ESPN College Football

The postseason top 25 countdown is done and it's time for us to discuss our reasons for how we sorted our list and why we left some players off.

Anytime you do this sort of thing you always second-guess yourself. There are always players you wish you had put higher, slid down lower, left off or put on the list. The only thing that's for sure is that you'll never be perfect and you'll never please everyone, but that's the way it goes.

Alabama running back Trent Richardson was the obvious choice to be first on our list. He was named the nation's top running back and was a unanimous first team All-American and All-SEC member. He accounted for more than 36 percent of Alabama's offense last year and became just the third player in SEC history to rush for 20 or more touchdowns.

Richardson is a track star built like a tank.

While Richardson was spot on, there was another player who we felt should have been higher. At second glance, Chris and I felt that Georgia linebacker Jarvis Jones was too low. He ended up sixth, but we now feel like we should have had him above both Melvin Ingram and Courtney Upshaw.

When you finish the year with an SEC-best 19.5 tackles for loss and 13.5 sacks after a a year away from the field you deserve to be higher.

Our bad.

We took some heat from the College GameDay crew during the season for having only one LSU player — cornerback Morris Claiborne — on our preseason list. (We didn't even have Tyrann Mathieu on the preseason list! We sure look boneheaded now.) Well, we certainly deserved that and had four Tigers on the postseason list, including No. 2 (Claiborne) and No. 3 (Mathieu). Defensive end Sam Montgomery and guard Will Blackwell just missed the cut, too.

We've also received word from some readers that we missed on Tennessee wide receiver Da'Rick Rogers, who was passed by LSU's Rueben Randle and South Carolina's Alshon Jeffery.

When we created this list we took into consideration stats and total impact on a team — good and bad. Yes, Rogers led the SEC in receiving, but his impact wasn't as positive as the others. Randle was LSU's top receiving target all season, was a true leader and finished the year third in the SEC in receiving. Jeffery was South Carolina's only real dependable receiver all season and of his eight touchdowns, five came in conference games. Jeffery also spent the first eight games on a team that didn't have much of a passing game and was still sixth in the league in receiving.

Also, Jeffery had a monster outing in South Carolina's bowl win, while when Tennessee needed a win over Kentucky to become bowl eligible, Rogers caught just two passes in the loss and was openly complaining and being divisive on the sideline.

Rogers had a solid season, but more was taken into consideration than just his play.

Five players — Richardson, Upshaw, Dont'a Hightower, Barrett Jones and Mark Barron — from our preseason top 10 remained there in our postseason countdown, so that made us look good.

We missed on two South Carolina players in the preseason in Devin Taylor (No. 6) and Stephon Gilmore (No. 12) and didn't see Ingram (postseason No. 5) coming. But we did have 14 of 25 from our preseason list back on our postseason list. It probably would have been more if not for injuries to South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore, Arkansas running back Knile Davis and defensive end Jake Bequette, or the dismissal of former Tennessee safety Janzen Jackson.

Here's a breakdown of the list by team, position, side of the field, year and division:

TEAM

• Alabama (7)
• Georgia (5)
• LSU (4)
• Arkansas (3)
• South Carolina (2)
• Auburn (1)
• Kentucky (1)
• Mississippi State (1)
• Vanderbilt (1)

POSITION

• DB (7)
• LB (4)
• WR/TE (4)
• DL (3)
• QB (2)
• RB (2)
• OL (3)

SIDE OF THE FIELD

• Defense (14)
• Offense (11)

YEAR

• Senior (11)
• Junior (9)
• Sophomore (5)

DIVISION

• West (16)
• East (9)

Check in tomorrow to see players who just missed the cut for the postseason top 25.

The receivers/tight ends are on the docket Friday in our SEC postseason position rankings. The top two spots were easy. But after that, it gets a lot harder.

You can see our preseason rankings here.

Here's what we came up with for the postseason:

1. Arkansas: An easy call here for the top spot. Even though Greg Childs was unable to return to his pre-injury form, the duo of Jarius Wright and Joe Adams was outstanding. Wright set school records with 66 catches for 1,117 yards and 12 touchdowns. Don’t forget about Cobi Hamilton, either, or tight end Chris Gragg, who was third on the team behind Wright and Adams with 41 catches. There’s younger talent on the roster coming, too.

2. Georgia: One of the reasons Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray spread it around so much this season was because of the depth of his receiving corps, and it’s always nice to have the top pass-catching tight end in the league. Orson Charles caught 45 passes, including five touchdowns. The Bulldogs had five different players with at least four touchdown catches. Tavarres King led the way with eight, and freshman Malcolm Mitchell is a budding star in this league.

3. Alabama: The Alabama pass-catchers didn’t rack up a bunch of touchdown catches, but they made plays when they had to. It was a deeper unit than given credit for as evidenced by the play of Kevin Norwood and Kenny Bell in the BCS National Championship Game. Marquis Maze was Alabama’s top playmaker at receiver and one of the more underrated players in the league, and the Tide had two good tight ends in Brad Smelley and Michael Williams.

4. LSU: Rueben Randle is the reason the Tigers are this high. He led the SEC in league games with an average of 78.6 receiving yards per game and also averaged 19.1 yards per catch. Odell Beckham, Jr. was one of the league’s best freshman receivers, and even though Russell Shepard only caught 14 passes, four went for touchdowns. Look for Jarvis Landry to play a much bigger role next season.

5. Tennessee: The Vols should really be loaded at receiver in 2012 if Justin Hunter comes back healthy. He was off to a great start this season, but injured his knee in the third game. Da'Rick Rogers led the SEC with 67 catches, including nine touchdowns, and tight end Mychal Rivera was second on the team with 29 catches. The Vols added top junior college receiver Cordarrelle Patterson on signing day.

6. South Carolina: Alshon Jeffery alone puts the Gamecocks in the top half of the league. His numbers were down from his fabulous 2011 season, but he still caught eight touchdown passes. Ace Sanders provided some help underneath, but the Gamecocks didn’t have enough depth at the position to keep teams from shadowing Jeffery.

7. Vanderbilt: The Commodores made a big jump from where they were ranked in the preseason (11^th). Sophomore Jordan Matthews was one of the most improved receivers in the league and gave the Commodores that big-play threat down the field they’d been missing. He had five touchdown catches and averaged 19 yards per catch. Redshirt freshman Chris Boyd also had a big season with a team-leading eight touchdown catches, and Brandon Barden was a nice target at tight end.

8. Auburn: Injuries killed the Tigers, especially with Emory Blake and Trovon Reed being out at the same time during one stretch. When healthy, Blake is one of the most dependable receivers in the league. Reed has yet to prove he can stay healthy, and there was really nobody else to provide any firepower in the deep passing game. The Tigers get bonus points here for Philip Lutzenkirchen, who had seven touchdown catches and is a terrific pass-catching tight end.

9. Florida: The Gators would appear to more talented than they’ve played at receiver the last couple of years. Andre Debose did come on this season and catch a few deep passes for touchdowns, and Jordan Reed has the tools to be one of the best tight ends in the league. The bottom line is that the Gators simply didn’t make much happen in the passing game all season long. In fact, none of the wide receivers on the roster caught more than 21 passes.

10. Mississippi State: The receiver position is an area that Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen is still looking to bolster. Chad Bumphis hasn’t been the kind of difference-maker most predicted when he signed with the Bulldogs. Perhaps 2012 will be the season he changes that. Freshman tight end Malcolm Johnson showed a lot of promise and caught three touchdown passes, while Arceto Clark and Chris Smith each hauled in 30 or more receptions.

11. Ole Miss: Granted, the Rebels had issues at quarterback, which was a big reason they never established much of a passing game. But here’s the most telling stat: Ole Miss finished the season with nine touchdown passes, and six of those went to true freshmen Donte Moncrief and Nickolas Brassell. Opposing defenses are bound to see even more of those two youngsters next season.

12. Kentucky: Everybody beats up on the quarterback when the passing game is ineffective, but the Wildcats simply didn’t have a lot of guys consistently making plays at the receiver position. There were too many drops across the board, and even though La'Rod King did catch seven touchdown passes, he was quiet in SEC games.

One of the things I like to do every year leading up to national signing day is go back and look at where the players who made All-SEC that season ranked as high school recruits.

Occasionally, it’s stunning how few of the All-SEC players were hot-shot recruits. For instance, of the 11 defensive players who earned first-team, All-SEC honors in 2010 by the Associated Press, only two were ESPNU 150 recruits (ranked among the top 150 players nationally).

It’s a reminder that recruiting rankings are anything but foolproof.

However, the recruiting folks at ESPN batted a much higher percentage with the players on the 2011 All-SEC team.

Using the coaches’ selections this time, 10 of the 22 position players on offense and defense were ESPNU 150 selections coming out of high school.

In fact, both of the running backs -- Trent Richardson and Michael Dyer -- were rated as the No. 1 running back prospects in the country the years they graduated high school.

LSU’s Rueben Randle was the No. 1-rated receiver in 2009, while Arkansas receiver/return specialist Joe Adams was the No. 2-rated athlete in 2008.

So the evaluations by the ESPN recruiting team on the top skill players from this past season in the SEC were dead-on when they were coming out of high school.

It’s a little trickier with the guys up front.

Of the 10 offensive/defensive linemen named to the 2011 All-SEC team by the coaches, counting the tight end, only three were ESPNU 150 selections coming out of high school – Alabama center William Vlachos, Auburn defensive end Corey Lemonier and LSU defensive end Sam Montgomery.

LSU offensive tackle Alex Hurst and Arkansas defensive end Jake Bequette weren’t ranked nationally or regionally as high school prospects.

Using ESPN’s recruiting rankings and the 2011 coaches’ All-SEC team, here’s a look back:

OFFENSE

• QB: Tyler Wilson, Arkansas – An ESPNU 150 selection in 2008. Ranked as the No. 8 quarterback in the class and the No. 82 prospect overall. A grade of 82. Ranked one spot below Andrew Luck that year among quarterbacks. Terrelle Pryor was No. 1. Wilson was the top-rated quarterback to sign with an SEC school in 2008. No. 2 on the list was Jordan Jefferson, and No. 3 was Star Jackson.
• RB: Trent Richardson, Alabama – An ESPNU 150 selection in 2009. The No. 1 running back in the class and the No. 6 prospect overall. A grade of 91. Only two players were rated higher than Richardson that signed with SEC schools in 2009 – No. 3 Russell Shepard to LSU and No. 4 Dre Kirkpatrick to Alabama.
• RB: Michael Dyer, Auburn – An ESPNU 150 selection in 2010. The No. 1 running back in the class and the No. 5 prospect overall. A grade of 87. The No. 1 player that year was Ronald Powell, and No. 3 was Dominique Easley, both defensive linemen who went to Florida.
[+] Enlarge
Nelson Chenault/US PresswireJarius Wright wasn't as highly touted coming out of high school as several other wide receiver prospects who ended up at SEC schools.
• WR: Jarius Wright, Arkansas – Ranked as the No. 44 receiver nationally in 2008 and the No. 115 prospect in the Southeast. A grade of 79. Twelve receivers who signed with SEC schools were rated ahead of Wright, including Julio Jones and A.J. Green. Some of the others rated ahead of Wright included Rod Wilks, Aaron Boyd, T.J. Lawrence, Chris Tolliver, Destin Hood and Frankie Hammond Jr.
• WR: Rueben Randle, LSU – An ESPNU 150 selection in 2009. The No. 1 receiver in the class and the No. 10 overall prospect overall. A grade of 86. Six players that year rated in from of him signed with SEC schools – Russell Shepard, Dre Kirkpatrick, Trent Richardson, Craig Loston, Bryce Brown and Jelani Jenkins.
• TE: Orson Charles, Georgia – Ranked as the No. 15 tight end prospect nationally, the No. 150 prospect in the Southeast and the No. 59 prospect in the state of Florida in 2009. A grade of 79. Arthur Lynch, who also signed with Georgia, was rated ahead of Charles that year at tight end. The top-rated tight end to sign with an SEC school that year was Zaccheus Mason, who went to Ole Miss.
• AP: Joe Adams, Arkansas – An ESPNU 150 selection in 2008. The No. 2 athlete in the class and the No. 41 prospect overall. A grade of 83. The player ranked No. 1 nationally that year as an athlete was Burton Scott, who went to Alabama and later transferred to South Alabama. For what it’s worth, No. 86 on that list was Randall Cobb.
• OL: Barrett Jones, Alabama – Ranked as the No. 28 offensive tackle nationally and the No. 157 prospect in the Southeast in 2008. A grade of 78. The No. 1 offensive tackle that year nationally was Jones’ Alabama teammate, Tyler Love. Another teammate, John Michael Boswell, was also rated ahead of Jones at No. 19.
• OL: Will Blackwell, LSU – Ranked as the No. 15 defensive tackle nationally in the 2007 class and unranked regionally or overall. A grade of 79. The top-rated defensive tackle that year to sign with an SEC school was D.J. Stafford, who went to Kentucky and was No. 2 nationally. John Brown was No. 3 and went to Florida. For what it’s worth, Josh Chapman was the No. 74 defensive tackle, and 18 tackles that year who signed with SEC schools were rated ahead of Chapman.
• OL: Cordy Glenn, Georgia – Ranked as the No. 74 offensive tackle nationally in 2008 and the No. 390 prospect in the Southeast. A grade of 74. Ten offensive tackles who signed with SEC schools that year were rated ahead of Glenn.
• OL: Alex Hurst, LSU – Unranked regionally or nationally with a grade of 40 coming out of Bartlett, Tenn., in 2008. Hurst was able to attract Les Miles’ attention at an LSU football camp.
• C: William Vlachos, Alabama – An ESPNU 150 selection. Ranked as the No. 3 offensive guard nationally and the No. 80 prospect overall in 2007. A grade of 80. The No. 1 offensive guard that year was James Wilson, who went to Florida.

(Read full post)

With national signing day a week away, we’ll take a look today at the recruiting needs of each SEC team, starting with the Western Division. These needs are based on current rosters and voids that will be created with upperclassmen leaving in the next year or two. We realize that a lot of these needs have already been filled by players who’ve committed (or signed) in this class.

Here we go:

ALABAMA

Defensive back: It’s not quite the exodus Alabama faced following the 2009 season in the secondary, but the Crimson Tide lose three starters back there, including both cornerbacks. And safety Mark Barron was the guy who got everybody in the right spots. Alabama signed two junior college cornerbacks, and they’re already on campus.

Receiver: The top four pass-catchers from the 2011 season, including tight end Brad Smelley, are gone. In particular, Alabama could use a big, physical receiver capable of creating mismatches and making big plays down the field.

Linebacker: The Crimson Tide have never been hurting for linebackers, but they lose three good ones in Courtney Upshaw, Dont'a Hightower and Jerrell Harris. Plus, Nico Johnson will be a senior next season and C.J. Mosley will be a junior. There are some young ones waiting in the wings, but Alabama needs to add to its stable.

ARKANSAS

Receiver: When you lose a pair of record-setting playmakers at receiver like Jarius Wright and Joe Adams, that’s always a good place to start. Greg Childs is also gone, so the Hogs are looking for people to fill their spots.

Offensive line: Finding some reinforcements up front on offense is also a big need for the Hogs. The most pressing need is at tackle. One starter in 2011, Grant Freeman, was a senior, and the other, Jason Peacock, will be a senior next season.

Defensive back: The Hogs like the young defensive backs on their roster, but losing Tramain Thomas at safety will be a blow. Eric Bennett also played well at the other safety, but he will be a junior next season. Another cornerback or two would also be nice.

AUBURN

Receiver: The Tigers need some game-breaking receivers. Emory Blake is back, but he’s going to be a senior, and Trovon Reed hasn’t been able to avoid injuries. The vertical passing game was non-existent this past season, and finding some guys who can get down the field and make some plays is a must for the Tigers.

Offensive line: More than anything else, Auburn needs guards and is very thin there. Christian Westerman is a talented, young guy who’s coming, but the Tigers are going to have to replenish the interior of their offensive line.

Defensive back: The truth is that the Tigers need help on defense, period. But the secondary has really taken it on the chin, especially this past season. Cornerback Chris Davis, a rising junior, has a chance to be special, but he needs some help around him.

LSU

Linebacker: The Tigers are still loaded on defense, but linebacker was the one area they wanted to address with both Ryan Baker and Karnell Hatcher departing, and they did with six commitments from players projected to play linebacker in college. All six are from the state of Louisiana, too.

Quarterback: Zach Mettenberger will step in as the starter next season, but he will be a junior. There’s nobody behind him who’s ever taken a snap in a college game. The Tigers thought they had highly rated Gunner Kiel in the fold, but lost him to Notre Dame. They need another quarterback.

Receiver: Rueben Randle emerged as one of the best big-play threats in the league this past season, but he’s turning pro early. Russell Shepard is set to return for his senior season, and Odell Beckham Jr., and Jarvis Landry both have a ton of potential. Even so, LSU could use a few more playmakers at receiver.

MISSISSIPPI STATE

Defensive line: Losing All-SEC tackle Fletcher Cox early to the pros hurt. The Bulldogs are suddenly behind in their depth. The numbers up front defensively aren’t where they need to be, which makes this a big class for the Bulldogs in the defensive line. Getting a dynamic pass-rusher is a must.

Offensive line: Finding a couple of guys who can help quickly was a priority, and that’s what the Bulldogs hope they’ve done with junior college additions Dylan Holley at center and Charles Siddoway at tackle.

Linebacker: The Bulldogs lost three senior starters following the 2010 season, and Brandon Wilson won’t return next season. What’s more, Cameron Lawrence will be a senior. The most pressing need is a middle linebacker, and preferably one who could step in and play early.

OLE MISS

Running back: One of the first things new head coach Hugh Freeze will look to do is put some pop in the Rebels’ running game. That starts with bringing in some prototypical SEC running backs in terms of size and speed. Jeff Scott led Ole Miss in rushing last season with 529 yards, but at 5-7 and 175 pounds, he’s more of a speed guy or change-up in this league.

Defensive back: The Rebels will take all the help they can get in the secondary. Safety Damien Jackson is gone. Cornerback Wesley Pendleton will be a senior, while cornerback/safety Charles Sawyer will be a junior.

Quarterback: There are several guys on campus who have played, but the Rebels are still searching for somebody who can come in and give them some consistency at the quarterback position. And with Freeze’s new spread offense, finding the right fit will also be important.

TEXAS A&M

Defensive back: The Aggies will jump into SEC play needing to replace three of four starters in their secondary. Both of their starting cornerbacks are gone, in addition to their best safety. So finding guys who can cover will be at the top of their list.

Defensive line: In keeping with the defensive theme, which is a must if you’re going to survive in the SEC, Texas A&M will be looking to replenish its defensive line. Gone are Ben Bass, Tony Jerod-Eddie and Eddie Brown. Building up a deeper defensive line rotation will be critical for the Aggies.

Running back: Depth at running back is another concern. Cyrus Gray, who rushed for 1,000 yards each of the past two seasons, is gone. Christine Michael returns for his senior season, but he’s coming off a torn ACL. It typically takes three backs to make it through an SEC season.

For those of you hoping you’ve heard the last of Les Miles and his LSU Tigers, think again.

While LSU came up short with a poor performance in its 21-0 loss to Alabama in the Allstate BCS National Championship Game Monday, the Tigers won’t be going anywhere.

In fact, they might be right back in the national title picture next season.

LSU returns most of the talent that helped the Tigers get to New Orleans, so that trip to South Beach for next year’s championship game is very much in play.

The quarterback position should receive an upgrade with Zach Mettenberger taking over, top receiving threats Rueben Randle and Odell Beckham return and LSU’s defense should return mostly intact.

“When you look at that you think we pretty much have the same team,” said sophomore defensive tackle Michael Brockers, who had 54 tackles, including 10 for loss last season. “There are little voids in our team, but they can be filled. That’s the best part about it.”

What might be the scariest part about LSU is the fact that along with Brockers, defensive linemen Sam Montgomery, Barkevious Mingo and Bennie Logan were sophomores in 2011. So were defensive backs Tyrann Mathieu and Eric Reid, along with linebacker Kevin Minter.

Offensive players around the SEC all just shuttered at once at the thought of that, but it gets worse. Cornerback Tharold Simon, who defended 12 passes and had two interceptions, will be a junior, and defensive linemen Anthony “Freak” Johnson, Ego Ferguson and Jermauria Rasco will only be sophomores.

Offensively, LSU brings back all four members of its bullish running team. Spencer Ware, Michael Ford and Alfred Blue were all sophomores last season and combined for 2,002 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns. Oh, and freshman Kenny Hilliard might have the most talent of any of his running back partners. He came on late and rushed for 336 yards and eight touchdowns during his first season.

Beckham appears to be a real budding star in the SEC. He was second on the team with 41 catches for 475 yards and two touchdowns. He showed deep threat ability along the way, but has tremendous hands. He can really go up and get passes.

Also, keep an eye on rising sophomore receiver Jarvis Landry. He only caught four passes this season, but he flashed some pretty good speed at times in 2011 and with his 6-foot, 190-pound frame, he’ll be able to get pretty physical with opposing defensive backs.

With the recruiting class Miles hauled in 2011, there will naturally be more names that emerge in 2012, and this year's recruiting class looks to be another stellar one for The Hat.

Monday was rough for the Tigers, but Mathieu said there is hope for the immediate future. There is certainly motivation in the loss to the Crimson Tide after what was turning into a truly historic season, but the Tigers will have no problem picking their heads up in 2012.

“Those guys are ready to get on the field, ready to make their mark,” Mathieu said. “That’s something to lean on right now.”

“We gotta get the ball back rolling and be in the same position next year and hopefully win it.”

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 -- 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."

NEW ORLEANS -- There has been no shortage of complaining since the Allstate BCS National Championship Game teams were announced.

It’s understandable when you consider that No. 1 LSU (13-0, 8-0) and No. 2 Alabama (11-1, 7-1) have already played. But most of the protests stemmed from the fact neither team scored a touchdown when they played in November.

Something called “defense” was played in Tuscaloosa, Ala., but apparently there was too much.

Monday, you won’t see PlayStation-like numbers that have been the norm during bowl season, but both teams promise things will be different when they have the ball.

“We’re going to have a better game plan this time and hopefully put some more points on the board,” LSU wide receiver Rueben Randle said.

“I don’t think anyone’s going to be able to come out 9-6 and win this game.”

For Monday’s rematch to look different, some things need to change on both sides. Here’s a look at why things will be different inside the Mercedes-Benz Superdome:

LSU’s passing game will be more vertical

In November, LSU’s passing game was ineffective. Jordan Jefferson and Jarrett Lee combined to throw under the century mark and just four passes for double-digit yardage.

Now, the talk from LSU’s side is how vertical the Tigers want to get against Alabama’s defense. LSU ran for 148 yards last time, so Alabama will be keying in on the run.

LSU will want to start on the ground but wants Jefferson to air it out a little more.

“Our passing game is going to have to loosen some things up in order to get our running game started,” Randle said. “They’re going to fill that box to stop the run, so we need to be ready as receivers to make those plays down field.”

Alabama’s wide receivers want to prove themselves

Alabama might have had 100 more passing yards than LSU in November, but it never looked great. Quarterback AJ McCarron made some mistakes, but wide receiver Darius Hanks said the ones who catch the ball need to step up.

Alabama got two catches from tight ends and eight from receivers. Hanks, who caught two, said that should improve Monday.

“Our tight ends and our receivers will be the difference-makers in this game,” he said. “They think that if they stop our run game, then they’re going to win the game, but I feel differently.

“We can see a lot of their weaknesses, so we’re going to attack those areas, go strong and put the ball in the air this time.”

He also expects to spearhead Alabama’s passing game because he feels he can beat All-American cornerbacks Morris Claiborne and Tyrann Mathieu.

“I definitely feel like those guys, they can’t cover me,” he said.

P.J. Lonergan is 100 percent

Last time, LSU’s starting center wasn’t at full speed. He was hobbled by an ankle injury and played sparingly against Alabama.

While LSU was able to run the ball well without Lonergan, he should bolster LSU’s pass blocking, which will give Jefferson more time to look downfield.

“It’s definitely good that he’s back healthy,” LSU offensive guard Will Blackwell said.

“A healthy P.J. now will definitely be better than the P.J. that played Nov. 5.”

Alabama is prepared for the option

The Tide’s defense wasn’t as ready for Jefferson and the option in November. The team was prepared to see more of Lee, so when Jefferson came in, holes opened up in Alabama’s rush defense.

Now, Alabama knows that Jefferson will be LSU’s guy and the defense knows that Jefferson likes the option. LSU might want to throw more, but the running game is the heart of the offense.

Tide defensive tackle Josh Chapman said the key will be locking up the run gaps that were open too often when Jefferson ran the ball. Players were out of position because they weren’t ready.

“If we keep our running lanes right and affect him,” he said, “we’ll have a great ballgame.”

McCarron will have more confidence and emotion

McCarron didn’t play his game last time. He toned down the emotion and that sucked away his confidence.

His teammates had nothing to feed off of, and that hurt Alabama. McCarron has been given the green light to ramp up those emotions, and that should keep his spirits up against LSU’s defense.

“I definitely gotta come out and play with emotion in this game like I always do,” McCarron said. “Just play my game.”

If McCarron can get going, it will help Alabama in the red zone. The Tide moved the ball well between the 30s against LSU but reached the red zone just once.

Alabama’s secondary is nicked up

LSU could move the ball through the air better this time because Alabama’s secondary is banged up. Safety Mark Barron injured his ribs against Auburn, while cornerbacks DeQuan Menzie and Dee Milliner have leg injuries.

Menzie has a hamstring injury that bothered him all season, while Milliner suffered a thigh injury against Auburn. They say they’re fine, but they’re called “nagging” for a reason.

Backup safety Will Lowery is also out with a season-ending knee injury he suffered against Georgia Southern.

On the flip side, LSU is healthier.

“The most important thing about this break is we’re fresh,” LSU linebacker Ryan Baker said. “Going into Nov. 5, guys were nicked up. … The game plan is pretty much the same, it’s just those guys [who weren’t healthy] will be making plays."

Most of the focus will be on points, but these teams are too old school for this to be a track meet. Defense will continue to be the constant for both teams.

“I'd expect it to be big-boy football,” LSU coach Les Miles said. “And I'd expect it to be very, very physical and that it would be a game that would be representative of two quality football teams.”

NEW ORLEANS -- Greg Studrawa, who found out about three weeks before LSU’s first game this season that he was going to be the one calling offensive plays, had a predictable reaction.

At least, initially.

“Three weeks before the season when we’re supposed to have the year?” Studrawa recalled. “It was unbelievable. You’re like, ‘Whoa!’”

And then, it all began to sink in.

His colleague, Steve Kragthorpe, was stepping down as offensive coordinator and keeping his quarterbacks coach responsibilities after announcing that he had Parkinson’s disease.

“He’s been an inspiration for all of us,” said Studrawa, who came to LSU in 2007 as the Tigers’ offensive line coach. “He never felt sorry for himself, kept his head up and has been a big part of our success.

“I tell people all the time that I was fortunate because I get to call the plays during the game. But we have a lot of guys’ minds in there sharing on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.”

Indeed, Kragthorpe himself is a former head coach at Tulsa and Louisville and was an offensive coordinator at several other stops. Tight ends coach Steve Ensminger was an offensive coordinator at several places, including Clemson and Texas A&M. Receivers coach Billy Gonzales, who also oversees the Tigers’ passing game, was a part of a Florida staff that won two national championships, while running backs coach Frank Wilson was a head coach in high school before stops at Ole Miss, Southern Miss and Tennessee.

“When the change came, Steve [Kragthorpe] opened up. Frank opened up. Steve [Ensminger] opened up. Billy opened up,” Studrawa said. “They all opened up, and it became our offense.”

Kragthorpe said the transition was made so much easier because of the quality of the Tigers’ offensive staff, not to mention Studrawa’s familiarity with LSU coach Les Miles and what Miles wanted in an offense.

“'Stud' is the coordinator, and you’ve got four co-coordinators. Les is the head coordinator,” Kragthorpe said. “We’re all in it together.

“It’s not a room where everybody is sitting around and being told what to do. We have great interaction, and that’s one of the things that helps us on game days. Everybody’s been talking throughout the week, and everybody is on the same page.”

It’s been a special chemistry among the offensive assistants, and Kragthorpe said a lot of that goes back to Miles and the way he does things.

“It’s not a one-man show,” Kragthorpe said. “He’s a very unselfish guy. There’s not one person in our program who’s more important than anybody else, whether it’s your starting quarterback, me or anybody else in our organization.”

The LSU players barely even noticed a blip when the transition went down in August. In fact, junior receiver Rueben Randle said there’s been no difference in his eyes.

“The terminology didn’t change,” Randle said. “It wasn’t like we had to get used to a whole new system. The coaches made it easy for us, and you see the results.”

Studrawa had also called plays as Bowling Green’s offensive coordinator before coming to LSU.

But he said there’s nothing like calling plays for Miles, who earned his “Mad Hatter” nickname thanks to his willingness to try anything on offense and gamble on fourth down.

“We’ll have a critical third-down situation in the game, and he’ll say, ‘Hey, do whatever you want, because I’m going for it [on fourth down].’ And I’m thinking, ‘All right, I can run something here,’” said Studrawa, rubbing his hands together like a kid on Christmas morning.

“But the thing to remember is that they’re calculated risks. You don’t know how many times we practice those things, just like the flip on the fake field goal … no bounce passes, though.”

Obviously, Studrawa was referring to the ball bouncing perfectly to place-kicker Josh Jasper in the Florida game a year ago.

Still, it’s the kind of freedom to call plays that Studrawa loves, especially the way it filters down to the players.

“It’s fun to coach when you know and the kids know, too, that your head coach has no fear,” Studrawa said. “But we don’t draw those things up on Saturday. If you’re pulling them out of your hat up there in the press box, you’re going to be in trouble.”

The ride has been equally exhilarating for Kragthorpe, even if he’s not the one calling plays.

In fact, he was the one who first suggested to Miles that it would probably work best for somebody else to call plays after initially being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in July.

“Two things are really good medicine for me -- winning and laughter,” Kragthorpe said.

He and his wife, Cynthia, have leaned on each other. She suffers from a heart condition and multiple sclerosis. Kragthorpe sat out the 2010 season at Texas A&M, where he was the receivers coach at the time, to take care of his wife.

“A lot of times, Cindy and I laugh with each other or at each other,” Kragthorpe said. “The worst medicine is crying, so you try to avoid that. But she’s doing great and is tough. Her greatest qualities are toughness and unselfishness.

“If I ever want sympathy, I don’t go home to get it.”

The truth is that Kragthorpe has never asked for sympathy. Not once. He’s plowed ahead and fully expects to be back next season in the same capacity.

He figures the worst thing he could do is not coach.

“I do best when I’m on the practice field or at the games. I do the worst when I just have to sit around,” Kragthorpe said. “If I’m moving around, I’m better.”

He also doesn’t want to miss what comes next with this LSU program.

“Les has done a good job of building a program and not just a team, and I think he’s in it for the long haul as evidenced by the fact that he didn’t go to Michigan last year,” Kragthorpe said. “I’m excited about the future here … and not just what happens Monday night.”

There are many rules to live by in the game of football. But none might be more important than keeping the ball in the hands of your own players.

That rule becomes magnified come bowl season and it is absolutely critical in the national championship game.

SEC teams have held a 14-7 advantage in turnovers during their current five-game win streak in BCS title games. It only makes sense that with two SEC teams battling for national supremacy, winning that turnover battle will mean even more during Monday’s Allstate BCS National Championship Game between No. 1 LSU (13-0, 8-0) and No. 2 Alabama (11-1, 7-1).

“This is the biggest game that we’re all going to play in our lives, so we have to do everything to come out mistake-free,” LSU wide receiver Rueben Randle said.

Both teams were superb when it came to turnovers during the regular season. The Tigers dominated the turnover battle, leading the SEC with a turnover margin of plus-22, while Alabama was second only to LSU with 12 turnovers.

The Tigers have handed the ball over just eight times this season, with four coming on the road or at neutral sites. Alabama has just two turnovers away from home.

But two of Alabama’s 12 turnovers came against the Bayou Bengals during its heartbreaking 9-6 overtime loss back in November. Both were interceptions, and both had major impacts on the outcome.

“We’re looking to keep the ball in our own hands (this time),” Alabama offensive lineman Barrett Jones said.

Costly turnovers like the ones Alabama suffered against LSU are more devastating this time of year.

Alabama should already know that. Against Texas in the 2009 title game, the Longhorns turned the ball over five times in Alabama’s 37-21 win. Four of those were Garrett Gilbert interceptions and one was a Gilbert fumble. Gilbert’s first pick came in the second quarter, with the Longhorns driving deep in Alabama territory, while the second one was taken for a touchdown by Alabama’s Marcell Dareus to make it 24-6 late in the second quarter.

Gilbert’s third was the killer, as he was picked by Javier Arenas on Texas’ last chance to get back in the game.

A year earlier, Oklahoma threw away its chances at a national championship win over Florida with two Sam Bradford interceptions. One came inside the Gators’ 10-yard line right before the half, while the second totally changed the game when Florida safety Ahmad Black snatched Bradford’s throw away from a receiver at Florida’s 24-yard line with the Sooners driving in the fourth quarter.

Florida scored on the ensuing drive to put the game away with a 10-point lead.

With the defenses Alabama and LSU have, keeping the ball out of their hands will be a top priority for both offenses.

But it certainly won’t be easy for Alabama. LSU is a takeaway machine. The Tigers have recorded 30 thus far. It’s as if LSU’s defense feeds off turnovers in order to survive.

We saw how three turnovers crushed Georgia’s spirit in the SEC championship and how the game really got away from Arkansas with its three turnovers in Baton Rouge, La.

“We set out to operate in beating an opponent in the turnover margin. Period,” LSU coach Les Miles said. “We snap it offensively, we want to return it to the huddle, we want to bring it back. Defensively, we work hard. We’re looking at strips, we’re looking at picks and the opportunity to get the ball back for our team.”

Monday will be about forcing the other team to make more mistakes. It can come with more pressure put on Alabama’s young quarterback in A.J. McCarron. It can come with Alabama forcing LSU’s up-and-down passer in Jordan Jefferson to make silly plays.

And it can always come when players try to do too much.

The bottom line is that turnovers usually determine any football game, and chances are they absolutely will determine who walks out of the Mercedes-Benz Superdome Monday with that coveted crystal trophy in hand.

“It can be huge because they’re a great team,” Alabama center William Vlachos said.

“This defense is one of the most exceptional defenses that I’ve ever played against. We can’t turn the ball over if we want to win.”

Editor’s Note: Tune into the “AT&T ESPN All America Team Show” on Saturday (ABC, 1:30 p.m. ET) to see who ESPN’s writers and experts selected.

Constructing an all-conference team is never easy. There are always players you second-guess or just remember at the last minute.

The tough decisions have to be made and that means not everyone can make the team.

We just don't have enough room for hundreds of players.

We struggled with a couple of decisions, starting with the quarterback position. We gave the nod to Aaron Murray over Tyler Wilson. We understand that Wilson led the SEC in yards (3,422), but Murray did more with less. Wilson was working with four top-tier wide receivers, while Murray simply wasn't. He still led the SEC with 32 touchdown passes, threw 19 them in the last six games and led Georgia back to the SEC title game.

It was also hard to leave Zac Stacy off this list. Michael Dyer was Auburn's most valuable player, and that 7-5 record might not have been possible without him. He was second in the SEC in rushing (1,242) and was the only back besides Trent Richardson to average more than 100 yards in SEC games. But Stacy was great, too. He averaged a yard more per carry (5.7) than Dyer in SEC play, had more total touchdowns (13) and averaged 126 yards in each of his last six games.

We also decided to go with a 3-4 defense because we felt linebackers deserved a little more love this year.

Here's our team:

OFFENSE

TE - Orson Charles, Georgia
OL - Barrett Jones, Alabama
OL - Will Blackwell, LSU
OL - Cordy Glenn, Georgia
OL - Rokevious Watkins, South Carolina
C - William Vlachos, Alabama
WR - Jarius Wright, Arkansas
WR - Rueben Randle, LSU
QB – Aaron Murray, Georgia
RB – Trent Richardson, Alabama
RB – Michael Dyer, Auburn
AP - Chris Rainey, Florida

DEFENSE

DL - Melvin Ingram, South Carolina
DL - Fletcher Cox, Mississippi State
DL - Sam Montgomery, LSU
LB - Jarvis Jones, Georgia
LB - Courtney Upshaw, Alabama
LB - Dont'a Hightower, Alabama
LB - Danny Trevathan, Kentucky
DB - Morris Claiborne, LSU
DB - Tyrann Mathieu, LSU
DB - Mark Barron, Alabama
DB - Bacarri Rambo, Georgia

SPECIAL TEAMS

PK - Caleb Sturgis, Florida
P - Brad Wing, LSU
RS – Joe Adams, Arkansas

No. 1 LSU was probably due for a snoozer.

The Tigers did plenty of snoozing in the first half Saturday, but turned a 7-7 game into a blowout in the second half and cruised to a 42-9 victory against Western Kentucky at Tiger Stadium.

There won't be a lot of style points associated with this one, but LSU doesn't need style points. All the Tigers (10-0, 6-0) need to do is keep winning. They travel to Ole Miss next week and then it's the biggie against No. 8 Arkansas on Nov. 25.

After the emotional 9-6 overtime win against Alabama last week, LSU was noticeably flat in the first half. The Tigers fumbled three times, but lost only one. The defense also gave up a long scoring drive in the first quarter, but didn't give up much of anything after that.

Jordan Jefferson made his first start of the season at quarterback for LSU and went most of the way. He was 8-of-15 for 168 yards and threw a 59-yard touchdown pass to Rueben Randle. The Tigers also rushed for 290 yards.

It wasn't their most impressive performance of the season, not even close. But they've done enough, with the six wins over nationally ranked foes, that simply winning the rest of the way will ensure them one of those top two spots in the final BCS standings and a spot in the Allstate BCS National Championship Game.

No. 1 LSU is in full hangover mode right now.

Coming off last week's epic 9-6 win against Alabama in overtime, LSU hasn't been able to shake loose so far from Western Kentucky.

The Hilltoppers tied the game at 7 late in the first quarter with a 10-play, 65-yard scoring drive. It's the kind of drive the Tigers haven't given up all season for a touchdown, but they clearly are not on top of their game -- which isn't all that surprising when you consider how much they expended a week ago.

Jordan Jefferson made his first start of the season at quarterback and threw a 59-yard touchdown pass to Rueben Randle on a play-action deep ball. It's the kind of throw the Tigers want to see Jefferson make and one that will make them much more dangerous offensively if he can consistently hit plays down the field in play-action.

The Tigers haven't had the ball a whole lot in the first half. Odell Beckham fumbled a punt in the first quarter, and Western Kentucky has been able to spread LSU out and move the football.

Edward Aschoff talks to LSU wide receiver Rueben Randle about the upcoming matchup with Alabama.

There's a rumor floating around that there's a pretty big game in Tuscaloosa this week.

Here's a look at what to watch around the league in Week 10:

1. Winning up front: With all the focus on the two defenses in the Alabama and LSU game, keep a close eye on who gets it done up front on offense, especially in the second half. Both of these offensive lines have a way of imposing their will on teams after halftime. They should be healthy, too. Guard Anthony Steen is expected back for Alabama after missing time with a concussion, and LSU will get back center P.J. Lonergan, who didn’t play in either of the Tigers’ last two games while recovering from an ankle injury. The team that plays the best on the offensive line is the team that’s going to win this game.

2.Big-play receivers: With both the Alabama and LSU defenses being so stout, it makes sense that the team that wins is going to have to hit a few big plays in the passing game. It was Jarrett Lee completing the third-down bomb to Rueben Randle last season to ice the game for the Tigers, and two years ago, it was Julio Jones’ 73-yard catch and run that put the Crimson Tide ahead to stay. LSU’s Randle has been one of the best big-play receivers in the league this season. He has seven touchdown receptions and is averaging 19.3 yards per catch. Russell Shepard is somebody else to watch for the Tigers, while Marquis Maze and Darius Hanks are also plenty capable of striking from long distance for the Crimson Tide.

3. Settling the East: It’s not an Eastern Division game, but South Carolina could take a huge step toward wrapping up its second consecutive East crown by winning in Fayetteville. The Gamecocks would then have one SEC game remaining at home against Florida. South Carolina owns the head-to-head tiebreaker over Georgia, but the Bulldogs get both of their remaining SEC games at home against Auburn and Kentucky. The Gamecocks haven’t matched up well in recent years against the Hogs, but need to get over that hump if they’re going to get back to Atlanta.

4. Pressuring with four: South Carolina’s defense has been excellent the last five games. The Gamecocks haven’t given up more than 16 points during that stretch. Their defensive front has been a big reason why, although assistant head coach for the defense, Ellis Johnson, said the real test will come Saturday against Arkansas. South Carolina leads the SEC with 26 forced turnovers, but Johnson said the key against the Hogs will be getting pressure on Arkansas quarterback Tyler Wilson with the Gamecocks’ front four and not having to blitz a whole lot. The Hogs have struggled to protect Wilson in some games this season.

5. Playing two halves: Arkansas got away with it last week against Vanderbilt. The Hogs did the same two weeks ago against Ole Miss. Make that ditto for the Texas A&M game a month ago. The Hogs simply haven’t answered the bell in the first half, but have found ways to battle back in the second half and win games. That’s a dangerous script to follow if you’re going to beat South Carolina. The Hogs have been one of the best teams in the league when it comes to making big plays on offense, which would be the easiest way to get off to a good start. But the Gamecocks haven’t given up big plays this season. In fact, they haven’t allowed one all season that was longer than 33 yards.

6. A different Vanderbilt: The Commodores last won at the Swamp (Florida Field) in 1945. So it’s been a while. But it’s obvious that this isn’t the same old Vandy. It’s also not the same old Florida. The Gators have lost four in a row and went winless in the month of October. It’s been a tough season for first-year coach Will Muschamp, especially with quarterback John Brantley missing much of October. But it will go from a tough season to an unbearable season if Vanderbilt comes into the Swamp and wins. The Commodores lost in the final minutes to both Arkansas and Georgia in their last two outings. They’ve been very good all season on defense and are improving on offense, but they’re still looking for their first win away from home.

7. Ending the misery: Between them, Kentucky and Ole Miss have lost nine conference games this season. The Rebels have lost 11 in a row going back to last season. Something’s gotta give Saturday when they meet up in Commonwealth Stadium. Both teams had their chances last week. In fact, Ole Miss has been in position to win each of the last two weeks, but couldn’t finish the game against Auburn or Arkansas. It looks like the Wildcats will be going with freshman quarterback Maxwell Smith in this game. Morgan Newton is battling an ankle injury. Smith came in last week against Mississippi State and showed some promise.

8. New faces for Dawgs: Get ready to see several new faces on Saturday in Georgia’s offensive backfield. The Bulldogs suspended three running backs this week, including freshman Isaiah Crowell, after they failed drug tests. Carlton Thomas and Ken Malcome were also suspended for the New Mexico State game. Making matters worse, Richard Samuel will miss the rest of the regular season with a foot injury after running as hard and as well as he has in a long time last week against Florida. So who’s going to carry the football for the Dawgs? Former walk-on Brandon Harton is the leader in the clubhouse followed by freshman walk-on Kyle Karempelis. Don’t be surprised if you see the likes of Brandon Boykin and Branden Smith back there some, too.

9. Another shot for Worley: Tennessee true freshman quarterback Justin Worley will make his second straight start Saturday after suffering through a rough outing last week against South Carolina. There are never any guarantees, but going up against Middle Tennessee’s defense figures to be a little less stressful than dealing with the Gamecocks on defense. It wasn’t all on Worley last week, either. He threw a couple of nice passes, but the players around him didn’t play very well. In particular, sophomore receiver Da’Rick Rogers dropped what would have been a touchdown pass. Rogers said he told Worley after the play, “I owe you. I owe you a bunch of stuff.”

10. Russell’s impact: Mississippi State was one of the SEC’s top rushing teams each of the last two seasons, but the Bulldogs have been more successful with the pass here lately. The biggest change has been Tyler Russell and his ability to throw the football. He’s a pocket passer with a big arm, and the Bulldogs have tweaked things when he’s in the game to play to his strengths. In the 28-16 win over Kentucky last week, Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen rotated Chris Relf and Russell, and they combined for 264 passing yards and two touchdowns. It looks like the Bulldogs are going to stick with the quarterback rotation. They’ve generated more passing yards than rushing yards in their last four games and are averaging 204.6 passing yards per game, which is the most they’ve averaged through the air in eight seasons.