AUBURN, Ala. – Chris Relf still has a ways to go.

A week after a stellar season-opening performance against Jackson State – 82 yards rushing, 75 passing, four total touchdowns – the redshirt sophomore came back to earth in Mississippi State on Saturday.

Relf was just 5 of 11 for 77 yards with two interceptions against Auburn. His first pick was returned 20 yards for a touchdown by defensive end Antonio Coleman.

“I saw him, I just misread it,” said Relf, who rushed for 52 yards. “I was trying to make a big play.”

Following that interception, Relf watched senior Tyson Lee work the next five series. The two have been splitting duties, but the coaches wanted Relf to gather himself.

“I remember when I got to the sideline he was kind of looking down,” receiver Leon Berry said. “I told him, ‘Man, keep your head up, and we’re just going to push forward. Just forget about it.’ ”

Said coach Dan Mullen, “What we’ve got to do is help him build his confidence as a quarterback and get him ready for the future.”

Lee was 6 of 10 for 53 yards and had a fourth-quarter 1-yard TD pass to Christian Ducre.

Invisible freshmen

- Maybe MSU’s fabulous freshmen aren’t ready for the SEC yet.

Chad Bumphis, who had two TD catches in the opener, didn’t make his first reception Saturday until early in the fourth quarter. It was his only catch of the game and the only time a freshman touched the ball on offense.

Mullen said he wanted to lean on older players a little more, this being an SEC road game. But he didn’t get Bumphis and Brandon Heavens and other freshmen involved as much as he wanted to.

“We’ve got to get them the ball a little bit more, (get) those guys in the open field,” Mullen said. “(Auburn) did a good job keeping us off schedule a little bit and not getting us into the flow of things on offense and getting those guys the ball.”

Big play is sweet

- Patrick Hanrahan used to be on Alabama’s squad, which means making a big play against Auburn would be extra sweet. The MSU walk-on fullback, who transferred in this year, blocked Clinton Durst’s punt in the second quarter, and Robert Elliott returned it 10 yards to give State a 17-14 lead.

“I thought that was going to be a big turning point,” Mullen said.

Speaking of punting, MSU’s Heath Hutchins continued his strong work. The juco transfer from Saltillo averaged 45.2 yards on six punts. Against Jackson State a week earlier, he averaged 49 yards on two kicks.

Key drive

- Following Elliott’s blocked punt return for TD, Auburn marched 80 yards in five plays to retake the lead, 21-17, and the momentum.

Key number

- 83 – Number of offensive plays run by Auburn, to 59 for MSU.

Next weekend

- MSU is back on the road, visiting Nashville to take on Vanderbilt (1-1, 0-1), a 23-9 loser to LSU on Saturday.

Quotable

- “I’m really disappointed with our coaching staff, especially myself tonight, not putting our players in a better position to be successful.” – MSU coach Dan Mullen Bulldog bites

- Starting defensive end Nick Bell suffered a Grade 1 MCL sprain. … Safety Zach Smith and linebacker K.J. Wright led State with eight tackles each. … Receiver O’Neal Wilder, a redshirt freshman, had his first career catch, for 25 yards.