Florida Gators

ORLANDO -- Bowl games are supposed to be about having fun and taking momentum into the offseason. 

The 18th-ranked Florida Gators did neither Friday. 

Michigan quarterback Jake Rudock threw three touchdown passes, his offense cranked out 503 yards and 34 unanswered points, and the No. 17 Wolverines utterly stifled the Gators on offense in the second half in a 41-7 rout before a sellout house of 63,113 at the Citrus Bowl. 

When the carnage was complete, the Gators (10-4) had lost their third straight game (all by double-digits), suffered the second-worst defeat in their 42-game bowl history (only Nebraska's 62-24 rout in the 1996 Fiesta Bowl was worse), and were dealt their most lopsided loss of any kind in 20 years — since that 38-point national-title game drubbing by the Cornhuskers to end the '95 season. 

"They took it to us," Florida coach Jim McElwain said afterward. "I'm disappointed. We're all disappointed. You have to learn from disappointment. Maybe we will." 

Not exactly the way McElwain wanted to go out after becoming the first UF coach to hit 10 wins in his first season with the program. The Gators' last three games were losses of 27-2 against Florida State, 29-15 to Alabama in the Southeastern Conference Championship Game … and now this. 

"You saw the past two games, and now including this one, it's not what we wanted end of the season, especially with a 10-win season," senior offensie lineman Trip Thurman said. "I trust Coach Mac and young guys are going to step up and be leaders and move this team forward." 

UF fell to 21-21 all-time in bowl games, including 0-3 in losses to Michigan, all since the 2002 season. 

The game was tied at 7-7 after the first period. The Wolverines (10-2), on a 31-yard touchdown pass from Rudock to Jehu Chesson and 21-yard field goal from Kenny Allen, surged in front 17-7 at intermission. 

But in the second half, Michigan totally dominated in holding the Gators to just two yards in the third period and outgaining UF 270-28 after the break. 

"We just didn't have it today," Thurman said. 

Sophomore quarterback Treon Harris — and the Florida passing game — continued to struggle. Harris finished 8-for-21 for 146 yards, with his one interception an ill-advised, under-pressure, second-down toss into the end zone late in the second quarter when the Gators, down 14-7, were looking to tie the game. 

Meanwhile, Rudock hit 20 of 31 throws for 278 yards, his three scores and no interceptions and was voted Most Valuable Player of the Game. Chesson, who had his way against UF All-America cornerback Vernon Hargreaves III most of the day, caught five passes for 118 yards. Tailback De'Veon Smith carried 25 times for 109 yards, accounting for nearly half of UM's 225 rushing yards against a UF defense that came in ranked 17th nationally against the run. 

"I'd say this was the best game we played all year," Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh said. "It was a great team win." 

Michigan had touchdown marches of 12 plays for 69 yards, five plays for 58 yards and 12 plays for 84 yards in scoring touchdowns on all three of their third quarter possessions. Rudock bracketed a 3-yard TD pass to wideout Grant Perry and 8-yard swing pass to tailback Drake Johnson around a 2-yard run from fullback Sione Houma to account for the 21-0 third quarter.

Allen added a 25-yard field with 4:14 left in the game to cap the scoring. 

"They really had a better mindset than us," UF sophomore cornerback Jalen Tabor said. "They just came right out at us and we didn't respond."

Florida's lone points of the game came in somewhat unusual fashion — with Harris catching a touchdown pass. 

UF actually moved the ball on its first two possessions, marching 55 yards in 12 plays before a drive stalled at the UM 20. On fourth-and-7 walk-on placekicker Neil MacInnes, forced into action after Austin Hardin was injured during Thursday's walk-through, lined up to attempt a field goal. Instead, holder Johnny Townsend attempted a shovel pass on the fake kick. The ball was intercepted by Channing Stribling to thwart an excellent scoring opportunity. 

Michigan responded with a nine-play, 73-yard drive capped by Johnson's 4-yard run scoring run. 

On Florida's next series, tailback Kelvin Taylor, who rushed for 51 yards to surpass 1,000 for the season, lined up at quarterback, sprinted left and tossed back to wide receiver Antonio Callaway, who underhanded a 2-yard touchdown pass to Harris in the end zone with 1:58 left in the first period. The score capped an 8-play, 75-yard drive during which Harris made some excellent throws to get his team in scoring position, including a 20-yard strike to Chris Thompson that put the ball at the UM 1. 

For the Gators' offense — its first two series, 130 yards — was the highlight of the day.

"It was a sad day, but it's been a great three years," said Taylor, who will enter the NFL as an underclassmen this offseason. "I wish I'd got have got the win today, instead of the 'L,' but there's a foundation here for the future."