Cam Ward only showed up for half of the Miami Hurricanes’ bowl showdown against Iowa State.
That might come off like a figure of speech in the lexicon of sports jargon; “showing up” sounding like the heralded quarterback played well the first couple of quarters and then tanked in the second half.
Unfortunately, these words are to be taken literally as the Heisman finalist played a spirited first and second quarter for Miami—throwing for 190 yards and three touchdowns, giving the Hurricanes a 31-28 halftime lead—before back-up Emory Williams trotted out onto the field to finish the game.
Miami was outscored 14-10 the second half, falling 42-41 to Iowa State—another postseason loss for the Hurricanes, who were also without leading receivers Xavier Restrepo and Isaiah Horton—the former opting out, while the latter has since transferred to Alabama.
The defense again stole headlines for all the wrong reasons as the lack of any consistency cost Miami it’s third loss in four games—only this time the Hurricanes attempted to stop the bleeding without Ward on the other side of the ball, doing his thing and playing keep away in yet another shootout.
The Canes had 524 total yards to the Cyclones’ 415—while both teams were pretty much identical in making 50% of their third-down conversions and 75% on a few fourth downs; including a perfect-executed fake punt by Miami that tight end Elijah Lofton took for 28 yards, before getting shut down at the three-yard line and settling for a field goal with 9:40 remaining and pushing the lead to six.
Miami twice settled for second half field goals with Williams running the offense, while Ward was putting up video game-style numbers and touchdown drives in the first half.
The Caned pulled back from the ground game after Damien Martinez got banged-up late; Williams twice throwing in complete for a quick three-and-out after both teams exchanged punts—setting the stage for Rocco Becht to lead Iowa State on a 15-play, 84-yard game-winning drive; the Canes getting the ball back with :56 and no Ward magic to help pull off another miracle.
Of course there in-lies the real story; the fact no sorcery would’ve been necessary if Miami’s ace simply played the second half, as expected when Ward opted-in to this showdown weeks back.
It’s said often here but bears repeating once more for those in the back; winning cures all and losing exposes all warts.
Miami fans ignored warning signs all season; surviving Virginia Tech on a late, overturned ‘hail mary’ in a game where the Hokies pushed the Canes around all night. Same sentiment a week later at Cal, where the margin for error was razor thing when down 35-10—Miami outscoring Cal 29-3 in the final quarter and a half.
Louisville put 448 yards on Miami—as well as a 100-yard kickoff return—as well as 45 points; more than anyone else scored against the Canes this season, but due to Ward’s wizardry and a 52-point outing, nobody lamented about the defense post-game as the end goal was achieved.
It took an ugly outing at Georgia Tech on both sides of the ball, as well as a 21-point collapse at Syracuse to ultimately expose the devil Miami had been dancing with all season—so even if Williams had one big pass in his bag of tricks, setting up a game-winning field goal and 44-42 comeback victory for the Canes, the assessment of how this game unfolded needs to be the same.
All this loss does is further drive home the point that it was a dream season en route to 9-0 as Ward played Houdini a handful of times for a squad that just as easily could’ve been 6-3 at that point if Miami didn’t catch every lucky break—just as one-point loss was defined both by Ward’s second half absence, as well as a fumble on the first play of the game, leading to an easy Iowa State touchdown, giving them the early 7-0 lead.
Same to be said for a horribly-timed Mark Fletcher fumble at the Cyclones 24-yard line; the Canes again leaving second quarter points on the field in a game where every touch needed to be a score, courtesy of this dismal defense.
As has been stated here before, this season died on the turf at Syracuse as Miami fell to 10-2 and missed out on a berth in the ACC Championship game—which was always the goal as the Hurricanes were picked third in conference in the preseason, but had a clearer path as top-ranked Florida State tanked early and Miami got out the gate fast with Ward.
Reaching the conference title game at 11-1—the Hurricanes would’ve punched their College Football Playoffs ticket with a win, or loss—as seen when SMU got the 11-seed and trekked up to Happy Valley to face No. 6 Penn State last week.
Had that been the case, it’s Ward at full speed, Restrepo opting-in and Horton not immediately hitting the portal or transferring to the Crimson Tide—which could’ve still happened down the road, but would’ve have happened post-CFP.
Does Miami win at Penn State? Maybe. Maybe not. Especially considering how the Mustangs self-imploded on offense—gifting the Nittany Lions two pick-sixes and a third interception—opposed to a Hurricanes offense clicking on all cylinders; it’d at least have been a game—and more importantly, everybody is suiting up and showing out.
All talk these past few weeks has been around Ward opting-in for a meaningless bowl game and how impressive it was—that the alpha dog and the gamer wanted to run it back one more time for Miami to get the taste of losing out of his mouth—and how dropping two of the last three wasn’t going to be his legacy at ‘The U’.
The sentiment was that Ward wanted to finish what he started with the Canes and was playing to get Miami to 11 wins for the first time since 2003.
Instead, the narrative fast-shifted to “thinking about his future” and a “business decision” as the third quarter got underway, while Williams took the field to be “evaluated”—all of which was a disaster; a dark cloud over college football in this NIL world, as the sport continues it’s decent into the semi-pro space and breeding ground for the NFL.
While fans will never see behind the curtain or know just how these NIL contracts are written, it’s hard to believe that Ward’s appearance in the heavily-marketed Pop-Tarts Bowl was anything more than a fly-by to fulfill some type of contractual obligation.
A lot have pushed back on this sentiment when the topic has been broached on social media post-game, but it bears further unpacking and before doing so, a disclaimer that there is zero issue with Ward—who is just another cog in the wheel and superstar amateur athlete paving his way to a career playing pro ball—operating within this current system as-is and understandably looking out for number one.
Ward doesn’t owe Miami a thing after the season he delivered; if anything, he deserves every dollar coming his way and a full-blown apology from this coaching staff for the abysmal defensive product it fielded all year, as the sky was the limit for this team if the Hurricanes could’ve actually stopped Georgia Tech, Syracuse and Iowa State offenses on a couple drives—three losses by a combined 10 points the difference between 10-3 and 13-0, sadly.
All that to say, how does anyone attempt to make sense out of one half of football from the best quarterback in the sport? Where is the gamesmanship in that approach? Some are saying two quarters of Ward is better than none at all, but is it? What was accomplished?
Shedeur Sanders and Heisman-winner Travis Hunter both opted-in for Colorado’s bowl game against BYU—played right after Miami’s bowl loss—and both were still on the field until the clock hit zero; Sanders with a meaningless touchdown pass with 2:17 remaining in the fourth, cutting the deficit to 36-14, which was the final score as the Buffaloes fell and finished 9-4.
Per all NFL Draft models, Hunter is slated to be the first pick of the draft while Sanders is said to be the first quarterback taken—Ward the second—yet both Colorado stars who agreed to play did just that. Sanders and Hunter were both on the field late fourth quarter as the Buffs trailed 33-7, while the Hurricanes’ one-man-show quarterback didn’t take a second half snap in a winnable game the Canes led by three at intermission?
“All meetings with players and decisions like that, we made them in private and we keep them in private,” said head coach Mario Cristobal post-game in a news conference that didn’t include his start quarterback. “So I’ll prefer not to answer any questions as it relates to that. But I know he (Ward) played his best while he was in there.”
Miami and Cristobal always play these things close to the vest, but a modicum of transparency would go a long way here. Without any, it leads to speculation and one of a two things took place in Orlando on Saturday night.
Ward either “participated” in this bowl game due to some type of NIL obligation—which again is a tricky conversation to navigate without knowing the ins and outs of contracts—but it’s certain that his opting-in to this second-rate bowl game helped with ticket sales and in getting eyeballs tuned in to what arguably was one of this season’s more-premier, non-CFP match-ups with his inclusion.
Or, as it being sold by some national media with Miami ties and other insiders; this was somehow “the plan” all along—coaches giving Ward the first half, while “evaluating” Williams the second half—which doesn’t add-up based on Ward never re-entering the game when it was clear the offense was stifled without a Heisman finalist running the show.
The frustration and disgust here isn’t even really related to another loss—toss another dud on the pile as Miami dropped his third game in four outings and is now 2-12 in it’s last 14 bowl appearances.
No, the issue is truly with how all of this unfolded; a slimy-feeling bait-and-switch after weeks of talk that Ward was opting-in to go out with a bang, only to see him on the sideline with a towel draped over his shoulders as the third quarter kicked off.
In the moment, it felt like coaches were inserting Williams for some meaningful minutes—sitting on a three-point Miami lead; if the back-up was going to get some reps now was the time, and if he faltered—an assumption they’d go back to Ward to close-out the game, which was short-lived as commentators acknowledged the star quarterback’s day was done.
As soon as Miami blew a 21-point lead at Syracuse and post-season dreams went up in flames, there was a universal feeling amongst this entire fan base; what a shame it ended like this and how saw that we’d never see Ward suiting up in the orange and green again.
Translation; the entire college football community expected Ward to opt-out of this meaningless bowl game and to get on with his NFL Draft prep—which if he does that early December, it’s three-plus weeks of Miami preparing for Williams-led bowl prep and lowered expectations going into this contest.
Instead, no real conversation regarding the future until what now feels like a manufactured “leaked” video weeks back where Ward and Sanders engaged in some friendly banter on a video call with their shared quarterback coach Darrell Colbert.
“I gotta get ready for the Pop-Tart Bowl … you fittin’ to see the best thing to ever happen to the Pop-Tart Bowl; them Canes baby,” Ward joked with Sanders on video.
Outside of that, no official announcement from Miami—just this clip that was shared and picked up by college football sites and Canes-themed platforms.
As always, the opt-in followed by an in-game opt-out; a split down the middle regarding an opinionated fan base who is constantly at each other’s throats.
For those who buy the narrative that this was all part of a bigger plan where Williams would play the entire second half for Miami to evaluate him for next season, wouldn’t this best be done by Ward opting out weeks ago and giving No. 17 full control of this thing for this past month?
The goal obviously wasn’t winning the game, because if it was Ward is back out there in the fourth quarter helping put this thing away—so at that rate, what’s the difference between a one-point loss or falling by two touchdowns?
Cristobal and Miami tried to get the best of both words—and by serving two masters, you ultimately serve none.
The Canes either needed to close out the 2024 season with a bang; getting to 11-2 and the program’s first bowl win in seven years—or Miami needed to turn the page to 2025 and to treat this entire match-up like a scrimmage, evaluating the roster and seeing how younger guys looked in real-time game action.
A tale of two halves; Miami played to end the season with a bang, until intermission—only to go out with a whimper with it’s future-focused second half and an eye on next year.
It’s a bad look, a worse outcome and outside of Ward getting to break the all-time passing touchdowns in a season record set by Houston quarterback Case Keenum back in 2011, how can any positive be taken from this nonsensical outing and personnel decision?
Equally as maddening, the national sports media seems complicit in this new arrangement—especially ESPN, whose talking heads can no longer be taken at face value since the four-letter network dumped $3-billion into a decade’s worth of television rights for SEC football.
If today’s sports media actually did care about truth and getting to the bottom of things, someone would at least attempt to explore postseason reports that some schools are paying players to stay on board through bowl season; a clever-yet-unethical way to keep their roster and depth charts where they need to be as they make a run for a national championship.
Under the current system, any player still in the College Football Playoffs has a five-day window to enter the portal after their season ends—players knocked out off New Year’s Day bowl games given until January 6th to make their decision, and so on.
“I heard today, from a really reliable source, that there is a team in the College Football Playoff that is actively paying its players to stay throughout the playoff so they will have enough people to practice with,” shared former Alabama offensive lineman Mike Johnson on the ‘Next Round Live’ podcast weeks back. “And they are in the playoff.”
Does that mean Miami paid Ward to show up for a half? Was it part of a bigger NIL deal and contract where if the Hurricanes won 10 games and reached a second-tier non-CFP game that participation was required to fulfill some agreement?
Safe bet no one will ever know, but in the wild west that it college football in its current form, a safe bet to follow the money as that’s usually the most-logical path.
In the end—as much as losing sucks—the difference between 11-2 and 10-3 is virtually meaningless.
How much sleep did anyone really lose over the last time Miami was in this situation in 2017 and fell to Wisconsin in the Orange Bowl; the Canes’ last promising season—this one ending with a three-game skid after an exciting 10-0 start.
Would it have been nice to win a bowl game and take that stupid toaster trophy back to Coral Gables? Of course, as it sure beats losing. But transparency and authenticity would’ve been nicer regarding what was coming down the pike with this showdown; going into this bowl game where Ward’s opt-in was truly that—or accepting a respectable op-out that gave this fan base three weeks to mentally prepare for the Williams’ era; the door officially closed on this team and a focus on shoring up next year’s roster.
At worst there was some real misdirection and dishonesty at play—or at minimum, a mishandled situation due to the clandestine nature in how a private university like Miami chooses to air news at it relates to athletics.
Truth being told, how many Miami fans who traveled for this bowl game are still forking over big bucks on gas, airfare, meals, game tickets and pricey Orlando lodging if they’re told weeks back that Ward is out and Williams is in?
Safe bet there are a lot more empty seats in what was a pretty healthily-filled Camping World Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Same to be said for TV eyeballs as the Pop-Tarts Bowl was heavily-marketed as the most-exciting non-CFP match-up—specifically due to the appearance of Ward; a Heisman runner-up suiting-up one more time under the “unfinished business” storyline.
It’s bad look all around; for college football and for the Hurricanes, who ended another year with a thud and now have the distinct designation of being the only team this post-season whose player literally opted-out mid-game—yielding to a protégé who clearly isn’t ready for primetime, which is the ultimate take-away this fan base lives with, while the casual observer rolls on.
Many have spent the past few weeks backing Williams and saying he’d earned his right to start; based on two years in the system and two game-manager starts against Clemson and Florida State in 2023.
Of course all this manufactured Williams excitement only came after the Hurricanes lost out on the John Mateer sweepstakes; the former Washington State signal-caller and native Texan choosing Oklahoma and smaller payday as transfer portal destination, having grown up a Sooners fan.
One bad half certainly doesn’t close the book on the Williams era at Miami; lots can unfold between now and next fall—but entering a new year of the of the Cristobal era, the Canes fourth-year head coach cannot afford to base his and this program’s future on potential or seniority.
Miami needs the best quarterback for the job, as well as a shored-up defense—which has obviously been a focus the past few weeks as the Canes have been active in the portal and chasing down cornerbacks, defensive lineman and hopefully a linebacker is still on-deck.
If there’s anything to be taken from a half of No. 17 under center, it’s that Miami coaches are probably more convicted than they were pre-game that the Hurricanes need another quarterback in that room—and that if a next-level starter isn’t out there, the Luke Nickel era could be starting sooner rather than later; Miami riding with a talented true freshman, over a serviceable redshirt-sophomore.
In the end, Ward delivered a roller-coaster ride that was thrilling as all hell for three months, before a November stumble and December collapse courtesy of an in-over-its-head defense—which sure beats the 7-5 average this program delivered between 2006 and 2023—but it still wasn’t enough in this modern era of college football, where big money is being doled out with the expectation of better results.
Christian Bello has been covering University of Miami athletics since the mid-nineties. Getting his start with CanesTime, he eventually launched allCanesBlog—which led to a featured columnist stint with BleacherReport. He’s since rolled out the unfiltered, ItsAUThing.com where he’ll use his spare time to put decades of U-related knowledge to use for those who care to read. When he’s not writing about ‘The U’, Bello is a storyteller for some exciting brands and individuals—as well as a guitarist and songwriter for his Miami-bred band Company Jones, who released their debut album “The Glow” in 2021. Hit him on Twitter for all things U-related @ItsAUThingBLOG.
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