No. 16 Miami lost the Pop-Tarts Bowl to No. 19 Iowa State on Saturday, a game that produced a thrilling 42-41 result in favor of the Cyclones.
Heisman Trophy finalist Cam Ward was brilliant in his time on the field, completing 12 of 19 passes for 190 yards and three touchdowns in a single half of play vs. Iowa State. He not only led Miami to a 31-28 halftime lead, but also set the NCAA Division I record for most career touchdowns (158).
Unfortunately for Hurricanes fans, Ward did not play another down in the Pop-Tarts Bowl defeat, sitting out the remainder of the game out of halftime. Instead, backup Emory Williams finished the game for Miami, completing 5 of 14 passes for 26 yards and a game-ending interception on a Hail Mary.
Ward is projected to be a top-10 pick in the 2025 NFL draft, but his decision not to play after halftime — after he had played the first half — elicited plenty of reactions from college football fans watching Saturday’s game: