Michigan slot receiver Martavious Odoms is dragged down by Mississippi State sophomore Johnthan Banks in the first half of the Gator Bowl.

Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com

Martavious Odoms’ return to the Michigan football team gave the Wolverines a special teams boost, but the continuation of season-long kicking problems more than canceled it out.

The junior receiver exceeded rehabilitation estimates and saw his first action during Saturday’s 52-14 Gator Bowl loss to Mississippi State since breaking a foot against Michigan State.

Odoms made the most of his one catch, hauling in a 27-yard touchdown pass from Denard Robinson that put the Wolverines ahead 14-10 in the final minute of the first quarter.

His biggest impact was on the kick return team. Odoms, who returned just one kick in the six regular-season games he played, started there Saturday. He had seven returns for 163 yards, including a long of 41 yards.

“I’m glad we made it to a bowl game so I was able to get back and play,” Odoms said. “We were going pretty good on special teams. Everybody was fresh and nobody was hurt. That gave everybody extra energy.”

Like its kicking game, Michigan’s return game struggled most of the season. The Wolverines’ 21.14-yard average on kick returns was 76th in the nation, and its 5.38-yard average on punt returns was 98th.

Considering Mississippi State scored on seven of its first eight possessions, Odoms was considerably busier on kickoff returns than Junior Hemingway was on punt returns.

Hemingway did return the only punt of the day 34 yards to the Mississippi State 23-yard-line early in the second half. The Wolverines didn’t have a punt return longer than 15 yards all season.

But Hemingway’s special teams play, which put Michigan in prime position to cut into the Bulldogs’ 31-14 lead, set up another special teams blunder.

Sophomore Brendan Gibbons missed a 35-yard field goal wide left and the Bulldogs marched back down the field to make it 38-14.

“You've got to come away with some points there and get within two scores,” Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez said. “I know hindsight is always a little easier to look and say maybe you should have went for it on fourth-and-five, but you've got to be able to make that field goal, too.

“So I knew that was kind of a downer. I felt that a little bit, and we tried to bounce back from that, but we didn't.”

The Wolverines finish the 2010-11 season 4-of-14 on field goal attempts between Gibbons and freshman Seth Broekhuizen.

Mississippi State’s Marvin Bure blocked Michigan’s only punt of the day, setting up a Bulldog field goal that made it 10-7.

Rich Rezler is a sports producer for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at 734-623-2553 or via email at richrezler@annarbor.com.