Cam Ward smokes Florida to put jet fuel in his Heisman bandwagon
By Austen Bundy
![Florida defensive end Tyreak Sapp (94) pressures Miami Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward (1) during the season opener at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, August 31, 2024 against the University of Miami Hurricanes in the first half. [Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun]](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_1922,h_1081,x_0,y_71/c_fill,w_1080,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images%2FImagnImages%2Fmmsport%2F229%2F01j6nb5mk85bma26xvnf.jpg "Florida defensive end Tyreak Sapp (94) pressures Miami Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward (1) during the season opener at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, August 31, 2024 against the University of Miami Hurricanes in the first half. [Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun]")
The Miami Hurricanes swamped the Florida Gators on Saturday. What was billed as a rare in-state showdown with a mere two-point spread ended up as a lopsided 41-17 victory for the visitors.
Most Gator fans' frustrations were aimed at Miami quarterback Cam Ward who torched their defensive secondary for a whopping 385 yards and three touchdowns. (Okay, maybe Gator fans are more angry at head coach Billy Napier but Ward was the star Saturday.)
Cam Ward for Heisman! Miami QB starts campaign with stellar Canes debut
While he was already on most Heisman radars entering the season, Saturday's magnificent display certainly saw him shoot up several lists from dark horse to among the favorites.
WHAT A THROW AND CATCH 💥
— ESPN (@espn) August 31, 2024
3 TDs on the day for Cam Ward 🙌 pic.twitter.com/wYBbedbo69
The lone blemish on Ward's afternoon was a first-quarter interception that led to a Florida field goal, though it's not like it was that consequential anyway.
Cam Ward makes history in his Miami debut
Miami's victory over its historic rival was the first since 2013 and the first time the two have played since 2019. Ward became the first Miami quarterback to throw for 300 yards in his Hurricanes debut since 1979 and threw for the most yards in a debut for Miami since Scott Covington's 295 yards in 1996.
Saturday's triumph marked the end of Florida's 33-game unbeaten streak in home openers, a stretch that began with Steve Spurrier's Gator debut in 1990.
Ward appeared cool as a cucumber out there slinging it in an environment known for its hostility and deafening noise levels. The 22-year-old wrote it off as simply not caring.
Cam Ward Postgame Interview pic.twitter.com/DJlo1R0yS1
— NMD Grant (@NMDgrant) August 31, 2024
"It's just a mentality to not care," Ward said postgame. "You only get a certain amount of times to play football and I'm going to take advantage of every opportunity I get."
The transfer from Washington State will get three more opportunities to stat pad ahead of starting ACC play on Sept. 27 against Virginia Tech. But looking at Miami's schedule, just about every single game looks like a juicy opportunity for Ward to calmly ball out all the way to New York City in December as a Heisman finalist.
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