After 19 straight games as the starter, Chris Relf will be watching from the sidelines as Mississippi State’s offense takes the field for the first time against South Carolina today.
Less than a half hour before the start of the game, MSU announced -- apparently on the stadium’s scoreboard -- that Tyler Russell will start at quarterback for the Bulldogs.
Speculation has been rampant throughout the week that Russell would supplant Relf this weekend based on the former’s performance last weekend. In a win against UAB, the sophomore Russell threw for 166 yards and three touchdowns after replacing an ineffective Relf.
Relf was named to the third-team All-SEC preseason team in July, but has struggled with inconsistency throughout the first half of the season. Through six games, Relf is No. 94 in the country in passing efficiency.