ARLINGTON, Texas -- An apparent scoring error that resulted in the wrong fan winning a halftime contest at Saturday's Big 12 championship game was quickly put on ice when the sponsor, Dr Pepper, announced it would award both contestants the grand prize of a $100,000 scholarship.
The contest, known as the Dr Pepper Tuition Giveaway, has been a tradition at Power 5 conference championship games since 2008. It requires fans to stand 5 yards out and throw as many footballs as possible into a hole in a giant Dr Pepper can. The winner earns an oversized check that is good for an equally massive scholarship.
On Saturday, after a tight battle between Gavin White of Ohio State and Ryan Georgian of Penn, Georgian emerged the winner following a second tiebreaker.
However, fans on social media quickly pointed out that a scoring error was made, noting that Georgian was wrongly credited for an extra completion in the first tiebreaker and that the contest should not have gone to a second one.
Dr Pepper was quick to address the controversy. In a statement, the soft drink company said it would give both contestants the top prize, noting that "an on-field technical error resulted in an inaccurate accounting of the double tiebreaker."
"As such, Dr Pepper will recognize both finalists as grand prize winners with both receiving the 100k award in tuition," the company said.