. #kufball pic.twitter.com/nhkZI0czz8
— JayhawkSlant (@JayhawkSlant) October 15, 2025
It seems like this marks the end of the saga, but something tells me this won’t be the last time the tortillas at Texas Tech are responsible for some drama.