Miami coach Mario Cristobal tried to explain why quarterback Cam Ward didn’t play in the second half of Saturday’s Pop-Tarts Bowl by not explaining it at all. Ward didn’t finish out the bowl game loss to Iowa State, which presumably had to do with the unnecessary injury risk ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft.

Pop-Tarts Bowl wasa summary of what the entire season was for the Miami Hurricanes. Cam Ward is amazing and everything after him has question marks. That includes coaching head coach Mario Cristobal took to the podium after losing three of the last four games to end the season as the Hurricanes fail to close out the Iowa State Cyclones.