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Ask LSU’s Zach Mettenberger if he’s ready, and you hear the hunger, pain and focus -- all wrapped up into one -- very clearly in his voice.

It wasn’t supposed to take this long for him to get his first real taste of being a starting quarterback in the SEC.

Not even close.

“It’s been a long and winding road in my college career so far, and I’ve gone through the trials and tribulations just to get here,” Mettenberger said.

He never envisioned it going the way it did when he graduated early from Oconee County (Ga.) High School in December 2008, but he also wasn’t banking on running afoul of the law thanks to a night of partying.

So here he is, going on four years removed from high school, and still waiting to take his first meaningful snap in an SEC game.

That’s about to change as LSU opens spring practice on Thursday, and while Mettenberger’s not into making a bunch of promises, he does promise one thing: He’s determined to do everything in his power to prove to everybody that there’s a lot more to him than what’s stated in that Remerton, Ga., arrest report from the spring of 2010.

“People remember me as the talented guy who got kicked off the team at Georgia,” Mettenberger said. “It sucks that it’s that way, but that’s the way the world is until I go out there and show who I really am and then hopefully people will forget about it. I made a mistake, and I had to pay for it.

“The only way anybody’s going to move on is when I get back on the field and start playing again.”

Mettenberger was dismissed from Georgia’s team in April 2010, a little more than a week after putting up better numbers than Aaron Murray in the Bulldogs’ G-Day spring game.

At the time, Mettenberger’s March arrest in a bar outside of Valdosta, Ga., was already public knowledge, and Georgia coach Mark Richt had already said that Mettenberger faced at least a one-game suspension.

But the police investigation also turned up sexual battery charges against Mettenberger in addition to underage alcohol consumption and disorderly conduct charges. The timing couldn’t have been worse for Mettenberger, especially given the rash of alcohol-related arrests involving Georgia football players. Richt announced in April that Mettenberger had been dismissed.

Mettenberger pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts of sexual battery and was sentenced to two concurrent 12-month probationary periods under the state of Georgia’s first-offender act. All of the alcohol-related charges were later dropped.

Having spent two springs at Georgia (but never playing in a game), Mettenberger headed to Butler (Kan.) Community College and threw 32 touchdown passes during the 2010 season. He emerged as the top junior college quarterback prospect in the country and picked LSU over offers from Alabama, Arkansas and Texas A&M.

He spent last season watching senior quarterbacks Jarrett Lee and Jordan Jefferson guide the LSU offense and only threw 11 passes in five games.

So when Mettenberger says it’s been a long time coming, he means it.

He also understands the meaning of not getting too high with the highs and too low with the lows.

“I’ve dealt with a lot of adversity in my past, and feel like no matter what happens, through the good times and the bad, that I can keep a level head,” Mettenberger said. “I feel like I can still be a good player no matter what. If I throw a pick, I think I’m going to go out and lead our team on a touchdown drive that next series.

“All the stuff I’ve been through has helped mold and prepare me for next season.”

While at Georgia, the 6-foot-5 Mettenberger says he was pushing 260 pounds. He weighed in at 225 last week and hopes to play somewhere in the 225-230 range this fall.

“I’m a lot quicker, and my overall game has improved since losing that weight,” said Mettenberger, whose mother, Tammy, has worked in the Georgia football office under Richt for the past decade.

And speaking of Georgia, the coaches and players there still rave about Mettenberger’s arm strength and his undying work ethic. He was oftentimes the last player to leave the practice field.

That hasn’t changed at LSU.

“The way I look at it is that you’ve got to always prepare yourself like you’re the starter no matter if you’re first string, fourth string or a walk-on,” Mettenberger said. “It shouldn’t matter. You always have to prepare. Anything can happen in this game, and I think people have seen that over the years. So I always want to feel like I’m ready.

“I was ready last year if Coach [Les] Miles had needed me and feel confident that I could have gone in there and won games.”

His big right arm may be what people know him by, but Mettenberger has also been around the SEC long enough to know that you don’t make it in this league by trying to squeeze the ball in tight spaces all the time.

“I always tell people that it takes two things: heart and brains,” Mettenberger said. “There are so many guys who didn’t have the measurables. Look at the Drew Brees and Joe Montanas at the pro level and then a guy like Kellen Moore in college. Look at the job he did against the Georgia defense last year.

“If you know what you’re doing, it doesn’t matter how hard you can throw the ball or how far you can throw it or whether you can run a 4.4 [in the 40-yard dash]. If you know where you’re supposed to go with the ball in every situation and minimize your mistakes, you’re going to be a good quarterback no matter where you are.”

Mettenberger is well aware that people will be watching his every step -- both on and off the field.

“I’ll just use it as motivation,” he said.

In a lot of ways, the doubters have been his fuel for his entire career.

“Growing up, I was the short, fat kid,” Mettenberger explained. “I didn’t start at quarterback until I got to be a junior in high school. I was always a backup to one of my best friends.

“I’ve always been told that I couldn’t do something, that I couldn’t do this or do that and that I wouldn’t be able to play quarterback. That’s been my motivation and makes me work every day. Even with my off-the-field troubles, that’s motivation to prove people wrong and really just get people to shut up and move on.

“I moved on a long time ago and am just looking forward to getting back out there and having fun again and showing everybody what I can do … and who I am.”

The stench from LSU's putrid offensive showing in the Allstate BCS National Championship Game just won’t go away.

The latest to weigh in is the guy who had the biggest hand, at least on the field, in the Tigers going belly-up offensively in the Big Easy. It seems that former LSU quarterback Jordan Jefferson wasn’t enamored with the play-calling in that game, and he voiced his displeasure Thursday to WCNN radio in Atlanta.

Here’s what Jefferson had to say:

“I think we should’ve spread them out a little bit more, put the ball in different passing areas, use our talent on the receiving side. We had that in as far as play-calling. We just didn’t get to it. We have great guys in those areas and sometimes we just wonder why we don’t use those guys, but we’re not the one calling the plays. We still have to go out and execute what the coaches and coordinators are calling. We can’t complain as players, but sometimes we do question that."

Jefferson went on to say, "Alabama was a little bit more prepared than us. There was a lot of things that we should’ve did different to catch a rhythm on offense."

Now, this is the same Jefferson that finished 11-of-17 for 53 yards and an interception against Alabama and was sacked four times. He also fumbled three times, losing one.

It's hard to argue his point that LSU's plan on offense stunk. It's just as hard to argue that LSU's entire offense didn't stink that night in the Superdome, including Jefferson.

What's not hard to argue is that Jefferson is throwing a lot of people under the bus who steadfastly stood behind him during his darkest days at LSU.

In fact, they not only stood behind him, but they stuck their necks out for him when he was accused of kicking somebody in the face and charged with a felony, which was later reduced to a misdemeanor.

LSU coach Les Miles was Jefferson's staunchest supporter, so much so that you could say Miles went down with the ship in that national championship game because he was determined to let Jefferson steer it no matter what ... come hell, high water or a swarming Alabama defense.

And, now, what does Miles get in return?

Jefferson publicly calling out the entire offensive coaching staff, including Miles.

Again, nobody's defending the play-calling from that game or anything remotely related to the Tigers' offensive performance.

But a true leader critiques himself first. A true leader, one with the right kind of chest (as Miles would say), doesn't point fingers after the fact, and a true leader finds a way to get it done when it counts.

Let's not pretend as if the BCS National Championship Game was some type of aberration for Jefferson. In the game prior, the SEC championship game, he finished 5-of-13 for 30 yards with a touchdown, and the Tigers went the entire first half without making a first down.

Sure, Jefferson had his moments. He played well against Arkansas in the regular-season finale, and his ability to run the option in the first game against Alabama made a big difference.

But nobody's going to confuse him anytime soon for Cam Newton, Tim Tebow or even Matt Flynn.

If Jefferson's looking to place blame, he needs to start with himself.

Everybody loves position rankings. Well, most everybody.

We presented our preseason rankings back in June on the SEC blog, and like most preseason predictions, we wished we had a lot of those picks back by the second or third week of the season.

Now that we’ve actually played the 2011 season, we’ll do it all over again, and we’ll kick if off with the quarterbacks.

At most positions, depth will be the most important factor, and if there’s a superstar in the group, that’s going to carry a lot of weight, too.

But with the quarterbacks, we’re mostly concerned with how the main guy fared this season.

For all positions, performance in conference games is where we’ll start, and how a unit closed the season, including the bowl games, will also be a determining factor.

You can go here to see our preseason quarterback rankings.

Our focus now is how they did this season. Here goes:

1. Arkansas: In his first full season as a starter, Tyler Wilson was outstanding. He led the SEC in passing with 3,638 yards to go along with 24 touchdown passes and only six interceptions. He thought about declaring for the NFL draft, but elected to return and was rated recently by ESPN’s Mel Kiper as the No. 3 rising senior quarterback in the country. We didn't give Wilson nearly enough love in the preseason. Shame on us. He's the real deal.

2. Georgia: Aaron Murray had a record-setting season for the Bulldogs and tossed 35 touchdown passes. He was instrumental in their turnaround and had a big hand in their 10-game winning streak. He also threw 16 interceptions and had two costly picks in the bowl game that helped trigger Michigan State’s comeback. Five of Murray’s picks came in his last three games. All in all, it was still a splendid season for a second-year starter in this league.

3. Alabama: AJ McCarron gets bonus points for the way he played in the Allstate BCS National Championship Game. He earned Offensive MVP honors in leading Alabama to a 21-0 victory over LSU. It wasn't just that one game that has the Crimson Tide in the No. 3 spot. McCarron was solid all season long and didn't turn the ball over. In 234 passing attempts against SEC competition, he only threw three interceptions and averaged 207.2 passing yards.

4. South Carolina: The first half of the season belonged to Stephen Garcia, and it wasn't pretty. In retrospect, Garcia's dismissal might have been the best thing to happen to the Gamecocks. Connor Shaw took over and just got better and better as the season progressed. In his last three games, including wins over Clemson and Nebraska, Shaw completed 75 percent of his passes for 657 yards, eight touchdowns and just one interception. He also rushed for 239 yards in those three games.

5. LSU: It says something about the quarterback play in the SEC that the Tigers are ranked this high, especially with the egg Jordan Jefferson laid in the BCS National Championship Game and how poorly he played in the first half of the SEC championship game. But Jarrett Lee deserves props for stepping in there and playing the way he did in the first eight games, and Jefferson's ability to run the option made a big difference in the first Alabama game. Still, it's hard to get over that stinker in New Orleans.

6. Tennessee: The Vols were dealt a tough blow when Tyler Bray broke his thumb in the Georgia game. He had 14 touchdown passes and only two interceptions going into that game, but wound up missing the next five games. The Vols tried senior Matt Simms and then went with true freshman Justin Worley, but had trouble mustering any offense. Bray came back and played the final two games, although he was a shadow of what he was before the injury. He ended the season with a woeful performance against Kentucky.

7. Florida: When John Brantley went down with a high ankle sprain in the Alabama game, he was throwing the ball as well as he had since coming to Florida. But from that point on, the Gators were a train wreck on offense. True freshmen Jacoby Brissett and Jeff Driskel took a beating while filling in for Brantley, and even when Brantley did come back against Georgia, he wasn't close to 100 percent. Brantley still averaged 175.8 passing yards in league play, which was fourth in the SEC.

8. Vanderbilt: We had the Commodores ranked last in the preseason, and that's because Larry Smith had come off two rocky seasons in a row. He also opened this season as the Commodores' starter, and the passing game once again never took flight. Jordan Rodgers stepped in at the midway point and immediately pumped new life into the Commodores' offense. He was able to generate a lot more big plays down the field and also made things happen with his legs. He didn't end the season on a high note and played poorly in the bowl game.

9. Mississippi State: After finishing his junior season with a bang against Michigan in the Gator Bowl, Chris Relf just didn't take the kind of step during his senior season that a lot of people in and around the program thought he would. The Bulldogs also played Tyler Russell a bunch at quarterback, and he's got a big arm. It's just that much of his damage came against weaker competition in nonconference games. The Bulldogs were one of seven SEC teams that finished with more interceptions than touchdown passes in league play.

10. Auburn: The Tigers finished dead last against SEC foes in passing offense. Their vertical passing game was non-existent, and it was a struggle to complete anything down the field. They averaged just 126.5 passing yards per game against league foes. Three different players split the quarterback duties. Barrett Trotter opened the season as the starter, and Clint Moseley finished it. The Tigers also used true freshman Kiehl Frazier in specialty situations. Despite who was in there at quarterback, nothing came easy for the Tigers this season in the passing game.

11. Kentucky: The Wildcats had high hopes for Morgan Newton entering the season, and Kentucky coach Joker Phillips was pleased with the the way Newton had taken command of the offense in the spring and preseason. It just never translated during the season, though. Newton didn't throw the ball with any confidence and was also saddled with injuries. True freshman Maxwell Smith showed some promise toward the end of the season, but was also banged up. The Wildcats found a way to beat Tennessee in the finale with receiver Matt Roark playing quarterback.

12. Ole Miss: The truth is that there were several candidates for the cellar. It's not like anybody is going to remember 2011 as the Year of the Quarterback in the SEC. In the case of the Rebels, they struggled to find a quarterback all season. Three different players started games, and Ole Miss finished with six touchdown passes and 12 interceptions against SEC foes. Randall Mackey looked like he might be starting to get it once November rolled around, but was then suspended for the last two games.

Since LSU's 21-0 loss to Alabama in the Allstate BCS National Championship Game last week, much has been made about the Tigers' ineffective game plan against the Crimson Tide.

The team we saw trample just about every prior opponent, was dominated in its own backyard of New Orleans. The defense held its ground for as long as it could, while the offense failed to adjust throughout the game and for some reason kept trying to run the option over and over again.

While LSU looked lost with the ball, LSU coach Les Miles said Tuesday that his team's struggles didn't happen because of a lack of effort.

"I have a difficult time people moaning my effort and my coaches' effort and the want to win," Miles said during his first interview with the media since his postgame press conference following the loss to Alabama. "I felt that they did everything that they could, that they were asked to do. I don’t think we played perfectly. I don’t think there’s anybody would say that this was something that was representative of our best play, but I can tell you that our guys gave everything that they had."

Miles defended his quarterback decision. Miles left Jordan Jefferson in the entire game even as he struggled throughout. There were plenty of opportunities for Miles to put fellow senior Jarrett Lee in, but never did.

Instead of handing the ball over to the quarterback that led the Tigers to an 8-0 start, averaging 156.3 passing yards per game and tossing 13 touchdowns to one interception along the way, Miles stayed with Jefferson and saw him pass for 53 yards and an interception. LSU finished the game with just 92 total yards and didn't cross into Alabama's territory until the fourth quarter.

"I can tell you that Jarrett Lee did come to mind," Miles said. "We do have confidence in Jarrett, we just felt like we needed that guy who might be able to get loose with his feet."

Alabama's pass rush might have been ferocious, but LSU's lack of offensive change truly was mind-boggling.

But Miles couldn't put everything on his quarterback. Miles said the defense played well as a whole, but struggled to put Alabama away on critical third downs.

(Alabama converted 3-of-14 third downs, with all three coming in the first half, though two came on drives that ended in field goals.)

Miles pointed out other mistakes, such as pres-snap penalties, the long punt return given up early, and a lack of big plays on offense.

"There were certainly a number of uncharacteristic mistakes by our guys," he said. "We ended up in some first down and 15’s that we didn’t need to. There were some snaps that hit the ground, some guys that had made big plays, not the quarterback, big plays throughout the year made some mistakes. Guys that we needed to count on in that game."

Now, Miles turns his focus to 2012, and he's excited. He's excited to see JUCO transfer Zach Mettenberger take over at quarterback and expects to see much more passing from the Tigers. He's also excited about the attitude of the team and the 16 starters returning.

Last Monday hurt those in and around LSU, but Miles said it won't erase what the Tigers did before. There is still plenty to celebrate from 2011.

"The fundamentals of this program are to win championships," Miles said, "and this team is a championship team. We won the (SEC) West. Now, in the West you have at one point and time, 1-2-3 (in the country). So when you win the West, anyway you cut it, you are in the top four in the country.

"Later this spring, our team will take a day and hang the Western Division championship and the conference championship banners in our indoor facility. I have to be very honest to tell you that I cannot bemoan this team’s success.

"By any measure, this is a great year."

We're taking one last look at the SEC's postseason by putting together our All-SEC bowl team:

OFFENSE

QB: Connor Shaw, South Carolina: Shaw didn't seem to feel the pressure of a bowl game, completing 11 of 17 passes for 230 yards and two touchdowns and rushing for 42 yards and another score in the Gamecocks' win against Nebraska in the Capital One Bowl. He even gave South Carolina the momentum going into the second half with a touchdown on a Hail Mary to end the first half.

RB: Vick Ballard, Mississippi State: Ballard ended his career with the Bulldogs with one of his best performances, as he rushed for 180 yards and two touchdowns on just 14 carries in Mississippi State's win against Wake Forest in the Music City Bowl. His touchdowns went for 72 and 60 yards.

RB: Onterio McCalebb, Auburn: As the Tigers' lead back in the Chick-fil-A Bowl, McCalebb had a game-high 109 rushing yards, including a long of 60. He also recorded a three-yard touchdown run and caught two passes for 53 yards, including a 25-yard touchdown in Auburn's win against Virginia.

WR: Alshon Jeffery, South Carolina: Jeffery's day would have been even better if he hadn't been ejected. However, he still caught four passes for a game-high 148 yards and snagged Shaw's Hail Mary touchdown pass at the end of the first half. He also had a 78-yard reception.

WR: Tavarres King, Georgia: King tried his best to get Georgia a victory in the Outback Bowl against Michigan State. He was Aaron Murray's best friend, catching six passes for a career-high 205 yards, including an 80-yard touchdown pass that at one point stood as the longest play in Outback Bowl history.

TE: Brad Smelley, Alabama: The Crimson Tide got its passing game going with Smelley in Monday's Allstate BCS National Championship win against LSU. He was AJ McCarron's safety net when plays broke down, and the young quarterback also used Smelley on rollouts. Smelley finished the game with seven catches for 39 yards.

OL: Barrett Jones, Alabama: Behind one of the most versatile linemen in the entire country, Alabama's line held back LSU's defensive front for most of Monday night's game. Alabama ran for 150 yards against LSU's vaunted defense. He also kept McCarron safe, as the youngster was sacked only twice while throwing for 234 yards.

OL: Alvin Bailey, Arkansas: He just keeps looking better and better for the Razorbacks. In Arkansas' AT&T Cotton Bowl victory against Kansas State, he helped Arkansas churn out 129 rushing yards on 4.3 yards per carry and helped give quarterback Tyler Wilson enough time to pass for 216 yards and two touchdowns.

OL: Kyle Nunn, South Carolina: The Gamecocks' offensive line gave up four sacks to Nebraska, but Shaw was still able to throw for 230 yards and two touchdowns. With Nunn's help, the Gamecocks also rushed for 121 yards against the Cornhuskers.

OL: Gabe Jackson, Mississippi State: Ballard's outstanding performance for the Bulldogs wouldn't have been possible if not for some solid line play. Jackson had one of his best outings, as he helped Mississippi State rush for 253 yards and pass for another 129. Mississippi State gave up just one sack to Wake Forest.

C: William Vlachos, Alabama: Vlachos had his hands full with the interior of LSU's defensive line, but he more than held his own. He battled all night with LSU's Michael Brockers and allowed him to assist on just one tackle for loss. He provided a ton of protection in the passing game and helped Alabama rush for 150 yards on LSU's defense.

DEFENSE

DE: Jake Bequette, Arkansas: Bequette said before Arkansas' bowl game that the Hogs' defense needed to make a statement. Bequette certainly made a few in his final game with the Razorbacks, registering two sacks, forcing a fumble and totaling three tackles.

DE: Jadeveon Clowney, South Carolina: The freshman put a nice bow on his first season with the Gamecocks. He put a ton of pressure on Nebraska's backfield with two sacks for a loss of 13 yards and finished the game with four tackles.

DT: Fletcher Cox, Mississippi State: Cox wanted to make a lasting impression in his final game with the Bulldogs, and he certainly did by disrupting Wake Forest's offensive line in the Music City Bowl. He finished the game with seven tackles, including two for loss and a sack, and blocked his fifth career kick, which is a Mississippi State record.

DT: Michael Brockers, LSU: Brockers had a tough time with Vlachos in the middle, but that didn't stop him from making plays. He did a tremendous job of clogging holes in the middle for the Tigers and finished the game with seven tackles, assisting on one for loss, and blocked a field goal attempt.

LB: Courtney Upshaw, Alabama: It came as no surprise that Upshaw was named the Defensive Most Valuable Player in the Allstate BCS National Championship Game. He was nearly unblockable for LSU on Monday night. He put immense pressure on LSU's backfield and finished the game with six tackles, including a sack.

LB: Archibald Barnes, Vanderbilt: Barnes was a true rover for Vanderbilt against Cincinnati in the Liberty Bowl. He had a game-high 10 tackles, assisting on one for a loss, and blocked a field goal attempt in the fourth quarter that gave Vandy some life late.

LB: Alec Ogletree, Georgia: Georgia might not have come up with the win in the Outback Bowl, but it wasn't because of how Ogletree played. He was all over the field for the Bulldogs, grabbing a game-high 13 tackles, including two for loss, breaking up two passes and getting a sack.

CB: Casey Hayward, Vanderbilt: Yet again, Hayward was tremendous in coverage for the Commodores. He grabbed two interceptions and broke up another pass. He was also second on the team with eight tackles, including one for loss. Cincinnati threw for just 80 yards against the Commodores.

CB: Stephon Gilmore, South Carolina: Gilmore ended his South Carolina career on a high note. He recorded five tackles, including one for loss, and an interception. He also returned a blocked extra point for South Carolina's first points of the game. Nebraska threw for just 116 yards on the Gamecocks' secondary.

S: Mark Barron, Alabama: Barron recorded just two tackles, including a sack, but he was outstanding in coverage. He roamed the back part of the field for the Crimson Tide and didn't allow LSU quarterback Jordan Jefferson to stretch the field at all because of his positioning. Jefferson threw for just 53 yards on Alabama.

S: Matt Elam, Florida: Elam was Florida's most consistent player during the regular season, and he was all over the field for the Gators in the Taxslayer.com Gator Bowl against Ohio State. He finished the game with six tackles, two for loss and a sack.

SPECIAL TEAMS

PK: Jeremy Shelley, Alabama: Talk about redeeming the position that spoiled Alabama's first game against LSU. Shelley hit five of his seven field goal attempts against the Tigers and even rebounded to hit four of his final five after having his second attempt blocked in the second quarter.

P: Dylan Breeding, Arkansas: He punted four times for an average of 46.8 yards per kick. He had a long of 63 yards and dropped two inside the 20-yard line against Kansas State.

RS: Joe Adams, Arkansas: Surprise, surprise, Adams made another special teams unit look silly. Against Kansas State in the AT&T Cotton Bowl, Adams got things started for the Hogs with a nifty 51-yard punt return for a touchdown. His return sparked a 16-point second quarter for the Hogs.

AP: Brandon Boykin, Georgia: Boykin found a way to put points on the board three different ways in the Outback Bowl. He forced a safety when he stuffed Michigan State's Keshawn Martin on the Spartans' first offensive play, returned a punt 92 yards for a touchdown and caught a 13-yard touchdown late. His punt return was the longest play in Outback Bowl history.

Let’s review some of the highs and lows of the bowl season:

Best performance: Even in a loss, there was no topping Georgia’s Brandon Boykin. The senior cornerback certainly did his part in the Bulldogs’ 33-30 triple-overtime setback to Michigan State in the Outback Bowl. He scored three different ways, starting with a safety when he tackled Keshawn Martin in the end zone. He then returned a punt 92 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter and caught a 13-yard touchdown pass to give Georgia a 27-20 lead with 6:44 remaining in regulation.

Best defensive performance: This one goes out to the entire Alabama defense, which saved its best for last. The Crimson Tide pitched the first shutout in BCS National Championship Game history and held LSU to 92 total yards. Let’s face it. They could have played 10 more quarters and LSU wouldn’t have scored a touchdown against Alabama on Monday night. It was like watching one giant crimson swarm all night.

Worst game: Unless you’re of the Alabama persuasion, the BCS National Championship Game was one of the worst in recent memory. That doesn’t diminish what the Crimson Tide accomplished, but it was a real stinker as a game. There was never any real drama. LSU was horrid on offense, and the game was decided once Alabama got more than a touchdown ahead.

Best off-the-bench performance: Auburn junior quarterback Barrett Trotter came off the bench after starter Clint Moseley went down with an injury and delivered one of his best passing performances of the season in the Tigers’ 43-24 victory against Virginia in the Chick-fil-A Bowl. Trotter finished 11-of-18 for 175 yards and a touchdown and didn’t throw any interceptions. Most importantly, he was ready when his team needed him.

Best offensive game plan: Alabama turned to sophomore quarterback AJ McCarron to open the game and let him get into a rhythm with a series of bootleg passes and short throws. LSU wasn’t able to get to him with its pass rush, and McCarron’s confidence grew as the game progressed. It also allowed the Crimson Tide to drive the ball out of bad field position a couple of different times in the first quarter.

Worst offensive game plan: Easy choice here. LSU looked like a grade-school offense in the BCS National Championship Game. The Tigers stubbornly kept trying to run the speed option outside and never made any adjustments when they were stopped in their tracks. They did try to go hurry-up at one point, but didn’t have any answers for an Alabama defense determined to make Jordan Jefferson a passer.

Best farewell: The entire Arkansas senior class went out in style, from Joe Adams, to Jarius Wright, to Jake Bequette. There were 20 of them in all, and it’s a class that took Arkansas to new heights with 21 wins over the past two years. They capped their careers with a 29-16 victory against Kansas State in the AT&T Cotton Bowl, marking the first 11-win season for the Hogs since 1977.

Worst farewell: The unfortunate part for Jefferson is that he did some good things for LSU this season and made a big difference for the Tigers in that first game against Alabama. But fans are probably going to remember his arrest in the preseason and how poorly he played in the national championship game against Alabama more than any play he might have made to help the Tigers get there.

Best catch: South Carolina’s Alshon Jeffery didn’t have the kind of season anyone was expecting, but his leaping grab of Connor Shaw’s Hail Mary and 51-yard touchdown as the first half ended completely changed the complexion of the Capital One Bowl and paved the way for the Gamecocks to go on and win 30-13 against Nebraska.

Worst luck: Marquis Maze got the ball rolling for Alabama with his 49-yard punt return in the first quarter, but he pulled his hamstring on the play and had to run out of bounds. He probably scores there if he doesn’t have the injury. He wasn’t able to return to the game, and seeing tears streaming down his face while watching his teammates from the sideline later on told you all you needed to know about what that game meant to Maze.

Best coaching move: Alabama offensive coordinator Jim McElwain, coaching in his last game before taking on the Colorado State head-coaching gig, had the Crimson Tide come out throwing, particularly on first down, and that opened up the entire offense and sort of put LSU’s defense on its heels early.

Worst coaching move: Georgia coach Mark Richt gets big props for guiding the Bulldogs to 10 straight wins after the two losses to open the season. But his decision to play for a field goal in the first overtime, especially when Blair Walsh had been so inconsistent all season, was hard to figure. A 42-yarder isn’t a chip shot for anybody, and Walsh missed it right. That was the opening Michigan State needed to win the game in three overtimes.

NEW ORLEANS -- The ride is over.

The emotional roller coaster that was LSU’s season ended tragically inside the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

The team that had shaken off a plethora of distractions and back-to-back games with double-digit, first-half deficits never made its way out of the French Quarter as No. 1 LSU (13-1, 8-0) fell to second-ranked Alabama (12-1, 7-1) 21-0 in Monday’s Allstate BCS National Championship Game.

For once, there was no spark for the Bayou Bengals. The team that had rolled over each and every opponent it faced this season -- and seemed on its way to a historic finish -- fell flat when it mattered the most.

“You have to play through adversity,” LSU defensive tackle Michael Brockers said. “That’s what our coaches teach us.

“[Alabama] made all the big plays and made all the tough plays tonight, and [I] tip my hat off to them for making all the big plays and winning tonight.”

The defense had more bend on Monday than it had been accustomed to, allowing nearly 400 yards, five field goals and a late-game touchdown. Still, for staying on the field for 35 minutes that’s pretty good.

For everything the defense did for the offense, it got nothing in return. It got no adjustments, no originality. What it did get was five first downs, 92 total yards, 2.1 yards per play and zero points.

It got an offense that crossed into Alabama territory just once … and that came in the fourth quarter.

Followed by criticism throughout the season, LSU quarterback Jordan Jefferson couldn’t get his offense moving. He couldn’t run and his arm didn’t help. The vertical passing game LSU promised wasn’t there because Jefferson admitted to holding onto the ball too long on designed deep passes because he wasn’t confident in where Alabama’s defenders were.

Some of his passes ranged from erratic to short. He was sacked four times and heard boos late in the first half and throughout the second when he took snaps instead of demoted quarterback Jarrett Lee.

Jefferson threw for 53 yards and an interception, and was beautifully contained by Alabama’s defense, which allowed him to rush for only 15 yards on 14 carries.

“I was seeing things clearly,” Jefferson said. “Making decisions with the ball wasn’t an issue.”

Jefferson turned the ball over twice, but it was his ill-advised flip-pass to an unsuspecting Spencer Ware that was devastating. Jefferson thought Ware was ready for the pass, but Ware had turned up field to block before Jefferson released the ball, which was intercepted.

“Other than that, I made great decisions with the ball,” Jefferson said. “Offensively, we just fell short.”

Very short.

Though there was no sign of Lee. He just stood on the sidelines, tossing the ball occasionally to keep his arm warm.

“It’s disappointing,” Lee said. “I would have liked to have gotten some snaps, but it is what it is. Didn’t get any snaps, so you gotta move on past that.”

LSU coach Les Miles' only explanation for not playing Lee was that with Lee’s lack of mobility he didn’t feel as though he could sustain Alabama’s pass rush.

Even with as poorly as Jefferson played, the pounding, wear-‘em-down running game that moved this offense never arrived. The Tigers got 12 carries from their running backs. (Leading rusher Michael Ford got four carries but managed only 1 yard.)

Offensive lineman Will Blackwell said the plan was to run the ball up the middle, but that never materialized so the staff directed runs to outside. Even after those didn't work, adjustments weren't made.

“I feel like we got away from our game plan a little bit,” Blackwell said. “We planned on running it inside and pounding them to maybe get the edge.

“We fell away from that and I don’t know what the reason for that is. Our game plan just fell apart.

“We got away from the things we’ve been doing all season, and whenever you do that in a championship game it usually doesn’t work out for you very well.”

LSU finally succumbed to all the adversity. For a team that fed off the negativity, the Tigers weren’t ready for Alabama. There was no game-changing play from the Honey Badger, the defense didn’t force any turnovers, there was no emotion in the second half and the offense never showed up.

For the defense, Monday must have hurt the most. They hunkered down near their own end zone and played well enough to win.

In the end, LSU’s defense just couldn’t play both ways for the Tigers.

“It was very disappointing,” linebacker Ryan Baker said. “We were clawing and fighting out there and we were just sitting back watching them go three-and-out.”

NEW ORLEANS -- College football has a new national champion and its name is Alabama. The second-ranked Crimson Tide (12-1, 7-1) totally dominated the night as Alabama came away with the 21-0 win over No. 1 LSU (13-1, 8-0) in the Allstate BCS National Championship Game.

We even had a touchdown in the rematch, as Alabama running back Trent Richardson put the game away with his 34-yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter. After kicking killed the Tide in the first go-round between these two teams, Jeremy Shelley hit five of his seven field-goal attempts.

How it was won: Alabama's defense entered the game as the nation's best and it showed exactly why Monday night. LSU's offense did absolutely nothing for four quarters. The Crimson Tide contained LSU quarterback Jordan Jefferson all night and forced him to have his worst game of the year. Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron was outstanding as well. He was cool and collected in the huddle and never looked like the youngster that he is. He finished the game with 234 yards passing. LSU's defense wasn't bad either, allowing only the five field goals before Richardson's touchdown run with 4:36 left.

Turning point: Jefferson's interception in the third quarter stopped any chance of LSU making any sort of run in the second half. Honestly, the turning point might have been when LSU coach Les Miles sent Jefferson out to take the snaps at quarterback in the second half.

Stat of the game: LSU ran the ball so well against Alabama earlier this year, but the Crimson Tide's defense absolutely manhandled LSU's offensive line and held the Tigers to a season-low 39 yards rushing.

Player of the game: Shelley tied a bowl record with five field goals and scored the only points of the game until late in the fourth. After Alabama's kicking game was a disaster last time these teams played, he was the Tide's best offensive player.

Unsung hero: Courtney Upshaw was a monster on Monday. He recorded seven tackles, six solo and a sack. He couldn't be contained by LSU's offensive line.

Second guessing: Miles always has been very loyal to Jefferson, but it cost him Monday. He should have turned to Jarrett Lee at some point in the second half after a simply awful performance by Jefferson. Lee struggled against Alabama earlier this year, but he couldn't have been worse than Jefferson, right? Jefferson passed for 53 yards and an interception and ran for 15 yards.

What it means: Alabama now enters the offseason with Nick Saban's second national championship as the Tide's head coach. That's No. 13 in the Alabama record books. The Tide will lose some key pieces to this team, especially on defense, but the offense might be better with four of five linemen coming back and McCarron being much improved. Alabama should also have some better play at wide receiver. For LSU, this was a great season until Monday night. But the Tigers return the core of this team and will most certainly get better quarterback play from junior college transfer Zach Mettenberger. Both of these teams will be ranked right at the top of the polls to begin next season.

Record performance: Shelley's five field goals tied the record for most in a bowl game. His seven attempts set a bowl record.

NEW ORLEANS -- It might be time for Les Miles to hand the ball off to Jarrett Lee.

Fans booed Jordan Jefferson after he returned to the field following a terribly thrown ball that was intercepted by Alabama linebacker C.J. Mosley and those boos got even louder after he was sacked to end that drive.

Jefferson now has 48 passing yards, an interception and 3 yards rushing. Alabama's defense hasn't given him much to work with at all, but Jefferson has been awful tonight.

Jefferson returned to the huddle just before the fourth quarter and received more boos from the LSU fans

So, will Miles think of going with Lee, who began the year as the starter? He struggled mightily last time he played against Alabama, but he couldn't do any worse than Jefferson, right?

As the fourth quarter started, LSU's players trudged over to its side of the field with absolutely no emotion.

Alabama continues to take the ball out of Trent Richardson's hands inside the 30-yard line, but kicker Jeremy Shelley has been bailing the offense out on LSU's side of the field. He has now hit five field goals in this one.

We came close to our first touchdown, but Brandon Gibson dropped AJ McCarron's pass at the goal line.

Honestly, with the way LSU's offense is playing, 15 points might be enough for Alabama. The Crimson Tide has all of the momentum and all of the emotion. LSU also has just 66 yards of offense.

NEW ORLEANS -- It looks as if C.J. Mosley's interception will come at a cost.

After he picked off an awful flipped pass by LSU quarterback Jordan Jefferson, Alabama's linebacker was pulled down awkwardly by Jefferson on the return. His knee got caught up under him and twisted into the turf.

Mosley was down on the ground for a while before being carted off of the field.

NEW ORLEANS -- Courtney Upshaw has been all over the place tonight.

LSU's offensive line just can't stop him. After coming completely unblocked off the edge on LSU's last drive, Alabama's linebacker got a crucial sack against LSU quarterback Jordan Jefferson. He now has six tackles and a sack.

Alabama's defense is owning LSU right now, but Upshaw is clearly the favorite for defensive MVP at the moment. Stopping him has been nearly impossible for LSU's offensive line tonight.

NEW ORLEANS -- We still haven't seen a touchdown between these two teams, but Alabama leads 9-0 over LSU at the half in the Allstate BCS National Championship.

Stat of the half: LSU, which is notorious for pounding the ball on the ground against its opponents, has just 17 yards on 10 carries in the first half. Alabama defenders said they wanted to make sure they won the line-of-scrimmage battle, and so far the Crimson Tide is. Alabama has also totally taken Jordan Jefferson's rushing ability out of this one, especially on the outside.

Best players in the half: AJ McCarron sure hasn't looked like a first-year starter at quarterback. He has been calm in the pocket and extremely efficient, passing for 156 yards. He hasn't made the mistakes that a young quarterback should make in such a big game, and he's beating LSU's secondary right now. For LSU, the only star has been punter Brad Wing. Without his leg, LSU might be down even more. He has averaged 50.6 yards on five punts, including a long of 59 yards.

What Alabama needs to do: The Crimson Tide should be thrilled about their nine-point lead, but they should have more points. Alabama failed to get Trent Richardson involved in the red zone. That can't continue. Making plays in the red zone was a major issue for the Tide last time they played LSU. We've seen LSU get on runs, and while Alabama's defense has been outstanding, you can't count out a team that has rebounded from double-digit deficits in back-to-back games.

What LSU needs to do: The Tigers couldn't move the ball whatsoever in the first half. LSU might want to get Jefferson going with some short passes and slants. They were effective at times during the first half and that should open up the running game. Rueben Randle also has to be more of a factor. He's LSU's best receiver for a reason. LSU can't win this game with Jefferson's arm, but it has the running backs to get the Tigers in position to score.

NEW ORLEANS -- Well, it looks like Alabama studied up on how to contain Jordan Jefferson better.

LSU's quarterback has carried the ball four times for just 5 yards and has a long of 6. His best run came up the middle, and Alabama has done a great job of taking away any sort of outside running for Jefferson.

Really, Alabama has eliminated any sort of outside running for the Tigers. LSU has just 10 yards on seven carries and has yet to convert a third down, although Jefferson has completed all four of his passes for 18 yards. Slants and screens will be Jefferson's best friend tonight.

As for Alabama, quarterback AJ McCarron has been as poised as he can be out on the field. He's avoided a few tackles and has been spot-on with his passes. He finished the quarter completing a nice 26-yard pass down the right sideline to Kevin Norwood. The pass somehow made it right over Tyrann Mathieu.

Marquis Maze looked to have injured his hamstring on a punt return, so it will be interesting to see who the Tide turns to there and how the passing game runs with him out.

NEW ORLEANS -- We are only a couple of minutes into the game, but you can already tell that noise is going to be a major factor in tonight's Allstate BCS National Championship Game.

Fans from both sides are letting the opposing offenses know that they are here. LSU quarterback Jordan Jefferson has already struggled with trying to get plays changed and fumbled a snap with his back right up to Alabama's section.

This place erupted when Jefferson fumbled and it might have been even louder when Alabama wide receiver Marquis Maze was pushed out of bounds on a booming punt from Brad Wing. Both of these quarterbacks' ears will be ringing for days after this one.

NEW ORLEANS -- A lot of the focus this week has been put on Jordan Jefferson and how he'll fare against this vaunted Alabama defense.

He has the running ability to frustrate the Crimson Tide, which he's done in the past, but in order for LSU's senior quarterback to get a vertical passing game going this time around, Jefferson will need to make wide receiver Rueben Randle a major factor in tonight's Allstate BCS National Championship Game.

"Since he's one of our key guys on offense, we have to find ways to get him the ball," Jefferson said. "We have to do whatever we can to make sure we get it to him."

Randle has been LSU's best receiver all season, catching 50 passes for 904 yards and eight touchdowns, but when these two teams played in November, Randle was constantly doubled by Alabama defenders and was basically taken out of LSU's offensive game plan. He caught just two passes for 19 yards and was targeted seven times. Randle wasn't happy with how he played last time these two teams met, and he's looking to be much more involved Monday night.

"I want to make the biggest impact that I can," Randle said. "I was pretty upset with the first game we had (against Alabama)."

Randle will no doubt receive a lot of attention from Alabama's secondary again, but he likes the challenge. This is the biggest stage that Randle has been on, and he wants to be the one who puts LSU over the top in the title game.

"I take that attitude each and every Saturday," he said. "I want to be the guy that makes those plays."