Purdue Student Won Car In Halftime Competition, Now Car Dealership Is Trying To Back Out

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After successfully kicking 20-, 30- and 40-yard field goals during a halftime break on Aug. 31, Purdue student Zachary Spangler was later told his final kick was five one-hundredths of a second too late. Though Spangler, a junior in the College of Agriculture, was told immediately after the competition that he'd won [A two year lease on a new car], Spangler said he received an email Thursday from Trey Rohrman, director of operations for Rohrman Honda in Lafayette, breaking the news.

In the email provided to the Journal & Courier, Rohrman said that according to further review, Spangler's final kick didn't actually beat the clock, offering Spangler a compilation of videos of the competition that had been reviewed by the dealership's insurance company.

In an interview with The Purdue Exponent, Spangler said he was never told the ball needed to be off his foot before the 30-second mark and that he was instructed only to "just go out there and kick."

After receiving backlash for the prize reversal across social media, Spangler said Tuesday that representatives for Rohrman Automotive have reached out to discuss his case and consider ways to improve the Kicks for Cash contest.

After the J&C reached out to Rohrman for comment, Claire Hunter, a public relations specialist with Pence Media Group, replied in an email that the company is working with Purdue football to update its protocol for future Kicks for Cash contests to ensure transparency.

Asked whether another Kicks for Cash competition will take place Saturday when Notre Dame visits, as well as how much a typical two-year lease with Rohrman Automotive is worth, representatives with Pence Media Group did not respond.

Since news of the situation broke, Spangler said three other dealerships reached out to offer free two-year leases.

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