Texas junior defensive lineman Colin Simmons tied the program’s single-game sack record with five sacks against Tennessee on September 26, 2026, but his dominant performance was marred by a costly personal foul penalty for simulating an obscene act on the field at Neyland Stadium.
Football officiating lexicons gained a bizarre new entry during Week 4 college football action in Knoxville. Texas edge rusher Colin Simmons delivered a stellar pass-rushing display against the Volunteers, matching a Longhorns program record with five sacks. Yet his afternoon will be remembered just as much for a bizarre lapse in judgment that briefly injected new life into a stalled Tennessee offense.
Colin Simmons Sacks Faizon Brandon Before Drawing Unsportsmanlike Conduct Penalty
Late in the second quarter with Texas leading 10-3, the Longhorns’ defensive pressure completely enveloped Tennessee freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon on a third-and-13 play. Simmons finished the job, bringing down Brandon for a bruising 16-yard loss that pushed the Volunteers back to their own 12-yard line and forced a daunting fourth-and-29. What should have been a routine punt situation suddenly regained life.
Immediately after the tackle, Simmons made an obscene gesture on the turf at Shields–Watkins Field. Referee Kyle Olson flagged the defender for unsportsmanlike conduct, gifting Tennessee an automatic first down via a 15-yard penalty. Officials announced the infraction clearly over the public address system as a personal foul.
Referee Kyle Olson stated the penalty was given for simulating using the restroom.
Simmons pretended to unzip his pants and urinate on the field after the play.
The penalty galvanized the home crowd and jolted the Volunteers’ offense into action. Tennessee surged past midfield in seconds behind 10-yard completions to wide receivers Braylon Staley and Mike Matthews alongside chunk gains from running back Daune Morris. Despite the sudden momentum, the drive ultimately stalled at the Texas 34-yard line when Graceson Littleton broke up Brandon’s deep fourth-down pass intended for Staley. The Longhorns maintained their 10-3 advantage heading into halftime, dodging what could have been a disastrous swing in points.
Broadcast Analysts Condemn the Vulgar Penalty in Knoxville
Television analysts covering the matchup did not mince words regarding the infraction committed by one of Texas’ designated team captains. Serving as one of four game captains for the Longhorns, Simmons carries substantial leadership responsibilities within a defense where he recorded 12 sacks during the 2025 season.
“Absolute idiotic move by Colin Simmons doing that,” ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit said on the broadcast. “He’s supposed to be one of the leaders of this defense…”
Kirk Herbstreit, ESPN broadcast analyst
Fellow broadcaster Chris Fowler echoed those sentiments on the air, calling the stunt both idiotic and intensely vulgar.
“Idiotic. It doesn’t get much more vulgar either,” Chris Fowler added.
Chris Fowler, ESPN broadcast analyst
Historical Parallels and Record-Tying Production at Neyland Stadium
Unsportsmanlike flags for simulated bathroom breaks carry an infamous precedent in college football lore. During the 2019 Egg Bowl, Mississippi’s Elijah Moore got flagged for pretending to pee like a dog. That penalty influenced the outcome of the game, Ole Miss lost, and coach Matt Luke was subsequently fired.
Fortunately for Simmons and the Longhorns, his boneheaded first-half penalty didn’t lead to Tennessee points, though there could be other consequences even after a performance in which he tied Texas’ single-game sack record. After logging two sacks in the first half—doubling a season total that previously included games against then-No. 1 Ohio State on September 12 and a blowout victory versus UTSA last week—Simmons added three more sacks in the second half against the Vols.
The junior edge rusher finished the afternoon matching the school’s single-game record with five sacks. While his defensive output solidified his status as one of Texas’ best players and a team leader, the bizarre penalty serves as a stark reminder of the damage he inflicted on the play that was instantly lost when he made an obscene gesture.
Worth a look
