Miami HC Mario Cristobal Addresses Cam Ward Sitting Out Second Half of Pop-Tarts Bowl

After a three-passing touchdown performance to begin Saturday afternoon's Pop-Tarts Bowl, Miami Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward decided to sit out for the second half of the game.

Ward, a 2024 Heisman finalist and someone who is widely considered to become among the top selections in the 2025 NFL Draft, appeared to make a business decision in his final collegiate game—opting to preserve his health as he gets ready for the pros.

Though the 22-year-old didn't speak to the media following the contest, his head coach Mario Cristobal did. Here's what he had to say on the decision to sit Ward for the final two frames:

"I think all meetings with players and decisions like that, we make them in private and we keep them in private," Cristobal explained, via the South Florida Sun Sentinel's Adam Lichtenstein. "So I'll prefer not to answer questions as it relates to that. I know he played his best while he was in there."

I asked Mario Cristobal about how he and Cam Ward came to the decision for Ward to play one half. Here is the full quote.

I don't believe Cam Ward has discussed why he opted to play in the bowl game. He has not been made available to local media since the Syracuse game. pic.twitter.com/lkKxwCZK5x
— Adam Lichtenstein (@ABLichtenstein) December 29, 2024

Ward was 12 of 19 passing for 190 yards and three touchdowns before leaving the contest as Miami held a 31-28 lead heading into halftime. With Emory Williams taking over at quarterback, the Hurricanes couldn't hang on— and the Iowa State Cyclones came away with a 42-41 Pop-Tarts Bowl win.

Ward's three first-half scores set the career Division I passing touchdowns record with 158—surpassing former Houston Cougars signal-caller Case Keenum's 155. He'll now enter the NFL as one of this year's top quarterback prospects.