ATLANTA (AP) — Just what the doctor ordered.
Two college students won $100,000 each Saturday in college tuition shortly after the Mercedes-Benz Stadium was filled to booing over a confusing ending in a halftime game during the SEC championship game.
Fans at the LSU-Georgia game booed when one of the contestants appeared to win the Dr Pepper ball-toss game in overtime due to a technical glitch.
The two women threw footballs with precision into the sponsored Dr Pepper buckets, both opting for the more accurate chest pass over the traditional football throw. It was clear that they had practiced a lot.
And why not, with so much at stake.
Baylor student Reagan Whitaker and St. Augustine student Kayla Gibson traded leads multiple times in regulation. They tied again in overtime, but Whitaker of Allen, Texas was declared the winner.
The winner would receive $100,000; the runner-up would receive $20,000.
The fans who skipped their halftime hot dog run to watch were stunned by the conclusion and voiced their displeasure.
Home viewers heard the CBS channel say something about Whitaker winning an earlier tiebreaker. Dr Pepper said in a statement that Whitaker had scored the most points in the preliminary round.
Still, it all worked out in the end.
During the fourth quarter broadcast of the game, it was announced that Dr Pepper would be gifting both Whitaker and Gibson of Fontana, California, $100,000 in college tuition.
Top-ranked Georgia defeated No. 11 LSU 50-30.
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