 Following the 1956 regular season, his team won the Orange Bowl, Colorado's second (1938 Cotton Bowl being their first) bowl game, over Clemson, After winning the season-ending bowl game, Ward was offered the head coaching positions at USC and Minnesota, but declined those offers, believing the next few years with the Buffaloes would be even better.However, they did not turn out as hoped, and, on January 23, 1959, Ward was asked to resign by the university's Board of Regents but refused.The Regents reconsidered their actions, but amid many letters of protest mailed in, the original decision was kept and Ward was fired.