Baylor quarterback Seth Russell to undergo season-ending neck surgery

Baylor announced Monday that star quarterback Seth Russell will undergo neck surgery and miss the rest of the season, a potentially huge blow to the Bears’ national title hopes.

Baylor is 7-0 and ranked No. 2 in this week’s Associated Press poll.

Russell was injured in the fourth quarter of his team’s win over Iowa State on Saturday. Russell has thrown for 2,104 yards and 29 touchdowns this season. Baylor is averaging 61.1 points per game. The school said Russell suffered damage to the cervical vertebra. He visited a specialist Monday, at which time surgery was recommended.

Russell will be replaced by Jarrett Stidham, a true freshman from Stephenville, Texas. Stidham has appeared in all seven games and completed 24 of 28 passes for 331 yards and six touchdowns.

Baylor will now try to channel the path taken by the 1985 Oklahoma Sooners. Starting quarterback Troy Aikman broke his leg early that year and was replaced by Jamelle Holieway, who led the Sooners to the national title.

Holieway is the only true freshman to ever lead a team to the championship.