Stellar Seniors Lead Wolverines to Citrus Bowl Triumph

Friday, January 1

Orlando, Fla.

1:00 PM

Michigan

10-3 , 6-2

Florida

10-4 , 7-1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Michigan

Florida

(Michigan Photography)

Stellar Seniors Lead Wolverines to Citrus Bowl Triumph

1/1/2016 12:00:00 AM | Football

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By: Dave Ablauf, Chad Shepard

Site: Orlando, Fla. (Orlando Citrus Bowl Stadium)
Event: Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl
Score: #17 Michigan 41, #19 Florida 7
Records: U-M (10-3), UF (10-4)
Attendance: 63,113
Next U-M Event: Season Complete

• Kornacki Postgame Feature: There Was No Stopping the Wolverines in Bowl Win

ORLANDO, Fla. -- In the 17th-ranked University of Michigan football team's first bowl game under J. Ira and Nicki Harris Family Head Football Coach Jim Harbaugh, the Wolverines scored 34 unanswered points in a 41-7 drubbing of 19th-ranked Florida in the 70th playing of the Citrus Bowl on Friday (Jan. 1).

Michigan asserted control early in the second quarter and never looked back, totaling the highest single-game point total allowed by Florida this season.

Michigan improves to 3-0 all-time against the Florida and 4-1 all-time in the program's Citrus Bowl history.

Quarterback Jake Rudock closed his collegiate career with an impressive effort at Citrus Bowl Stadium, the same field where he clinched a state and national championship with St. Thomas Aquinas High School. The game MVP, as voted by the media, Rudock completed 20-of-31 passes for 278 yards and three touchdowns, becoming just the second Michigan quarterback to throw for 3,000 yards in a single season (John Navarre, 2003).

Leading 17-7 at halftime, the Wolverines scored on its first two possessions of the third quarter -- the first on a three-yard slant from Rudock to wideout Grant Perry (five receptions, 51 yards) and the second on a two-yard plunge from fullback Sione Houma to claim a 31-7 lead.

Michigan dominated the third, holding the ball for 11:32 of the quarter and out-gaining Florida by a count of 160 yards to two.

Rudock started the fourth quarter where he left off, tossing a seven-yard touchdown to tailback Drake Johnson (58 rushing yards on six carries, two total touchdowns), before kicker Kenny Allen closed the scoring with a 25-yard field goal with 6:42 to play.

Running back De'Veon Smith paced the ground game with 109 bruising yards on 25 carries as Michigan converted 7-of-8 third-down opportunities in the second half and finished with 503 total yards of offense. Florida, which entered play among the national leaders in tackles for a loss, got into U-M's backfield just three times in the game with no sacks.

In the first half, Florida leaned heavily on QB Treon Harris and a series of trick plays to convert 7-of-9 third downs. Harris' scrambling ability yielded more than five yards per carry, but his inconsistency through the air (8-17-1, 146 yards) and two red-zone interceptions proved ominous.

Harris did not complete a second half pass, finishing the game 8-of-21 with one interception and 55 yards on 11 carries. Michigan held Florida to 28 yards in the second half and 0-for-4 on third downs. Defensive lineman Chris Wormley's 2.5 tackles for a loss led the Michigan defense with the Wolverines recording six TFLs in the game. Linebacker Joe Bolden had a team-high seven total tackles.

Florida drove the opening possession of the game to Michigan's 30-yard line before facing a fourth down. There, Florida's attempted trickery out of a field goal set was sniffed out as linebacker Royce Jenkins-Stone batted an attempted shovel pass into the hands of corner back Channing Stribling for his second interception of the year. Michigan then marched 73 yards on its first possession, without facing a third down, as Smith battered his way to 36 yards on three carries, while Johnson capped the drive with a four-yard touchdown run off left tackle.

Florida responded with a 75-yard drive, aided in part by a key defensive penalty against U-M on a third-down play. On second-and-goal from the two-yard line, Florida opted for a direct snap into a reverse option as Antonio Callaway underhanded a pass to QB Harris in the front of the end zone.

After trading punts, U-M struck again thanks to Florida's focus on stopping the Wolverine's running and short passing games. On second down from UF's 31-yard line, Rudock and wide receiver Jehu Chesson teamed up for a 31-yard touchdown pass with a double move that saw Chesson leave UF cornerback Vernon Hargreaves III on the ground. Chesson had two catches for 55 yards on the drive and five receptions for 118 yards in the game.

Midway through the second quarter, defensive back Jarrod Wilson intercepted Harris on a jump ball in the end zone, and the Wolverines again drove down the field before stalling settling for a 21-yard field goal from Allen, who also performed punting duties in the game.

The game marked the 70th playing of the Citrus Bowl, among the oldest bowl games in the nation. The attendance of 63,113 is the highest attendance figure since the 2008 Citrus Bowl, also between U-M and UF.