St. Augustine student awarded $100,000 after SEC halftime contest controversy

ATLANTA (AP) — Just what the Dr ordered.

Two college students each wound up winning $100,000 in tuition Saturday, shortly after boos filled Mercedes-Benz Stadium because of a confusing ending in a halftime contest during the SEC championship game.

Fans at the LSU-Georgia game jeered when one of the competitors appeared to capture the Dr Pepper ball toss competition in overtime on a technicality.

The two women were tossing 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 they had practiced — a lot.

And why not, with so much at stake.

Baylor student Reagan Whitaker and St. Augustine student Kayla Gibson exchanged leads multiple times in regulation. In overtime, they tied again, but Whitaker, of Allen, Texas, was declared the winner.

The winner was set to receive $100,000; the runner-up would get $20,000.

The fans who skipped their halftime hot dog run to watch were baffled by the conclusion, and they sounded their displeasure.

Those viewing at home heard the CBS broadcaster 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.

It all worked out in the end, though.

It was announced on the broadcast in the fourth quarter of the game that Dr Pepper would gift both Whitaker and Gibson, of Fontana, California, with $100,000 in tuition.

Top-ranked Georgia beat No. 11 LSU 50-30.

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