Joel Klatt lashes out at Cam Ward's critics after his decision to sit out the 2nd half of Pop Tarts Bowl

Joel Klatt defended Cam Ward’s decision to sit out the second half of the Pop-Tarts Bowl. FOX Sports’ lead college football analyst shared his perspective on The Joel Klatt Show while discussing the College Football Playoff Quarterfinals on Sunday.

Ward’s choice sparked heated debate, especially after Miami lost to the Cyclones by one point ( 42-41). The Hurricanes only managed 14 points in the second half, a sharp drop from the 31 points Ward led them to before halftime.

Klatt criticized the backlash, dismissing it as overblown.

"Unfortunately, we're not talking about this idea that Cam Ward had an incredible career in college football—one of the best we've ever seen,” Klatt said. “No, the discourse is going to be about that Cam decided not to play in the second half.”

He pointed out that the criticism did not stem from Ward’s teammates or coaches but from the usual detractors.

"Who are the people complaining about this? You’d expect this is coming from the Miami fan base, teammates and coaches. Yet, that's not the case. Everything you hear, that's the noise ... Everything that the Old Guard doesn't like, they scream about."

After an impressive first half with 12 completions on 19 attempts for 190 yards and a touchdown, the future first-round pick decided to sit out.

Emmanuel Acho backtracks on harsh criticism of Cam Ward after Pop-Tart Bowl loss

Emmanuel Acho found himself in the spotlight, going off on a tangent that he later admitted, missed the mark. The former NFL linebacker criticized Cam Ward for sitting out the second half of the Pop-Tart Bowl after breaking a record, calling the move “wild.”

“You stood on your teams’ shoulders, and you used your teammates to break a record, but then when your teammates needed to use you to win the game, you were nowhere to be found,” he said.

Acho's passionate rant touched on themes of loyalty and legacy, suggesting that Ward owed more to a program he had been with for just one season.

“Understand, Miami could’ve won 11 games in a season for the first time in 21 years,” Acho said. “So your program needed you to make history. You used your program to make history, but when they needed you to help them make history, you weren’t there.”

“It’s the issue with college football. It’s ‘Me, me, me. I’m not playing I wanna transfer,’” he added.

The controversy adds another challenge for Ward, who was already battling to overtake Shedeur Sanders as a top NFL draft pick. Ward, a Heisman Trophy finalist, had announced he would play in the game and stayed true to his word for the first half. While critics argued that this undermines his legacy, others see it as a player prioritizing his future in a game with no stakes beyond pride.