JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Mississippi State displayed a football program on the rise with an overwhelming performance in the Gator Bowl. For Michigan, it could have been the final blow for its beleaguered head coach.
Chris Relf accounted for four touchdowns, Vick Ballard ran for three TDs and coach Dan Mullen’s 21st-ranked Bulldogs (9-4) routed Rich Rodri-guez’s Wolverines 52-14 on Saturday.
The 38-point drubbing was the worst bowl loss in Michigan’s storied history and might have sealed Rodriguez’s future. His three-year tenure has been tainted by consecutive losing seasons, NCAA sanctions and late-season slides.
Asked whether he thinks he will return next season, Rodriguez replied, “You’re asking the wrong person.”
Michigan (7-6) lost six of its final eight games.
Mississippi State 10 21 14 7 — 52
Michigan 14 0 0 0 — 14
First quarter: Mich — Roundtree 10 pass from D. Robinson (Gibbons kick), 10:56. MSU — Clark 4 pass from Relf (DePasquale kick), 5:31. MSU — FG DePasquale 42, 2:23. Mich — Odoms 27 pass from D. Robinson (Gibbons kick), 0:34. Second quarter: MSU — Ballard 2 run (DePasquale kick), 11:38. MSU — Relf 1 run (DePasquale kick), 6:35. MSU — Sanders 15 pass from Relf (DePasquale kick), 0:25. Third quarter: MSU — Ballard 1 run (DePasquale kick), 6:19. MSU — Ballard 7 run (DePasquale kick), 0:10. Fourth quarter: MSU — Carr 31 pass from Relf (DePasquale kick), 10:31. A — 68,325.
MSU Mich
First downs 26 17
Rushes-yards 58-204 25-88
Passing 281 254
Comp.-att.-int. 18-23-1 27-41-1
Return yards 0 34
Punts-avg. 2-47.0 1-11.0
Fumbles-lost 0-0 1-1
Penalties-yards 3-23 5-40
Time of possession 35:15 24:45
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING — Mississippi State, Ballard 20-76, Perkins 9-40, Elliott 6-36, Relf 15-30, Marcus 7-24, Russell 1-(minus 2). Michigan, D. Robinson 11-59, Shaw 4-19, Smith 7-13, Toussaint 2-5, Grady 1-(minus 8).
PASSING — Mississippi State, Relf 18-23-1-281. Michigan, D. Robinson 27-41-1-254.
RECEIVING — Mississippi State, C. Smith 4-46, Carr 3-65, Clark 3-45, Perkins 2-79, Sanders 2-23, Heavens 2-12, Ballard 2-11. Michigan, Roundtree 9-53, Stonum 7-59, Hemingway 4-49, Koger 2-42, Smith 2-17, Odoms 1-27, Toussaint 1-5, Shaw 1-2.
