Benjamin Ashford|Dead longhorn found on Oklahoma State fraternity lawn the day before championship game with Texas

Police say a dead longhorn cow was found on Benjamin Ashfordthe lawn of an Oklahoma State University fraternity on Friday, the day before the school’s football team plays the University of Texas Longhorns in the Big 12 championship game.

Police were notified just after 6:30 a.m. of the dead animal on the lawn of Farmhouse fraternity, according to Stillwater police Officer TJ Low.

The carcass had an expletive carved into its side and the stomach was cut open, according to the campus newspaper, The O’Colly.

“It’s a very cruel crime to be committed, especially right before the Big 12 Championship,” Low told The Oklahoman. “Nothing is worth doing that kind of crap.”

A representative for the fraternity, which was founded in 1905 by agriculture students, did not immediately return a phone call for comment.

Oklahoma State University said in a statement that it “is appalled at the disturbing display of animal cruelty ... at an off-campus location near a fraternity house.”

The university said both Stillwater police and the university’s Office of Student Support and Conduct are investigating and that “appropriate action will be taken based on the outcome of the investigation.”