Texas DE Colin Simmons draws penalty for 'simulating use of restroom' while celebrating sack vs. Tennessee

Simmons was whistled for an unsportsmanlike penalty for his celebration

Sep 26, 2026 at 2:45 pm ET • 1 min read

College football officials are cracking down this season on unsportsmanlike conduct penalties that show up the opposition and Texas edge rusher Colin Simmons earned a penalty during the first half of Saturday's game at Tennessee.

After recording his second sack of the game in the second quarter, Simmons pretended to urinate on the field after taking down Vols quarterback Faizon Brandon on third down.

The field was immediately littered with yellow flags, drawing a reaction of bewilderment from Simmons.

During the broadcast, the referee said Simmons was flagged for "simulating use of the restroom", extending Tennessee's possession before the Longhorns took a 10-3 lead into halftime.

Simmons' demonstration was similar to former Ole Miss wideout Elijah Moore, who simulated urinating on a fire hydrant like a dog during the 2019 Egg Bowl against Mississippi State.

"Just an absolute idiotic move by Colin Simmons doing that," Kirk Herbstreit said during the broadcast. 

Chris Fowler followed with, "yeah, it's idiotic, and it doesn't get much more vulgar, either."

The rules committee this offseason modernized the interpretation of unsportsmanlike conduct fouls and how they're presented. Taunting is always flagged — anything directed at an opponent that seemingly disrupts or delays the game. 

However, players are allowed to celebrate together and not cross the line after a big play. There's only five "automatic" unsportsmanlike designations:

• Gun violence including "brandishing" a weapon, 
• throat slash or nose wipe gesture, 
• players removing their helmet,
• dead-ball contact fouls such as pushing, shoving or striking, 
• pushing or pulling an opposing player off the pile after the ball is dead. 

And now you can add "simulating using the restroom" to the of the automatic variety.

Simmons will be ejected if he's whistled again during Saturday's game. Two unsportsmanlike penalties on the same player will result in an automatic ejection. 

Texas entered the game as the nation's top-ranked team following its win over Ohio State two weeks ago while Tennessee is unbeaten and ranked 14th under Josh Heupel.