The Maxwell Award is often viewed as the appetizer of CFB honors. It sets you up perfectly for the main dish that is the Heisman. In the past decade, every Maxwell Award recipient has gone on to then win the Heisman barring two seasons. People down in south Florida will be hoping lightning strikes for a 3rd time.

The shortlist for Micheal Penix Jr.’s (been a minute since we saw him!) successor has condensed down as the season approaches finality. Only 3 names remain in the fray. To the dismay of Miami fans and those of other persuasions too, Cam Ward is missing. Fellow QB Dillon Gabriel appears to be the scapegoat in this whole ordeal.

Ashton Jeanty and Travis Hunter make up the remainder of the shortlist. It would be a fair estimation to say Dillon Gabriel does poke out as a bit of a sore thumb. It is not surprising that he’s the one who bemused fans latched onto when they couldn’t see Cam Ward. The Oregon Ducks are the no.1 team in the country and rightly so. Dillon is the leader from under centre who keeps the operation ticking. But perhaps his tangible input in his team’s success doesn’t match up to his peers.

Let us put into perspective how the two QBs in question have traversed through their seasons so far. Cam Ward is either 1st or 2nd in the country in the following statistical categories- total yards, yards per game and touchdowns. Meanwhile, Dillon Gabriel is 10th, 11th and 19th in those departments respectively. Cam has proven to be a force multiplier from quarterback who has almost single-handedly elevated his program into playoff contention. Dillon’s Oregon team is a bit more the sum of its parts. A veteran of his stature at the helm is a key to their disposition. However, his individual contributions don’t quite stack up to his adversary.

As is the nature of such discourse, sports fans made their feelings known through social media. Folks were not at all enthralled by Cam Ward’s standing, or lack thereof. Even experts that have lived through countless such snubs and inclusions pertaining to these awards chimed in. Here are some of the most resounding reactions-

Social media reacts to committee overlooking Cam Ward

“Cam Ward’s average game this year beats Gabriel’s best game this season. Ridiculous.” said one fan. “Cam most disrespected player in college”, said another. While most people maintained the same sentiment, not everyone was as pleasant in their delivery.

“how the f–k did cam ward not make this” and “Any list that can include Cam Ward, HAS to include Cam Ward! Period! End of discussion. Maxwell Award no longer legitimate” were examples of people not mincing their words towards the powers that be. Some even blamed bias towards bigger programs like Oregon, stating “Cam Wards numbers are a mile ahead of Gabriel lol the UM hate is crazy”.

To reinforce just how egregious the decision to not include Ward was, CFB expert Josh Pate also dropped his two cents. “Cam Ward is not a Maxwell Award finalist. Adjust your Maxwell Award opinions accordingly.”, he posted on X. That one’s going to reverberate across the media for a bit. Alas, the list is the list. Cam Ward continues getting his flowers from elsewhere. Who shall receive the Maxwell Award then? The winner shall be announced on December 12th.