JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- It had been over a month since sophomore quarterback Denard Robinson had taken a snap for the Wolverines.

And after a forgettable performance in a blowout loss to Ohio State in which he threw for just 87 yards and completed under 50 percent of his passes, Robinson was given a month before Michigan's bowl game matchup with Mississippi State to recover from a slew of nagging injuries that he sustained over the course of the season.

So when the Deerfield Beach, Fla. native took the field at Jacksonville's EverBank Field -- 300 miles away from the signal caller's hometown -- he looked as though he hadn't missed a beat, leading the Wolverines to a 14-10 first quarter lead. But Robinson's momentum didn't last as long as Michigan fans may have hoped, as the Wolverines head into halftime trailing the Bulldogs, 31-14.

Robinson came out of the tunnel on fire in the first quarter, ending the stanza with 98 yards and two touchdowns through the air -- one a wide-open, first-drive strike to redshirt sophomore wideout Roy Roundtree and the other a long touch pass to healthy junior receiver Martavious Odoms.

And as the Bulldogs continued to blitz Robinson early on, the speedy signal caller continued his elusive ways, breaking long runs of 24 and 22 yards. He finished the first half with 60 yards on the ground.

The Wolverine defense couldn't offer Robinson and the Michigan offense much help though, as dual threat Bulldog quarterback Chris Relf managed to pick up 46 yards on the ground and was also incredibly efficient through the air, completing 12-of-16 passes for 135 yards and two touchdowns, one of his best passing performances this season.

But with the end of the first half came an end to the Wolverines' momentum advantage. The Michigan offense couldn't manage a single point in the second quarter as Mississippi State tallied 21, unanswered by their Gator Bowl counterparts.