We’ve heard of college football players opting out of bowl games to not risk injury and prepare for the NFL draft but this is the first time we’ve seen a player quit at halftime. This is the situation the University of Miami found themselves in when starting quarterback Cam Ward opted out of the second half of their Pop-Tarts Bowl against Iowa State.

The Cyclones ended up beating the Hurricanes 42-41.

We assume the decision to sit out the second half wasn’t Ward’s. I’m sure someone got into his ear and told him it was in his best interest to not play the second half and not risk an injury before the 2025 NFL draft. Regardless, this is something Ward is going to have to answer to with every NFL team that meets with between now and the draft

The situation is only made more complicated now by the fact that the University of Miami refused to let the media talk to Ward. This only casts an even bigger shadow on the entire event.

Another reason this decision could be one he comes back to regret is because there’s no clear-cut No. 1 quarterback in this draft and Ward needs to do everything he can do to push Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders to be the top quarterback off the board.