The Dr. Pepper challenge during Saturday’s Big 12 championship game featured an instant classic, as two college students duked it out for the $100,000 tuition prize.
Since Texas was clobbering Oklahoma State by a wide margin, the Dr. Pepper challenge turned into the marquee event at AT&T Stadium.
The competition went into an unexpected double overtime, as college student Ryan topped fellow student Gavin in the football throwing competition.
It was a nail-biter for the ages, but Ryan threw just enough footballs into the Dr. Pepper-branded target to win a hefty sum to help pay the college bills.
However, we think both of these fellas deserve to be proud of their efforts.
— wow that was crazy (@CowardlyDoggo) December 2, 2023
What made it even more memorable was the fact that the overtime coin flip featured sides like “regular” and “sugar free.”
it was always sugar-free pic.twitter.com/5QQTS1mZ2S
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) December 2, 2023
While Ryan didn’t win the coin toss, he did win the heated battle for tuition.
College fans felt this particular Dr. Pepper challenge deserves to go down in the event’s history.
UPDATE: This challenge wasn’t without controversy, as some fans online noticed that perhaps the count wasn’t right. During the fourth quarter, the broadcast noted that there was “an on-field technical error apparently that a bunch of America noticed that resulted in inaccurate accounting [in] the double tiebreaker.” So Dr. Pepper is giving both contestants $100,000.
Are these Big 12 refs? The Dr. Pepper Halftime toss – watch the guy on the left get credit for 6 after only nailing 5. pic.twitter.com/fYwUoElxOv
— Marc Istook (@MarcIstook) December 2, 2023
Feature image courtesy of ESPN.
Where were you when your life was changed thanks to the 2023 Big-12 Dr. Pepper challenge sudden death THRILLER? pic.twitter.com/p52t3ZYsuA
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) December 2, 2023
there used to be no double OT in the Dr. Pepper halftime challenge. After 1 OT the winner would be decided by whoever had the highest score from the semifinal round the day before. this was MUCH more satisfying IMO.
— Mike Golic Jr (@mikegolicjr) December 2, 2023
DOUBLE OT DR.PEPPER CHALLENGE!! I’VE NEVER BEEN MORE ALIVE
— Joe Ali (@JoeAli) December 2, 2023
if the dr pepper challenge goes to double OT the tiebreaker should be "who does better in an oklahoma drill against the home team's RB1"
— Bill DiFilippo (@billdifilippo) December 2, 2023
Did anyone bet the Dr. Pepper Challenge to go to double overtime? I would’ve DQ’d both contestants immediately for this chest pass bull crap. pic.twitter.com/K9bsFugwDN
— Cousin Sal (@TheCousinSal) December 2, 2023
Double Overtime in the Dr. Pepper challenge!?!? pic.twitter.com/ris4VeVkvT
— Kevin (@Daboys_22) December 2, 2023
We as a nation must ban chest passing in the Dr. Pepper Tuition Giveaway challenge.
— Carter Yates (@Carter_Yates16) December 2, 2023
Bro this Dr. Pepper Challenge is drawing more ratings than the actual Big 12 championship game 😭
— College Football Report (@CFBRep) December 2, 2023
THEYRE DOING MY OVERTIME IN DR PEPPER CHALLENGE
— Sam Schwartzstein (@schwartzsteins) December 2, 2023
DOUBLE overtime in the Dr. Pepper Challenge? What a time to be alive
— Mike DeFabo (@MikeDeFabo) December 2, 2023
I got OVERLY invested in the Ryan Dr Pepper tuition challenge
— Ash Crossan (@AshCrossan) December 2, 2023
Best Dr. Pepper Challenge of our lifetime. Good for Ryan.
— Femi Abebefe (@FemiAbebefe) December 2, 2023