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Posted on Sat, Jan 1, 2011 : 12:33 p.m.

Chris Relf's 3rd TD pass extends Bulldogs' lead in Gator Bowl

By Jim Knight

GATOR-BOWL-FANS.jpg

Morgan Kovacs, 14, Heather Klatt, 19, and Kayla Kovacs, 16, all of Curtis, Ohio, pose in front of a jaguar statue in front of EverBank Field before the start of the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville. Morgan and Kayla are sisters of Michigan football player Jordan Kovacs.

Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com

Fourth quarter

Mississippi State 52, Michigan 14: Chris Relf found Michael Carr with a 31-yard touchdown pass to add to the rout.

Third quarter

Mississippi State 45, Michigan 14: Vick Ballard again. This time he scored from 7 yards out to tie the Gator Bowl record for touchdowns by a running back (3).

Mississippi State 38, Michigan 14: Vick Ballard scored on a 1-yard run as Mississippi State continued to move the ball against Michigan, scoring on a 14-play, 80-yard drive.

Missed field goal: Michigan's Brendan Gibbons missed a 35-yard field goal with 11:51 to play in the third quarter and now is 1-for-5 this season.

Second quarter Mississippi State 31, Michigan 14: Quarterback Chris Relf found Ricco Sanders for a 15-yard touchdown pass.

Mississippi State 24, Michigan 14: Quarterback Chris Relf scored on a 1-yard keeper to finish the Bulldogs' 12-play, 43-yard drive.

Mississippi State 17, Michigan 14: Vick Ballard scored on 3-yard touchdown run as the Bulldogs put together a 10-play, 77-yard drive to regain the lead.

First quarter

Michigan 14, Mississippi State 10: Martavious Odoms snared a 27-yard touchdown pass from Denard Robinson to cap a five-play, 72-yard drive that took just 1 minute, 40 seconds.

Mississippi State 10, Michigan 7: Derek DePasquale kicked a 42-yard field goal as the Bulldogs scored quickly after blocking a punt by Will Hagerup.

Michigan 7, Mississippi State 7: Mississippi State reponded to the Wolverines' opening drive with a Chris Relf-led drive that ended with Relf hitting Arceto Clark with a 4-yard touchdown pass

Michigan 7, Mississippi State: Roy Roundtree was wide open in the end zone for a 10-yard touchdown pass from Denard Robinson. Robinson ran for 46 yards and passed for 27 on the 10-play, 78-yard drive.

Pregame

Welcome back to bowl season, Michigan.

The Wolverines (7-5) face No. 21 Mississippi State (8-4) at 1:30 p.m. today in the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, and we'll provide live updates throughout the game.

Until then:

Join our live chat: Rich Rezler and Michael Rothstein lead the discussion.

Your guide to the game: Stories, a poll, slideshows and more. Our coverage of the Gator Bowl week

Comments

superbuck

Sat, Jan 1, 2011 : 6:50 p.m.

You hired plan C the last time because A & B didn't want anything to do with Mich.

tzgoblue

Sat, Jan 1, 2011 : 6:39 p.m.

superbuck I sat in the stands at the horseshoe when Cooper was winning 9 and 10 games a year and listened to the great buckeye fans run him in the ground game after game. Talk about fans not supporting a coach or program. OSU fired Cooper because he couldn't beat MI. We will return to dominate the B10 and it won't be in the too distant future. Look out if we are lucky enough to land JH. If we have to go to plan B, I'm sure it will be a thought out plan B this time

15crown00

Sat, Jan 1, 2011 : 6:11 p.m.

David Branddyon better pull the trigger or he'll return to pizza making.

superbuck

Sat, Jan 1, 2011 : 4:56 p.m.

Remember Miss St came very close to beating Auburn did you actually think you had a chance in this game? I really do not think Harbaugh wan'ts anything to do with Mich or its politics and fan base. Your fans when they win and not when they lose. Thats why you got stuck with RR no coach wan'ts to come to an enviroment as the one in Ann Arbor. Good luck on your search and GO BUCKKKKKKKSSSSSS.

Mick

Sat, Jan 1, 2011 : 4:43 p.m.

Also, almost forgot. In this game RR has managed to break not 1, not 2, but 3 records of futility for our beloved program: -Most pts given up in a bowl by U-M -Worse Bowl loss in our history -Gator Bowl record for most pts. by one team RR is the King..............of futility!!!

Beau Shine

Sat, Jan 1, 2011 : 4:42 p.m.

Ditch Rod.

Kafkaland

Sat, Jan 1, 2011 : 4:40 p.m.

Ok, the season is over now. Time to evaluate the state of the football program and its leadership. Evaluating, evaluating, processing results... How long is it going to take for Dave Brandon to do what he has to do?

profdavid

Sat, Jan 1, 2011 : 4:35 p.m.

UM is being clobbered by an average SEC team. What an embarrassment for all UM alumni and fans. Is that what UM football is all about? And the beatings will continue as long as RR is the coach. Fire him now or get ready for more of the same.

Mick

Sat, Jan 1, 2011 : 4:32 p.m.

ADIOS RODRIGOES!!!!!! What an embarrasment!!! Mr. David Brandon, you sir are now on the clock and I expect great things from you!

amaizenblueballs

Sat, Jan 1, 2011 : 4:31 p.m.

Wow. I was previously thinking it was a good thing to get a bowl invitation. The thinking was that the extra practices would help better position us for next year. Well, with this coaching staff there may have been more harm than good done. And the players did not deserve this beating. If Brandon wasn't planning on change he just backed himself into a corner he can't get out of. Hope he was just waiting so he had $1.5M more to spend.

MjC

Sat, Jan 1, 2011 : 4:18 p.m.

Sometimes it's not so great to be a Michigan Wolverine...

lawrencelaundry

Sat, Jan 1, 2011 : 4:13 p.m.

Do we really believe he will be back next yr.lol

glimmertwin

Sat, Jan 1, 2011 : 4:11 p.m.

Unreal. What a sorry, sorry excuse for a football program. Defense is high school caliber at best. If RichRod stays, they at least need to fire Robinson. He is nothing more than a cheerleader. Can't even get players on the field after a timeout. What a terrible day for the entire state of Michigan. Mich St. losing big, giving up 2 tds to the third string, and Michigan.

RudeJude

Sat, Jan 1, 2011 : 4:10 p.m.

Michigan has been "taken behind the woodshed" and Miss St has "opened a can of whoopin'" on them, according to ESPN commentator, Craig James. All before the beginning of the fourth quarter. Once again, another quality team shuts down the coveted Rodriguez Spread Option. "What defense?" the other commentator just asked. What a shame.

lawrencelaundry

Sat, Jan 1, 2011 : 4:07 p.m.

What a freaking embarrassment. I wouldn't wait one freaken second to fire him.

RudeJude

Sat, Jan 1, 2011 : 3:41 p.m.

ESPN Commentator discussing Michigan's kicking game: "I've never seen numbers that bad for a major college program." He then went on to question Rodriguez's coaching decision to send out the kicker that resulted in a miss. The death throes of the Rodriguez Era are tough to watch.