Miami’s Cam Ward Named ACC QB of the Week After Dominant Performance

The senior transfer from Washington State has Hurricane fans thinking big the rest of the season

Aug 31, 2024; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Miami Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward (1) watches warmups against the Florida Gators before the game at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-USA TODAY Sports / matt pendleton-usa today sports

MIAMI, Fla. – Plenty of quarterbacks made debuts for new teams last weekend and no one made a bigger splash than Miami’s Cam Ward.

The senior signal caller threw for 385 yards and three touchdowns while completing 26-of-35 passes to lead No. 12 Miami to a lopsided 41-17 victory against in-state rival Florida State. Ward’s performance was recognized Tuesday with Ward being named the ACC Quarterback of the Week. He’s also reportedly in line to be named the Maxwell Club Award Player of the Week, too.

"You think this game was big," Miami coach Mario Cristobal asked rhetorically after Saturday’s game. "It was bigger than you could ever imagine. It was off the charts."

"I think Cam Ward was probably one of the biggest stories of the weekend."

—@KirkHerbstreit on Miami's Week 1 win 😤 pic.twitter.com/0aVuwQzfFN

— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) September 3, 2024

Ward’s dominant game against the Gators has also earned him a spot in many Heisman watch lists, bumped the Hurricanes up seven spots in the latest AP poll and accelerated the Miami fans’ excitement about the 2024 season. And for good reason. The last time a quarterback threw for more than 300 yards and three touchdowns in a season-opening game was also the last season the Hurricanes won a national championship (Ken Dorsey vs. Penn State, 2001).

History may be repeating itself in 2024 and it’s not likely the hype around this Miami team and Ward will go away anytime soon. Miami hosts Florida A&M next and won’t play a top 25-ranked team until October 19 at No. 22 Louisville.