Michigan gets pounded as speculation swirls about Rodriguez's future

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Mississippi State displayed a program and a coach on the rise with an overwhelming performance in the Gator Bowl.

For Michigan, it could have been the final blow for its beleaguered coach.

Chris Relf accounted for 4 touchdowns, Vick Ballard ran for 3 scores and coach Dan Mullen's 21st-ranked Bulldogs routed Rich Rodriguez'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.

Rodriguez said all the speculation about his job was “the elephant in the room” during meetings and practices, but insisted his team never “cheated the University of Michigan a day of work.”

But defensive tackle Mike Martin said the uncertainty clearly affected Rodriguez.

“He's human, he's a man, a constant stress is going to wear you down,” Martin said.

Asked whether he thinks he will return next season, Rodriguez replied, “You're asking the wrong person.”

This much is certain: Athletic director Dave Brandon couldn't have been pleased with Michigan's performance Saturday.

The Wolverines (7-6), who lost six of their last eight games, were out of this one early, done in again by a defense that made a middle-of-the-pack Southeastern Conference offense look like a juggernaut.

“Disappointed, frustrated, and I think if you ask the players, they'll say the same thing,” Rodriguez said.

Relf and Ballard posed problems all day. Relf completed 18 of 23 passes for 281 yards and 3 touchdowns and added 30 yards and a score on the ground. Ballard ran for 76 yards. The Bulldogs (9-4) finished with 485 yards, had five fourth-down conversions and capped a surprising season with a dominant victory.

“We went from average to good and now we want the ability to go from good to great,” said Mullen, the second-year coach who went 5-7 in his first year in Starkville, Miss. “Hopefully that (win) catapults us into the step from good to great.”

Denard Robinson, the Big Ten's offensive player of the year, played every snap for Michigan and was dynamic as usual. He threw for 256 yards and 2 touchdowns, and ran for 58 yards. But he got little help.

Now, he might get a new coach.

Brandon has not offered any public support for Rodriguez, who fell to 15-22 and 1-11 against ranked teams. Brandon has said he will evaluate Rodriguez after the game. Speculation has been that he will fire Rodriguez and try to hire Stanford coach and former Wolverines quarterback Jim Harbaugh to lead college football's winningest program.

Rodriguez's buyout dropped from $4 million to $2.5 million Saturday. Asked what case he will make to save his job, Rodriguez said “None.”