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: