Ward started the Pop-Tarts Bowl and proceeded to shred Iowa State’s top-five pass defense, throwing for 190 yards and three touchdowns in the first half. He did so even without three of his starting receivers, including Miami’s all-time receptions leader Xavier Restrepo, who had opted out.

The privately owned bus pulled out in front of the Windstar Lines bus and left the scene afterward. The students on the bus were not seriously injured, but around a dozen were treated by medical responders for "bumps,