Miami Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward, a potential top pick in the upcoming NFL Draft, set the NCAA Division I record for touchdown passes during his bowl game appearance on Saturday and then He sat out for the second half.
Ward and the Hurricanes played the Iowa State Cyclones in the Pop-Tarts Bowl. Ward set the mark with a first-quarter touchdown pass to Jacolby George. That led him to 156 career touchdown passes. Emory Williams started the second half and Miami lost the game, 42-21.
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Miami quarterback Cam Ward (1) throws a pass during the first half of the NCAA Pop Tarts Bowl college football game against Iowa State on Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024 in Orlando, Florida. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Miami head coach Mario Cristobal was asked about the decision after the game.
“All meetings with the players and decisions like that are made privately, we keep them private,” Cristóbal said, via ESPN. “So, I’ll prefer not to answer any questions related to that. But I know he played the best he could while he was there.”
Ward’s decision also caught the attention of social media.
The quarterback broke Case Keenum’s record. Keenum set the Division I (FBS and FCS) record from 2007 to 2011. He had 155 touchdown passes with the Houston Cougars.
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December 28, 2024; Orlando, Fla.: Miami Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward (1) stands on the sidelines during the first half against the Iowa State Cyclones at Camping World Stadium. (Jasen Vinlove-Image Images)
“Just blessed, man,” he told WQAM Radio. “I think I’ve grown a lot as a person this year, outside of football. This is the best team I’ve ever been on… It was a blessing to be here.”
Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel is also on the verge of surpassing Keenum’s mark. He has 153 touchdown passes in six seasons. He could be close to breaking the record in the College Football Playoff.
Ward may be one of the first of a few talented quarterbacks to be taken off the board in the spring when the draft begins. Shedeur Sanders, Quinn Ewers and Carson Beck are among the top prospects.
December 28, 2024; Orlando, Fla.: Miami Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward (1) gestures during the second half against the Iowa State Cyclones at Camping World Stadium. (Jasen Vinlove-Image Images)
“I think Cam’s DNA, his upbringing, everything he’s made of and represents is the right kind; the stuff you want your team to be made of,” Cristobal said. “It has had a tremendous impact on our community, our team, our program, the alumni.”
