Dec 28, 2024; Orlando, FL, USA; Miami Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward (1) looks up at the scoreboard during the second half against the Iowa State Cyclones at Camping World Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images
College FootballBy Sam Neumann on

The plot has been lost — completely.

Cam Ward has been catching hell since he decided to sit out the second half of the Pop-Tarts Bowl. Somehow, the backlash has been even harsher than if he’d opted out of his team’s bowl game. But Ward didn’t disappear — he showed up, made history with his record-breaking 156th career touchdown pass and led the Hurricanes to 31 first-half points.

He did his part, stood by his teammates and made the prearranged call to step aside after halftime. The plan was clear: give Emory Williams, Miami’s likely future at the quarterback position, a chance to take the wheel. Head coach Mario Cristobal wouldn’t dive into specifics, but it’s not hard to see why the potential top quarterback in the upcoming NFL Draft would bow out early.

And let us not forget, Ward wasn’t the only one who made a business decision.

His top wide receivers, Xavier Restrepo and Sam Brown, declared for the NFL Draft and opted out of the game entirely, announcing their decisions on Saturday morning after weeks of practicing with the team. Ward, however, suited up, delivered a stellar first half and handed the torch to Williams.

Still, not everyone sees it like that.

Todd McShay, for one, struggled with the optics. While he credited Ward for playing in an era where opting out of non-playoff bowl games is almost expected, McShay couldn’t understand starting a game and then tapping out while the rest of the team was still battling.

For him, it’s a leadership thing; quarterbacks are supposed to finish the job.

Then there’s ESPN’s Ryan McGee, who shifted the focus to bad advice. He suggested Ward may have been steered by people more concerned with draft stock than loyalty to the team. And now, McGee says, Ward will have to explain himself repeatedly in the lead-up to the draft.

But that backlash raises a broader question, one that Josh Graham echoed.

When players first started opting out of bowl games, the reasoning made sense; why risk injury in a game that doesn’t really matter if you’re not getting paid? But now that NIL money is flowing and players like Ward are reportedly making over $1 million, does that argument still hold water? Can a star quarterback sit out the second half of a close game without people questioning his commitment?

What happened after halftime didn’t exactly bolster Ward’s case.

Williams stepped in and led a gutsy 10-play, 71-yard scoring drive that gave Miami a 38-28 lead. But from there, the offense sputtered. The Hurricanes had three more possessions as Iowa State clawed back: one resulted in a field goal, another ended in a punt and the final drive concluded with a desperation interception as time expired.

But there are two sides to the coin here.

NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah dismissed the idea that Cam Ward’s decision would impact his draft stock, calling the outrage “silly.” To Jeremiah, it doesn’t matter if a player sits out one play, one series, or even an entire half—it’s not going to move the needle for NFL teams — and he would know.

Ward isn’t the first to make this kind of choice, and he certainly won’t be the last. Booger McFarland pointed to LSU’s Malik Nabers as a prime example. Nabers played one half in his bowl game last year, broke a record and then sat out the second half. He was the sixth pick in last year’s draft and has recorded 1100 yards in his rookie season.

Non-issue.

Meanwhile, Jayden Daniels opted out of the same game entirely.

Non-issue.

According to Jeremiah, from an NFL perspective, these non-playoff bowls are essentially glorified spring games. Unless someone skips a College Football Playoff game, it’s again a complete non-issue.

So, if NFL teams don’t care, why should we?

Sure, bowl season used to mean something. Going out with your teammates used to mean something. And let’s be clear: this isn’t Pop-Tarts Bowl erasure. Picking which flavor gets toasted should absolutely matter. But beyond that? Why should we care?

The same voices calling for the abolition of bowl games as meaningless now condemn Ward for treating one as such. So, where does that leave us? Do these games matter, or do they not?

The game literally finished with the eating of a live mascot. Again, not Pop-Tarts Bowl erasure.

Ward just wrapped up one of the most impressive seasons by a Miami Hurricanes quarterback in history. That has to count for something, right? If it does, why shouldn’t he get to finish his college career on his own terms?

Ward led Miami to double-digit wins for the first time since 2017. It’s a rarity these days in South Beach, but it happened under Ward’s watch.

And here’s the kicker: this was always the plan. Ward played two quarters while players across the country opted out of bowl games left and right.

You might be upset, but you know who isn’t? Miami Hurricanes fans.

They saw Ward battle through a tough season — one where the defense couldn’t stop a nosebleed — and still led the team to 10 wins.

So, has the plot been lost? Maybe. But if it has, don’t point the finger at Cam Ward.

About Sam Neumann

Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.

View all posts by Sam Neumann