After missing out on the College Football Playoff, the Miami Hurricanes were unable to end the 2024 season on a high note. The Hurricanes fell to Iowa

It came down to the Miami Hurricanes defense needing to make a goal-line stand. The Iowa State Cyclones were at the Miami 2-yard line, 6 feet away from taking the lead in the final minutes of the Pop-Tarts Bowl. First and goal, 1:41 left on the clock, direct snap to running back Carson Hansen. No gain.

When Cam Ward surprised Mario Cristobal with a phone call in mid-January earlier this year, the trajectory of the Miami Hurricanes football team instantly changed. That phone call was Ward letting Cristobal know he had changed his mind about entering the 2024 NFL Draft and was committing to Miami.