JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Mississippi State’s fans rang in the new year with cowbells Saturday in a celebration that stretched from Jacksonville to Starkville.

The Bulldogs demolished Michigan 52-14 in the Gator Bowl in front of 68,325 fans, most of them wearing maroon and white and clanging bells. It was the worst bowl loss in the Wolverines’ storied football history and one of the most impressive in Mississippi State’s.

The 52 points was the most the Bulldogs have scored in 14 bowl appearances. They finished 9-4 — their best record since 1999 — and won a January bowl game for the first time since they beat Georgetown 14-7 in the 1941 Orange Bowl.

Michigan, which finished the season with a 7-6 record, had not allowed more than 45 points in any of its 39 previous bowl appearances.

“Our team had a fabulous time and I’d like to thank our fans,” second-year coach Dan Mullen said. “We had tremendous fan support, from right when our buses pulled up. I’m so proud of our seniors and what they’ve accomplished in the two years we’ve been here.”

Quarterback Chris Relf won the game’s Most Valuable Player award by completing 18 of 23 passes for 281 yards, with three touchdowns. He also ran for a touchdown, while Vick Ballard rushed for three scores.

Relf switched his jersey number to 36 for the game to honor teammate Nick Bell, who died of cancer in November.

“It puts us in a good spot, something we can build off as a team,” Relf said of the victory.