ESPN College Football

NEW ORLEANS -- With every bomb LSU punter Brad Wing launches from his left foot, the American football culture gap shrinks in Australia.

The freshman’s meteoric rise this season has a nation in his birth land captivated by a sport that still is a little confusing to those back home.

“The way it’s progressing is just really crazy,” Wing said.

Wing, who is originally from Melbourne, Australia, has no one to thank but himself. From his taunting penalty that negated a fancy touchdown run against Florida, to his marvelous 73-yard punt against Alabama that helped put that game in LSU’s favor, Wing has become sort of a national celebrity (both here and abroad) and even the co-face (with the "Honey Badger" himself, Tyrann Mathieu) of LSU football.

Did I mention he’s a punter?

Wing gets girly catcalls when he’s walking around campus and is sometimes the first one noticed in a football posse patrolling Baton Rouge, La. Kicker Drew Alleman said girls even revert to elementary school ways of embarrassingly whispering Wing’s name when he passes by.

His game seems to be on another level on and off the field.

“There are a few people around that are starting to know my face, and I guess that’s a compliment,” Wing said.

No, what’s really a compliment is that Wing now can throw his hat into the ring of random, made up dances, as his premature celebration against Florida inspired a simplistic dance that's safe, effortless and, most importantly, funny to look at.

“It’s a pretty easy dance, but it’s funny as crap,” defensive end Barkevious Mingo said.

But where Wing really makes his mark is back home. Thousands of miles away, Wing’s fame is catching on, even if his hobby is still very foreign to family and friends. Wing said people in Melbourne are slowly starting to understand American football because of the airtime he’s getting in Australia.

Wing said six or seven of LSU’s games have been broadcast live there, and it’s helping to increase American football’s popularity. Some are still getting lost in translation with the sport, Wing said, and he still has to explain to a few of his brother’s friends that he’s playing in college, not the NFL.

Wing might have reached celebrity status in college football, but you wouldn’t know it looking at him. Outside of his slender, nonimposing frame, Wing is extremely humble. It takes his teammates to brag about him. And even then, Wing’s story grows.

Wide receiver Russell Shepard said Wing shows a lot of skill on the football field, but his real talent lies in the rap game.

“He’s in love with Lil Wayne. He loves Lil Wayne,” Shepard said. “He can tell you every Lil Wayne verse that Wayne has written, and he didn’t listen to Wayne when he was in Australia.”

(Any viral video of Wing spittin’ Wayne over his highlights would be YouTube gold!)

In the end, it’s Wing’s foot that jump-started his popularity. He has deadly accuracy and a cannon for a left leg. Wing averaged 44.1 yards per punt, pinned 23 inside the opposing 20-yard line, with 11 landing inside the 10, and had 18 punts of 50-plus yards this season.

Forty-six percent of his punts were downed inside the 20, yet he wasn’t even a finalist for the Ray Guy Award, which is given to the nation’s best punter. He was a first-team All-American, but getting slighted in the Ray Guy race is something Shepard said still eats at Wing.

“He feels like he should have won the Ray Guy Award,” Shepard said. “As his teammates, we feel like he’s the best punter in the country. Brad has a chip on his shoulder, and Brad feels like he needs to show everybody in the world that he is the best and why he is the best.”

For Wing, talk of accolades and snubs can wait. He isn’t focused on impressing; he’s focused on winning on the biggest stage of all: the Allstate BCS National Championship Game.

“We’re still on a journey,” he said. “This season is not over. We’ve got one game left, and this game has been in our sight for the whole year.”

It’s a phrase you’re going to hear often over the next week as we get closer to Monday night’s Allstate BCS National Championship Game.

Chasing history.

If LSU wins Round 2 over Alabama and effectively sweeps the Crimson Tide, where do these Tigers rank among the best college football teams of all time?

For starters, they would have to be considered among the most worthy national champions of all time.

Already, the Tigers have eight wins over nationally ranked foes. Since the advent of The Associated Press Top 25 poll in 1937, no national champion has recorded eight wins over ranked foes.

And with a win over Alabama, LSU could make it nine conquests over nationally ranked foes.

“We want to be remembered as the best ever, here at LSU and maybe even in college football,” LSU senior offensive guard Will Blackwell said. “I don’t think it’s fair that we have to beat Alabama again to win the national championship, but that’s the way it’s set up. That’s the system we’re in.

“We have to go through them a second time to get where we want to get, and then, there shouldn’t be any questions.”

The only team to come within single digits of LSU (13-0) this season was Alabama in the 9-6 overtime game back on Nov. 5. If you eliminate that game, the Tigers have beaten their other 12 opponents by an average margin of 30 points.

Not only that, but LSU owns seven double-digit victories over nationally ranked teams and has scored 40 or more points against six ranked clubs.

For perspective, the most double-digit wins over ranked opponents by a team that went on to win the national championship in the AP poll era is six, which Florida accomplished in 2008.

So, in short, it’s difficult to imagine a more impressive résumé than what LSU would put together if the Tigers finish this season with a 14-0 record, beating Alabama two times along the way.

Not just any Alabama team, either, but an Alabama team that boasts a defense that’s being compared to some of the best in that program’s storied history.

The Crimson Tide are ranked No. 1 nationally in all four of the major statistical categories defensively -- total defense, scoring defense, rushing defense and passing defense -- and the last team to do that was Oklahoma in 1986.

Plus, a win over Alabama would give LSU a fourth win over a top-5 team. The Tigers have already beaten Oregon, Arkansas and Alabama, and two of those wins came away from home.

Even though the title game is in New Orleans, that’s still not a home game, which means LSU has a chance to win three of its four games against top-5 opponents away from home.

Only one national champion in history, Notre Dame in 1943, has beaten four opponents ranked in the top 5 of the AP poll.

But that 1943 Notre Dame team also lost a game en route to winning the national title.

The 2000 Oklahoma national championship team and 1988 Notre Dame national championship team both won three games over top-5 opponents, and both the Sooners and Irish finished unbeaten.

At least in modern times, both of those teams are also considered among the strongest national champions ever.

In the BCS era, it’s difficult to top that 2001 Miami team, although the 2004 USC team, the 1999 Florida State team and each of the last three national champions from the SEC -- Auburn last season, Alabama in 2009 and Florida in 2008 -- may all beg to differ.

In the realm of the SEC, you can also add the 1979 Alabama team, 1980 Georgia team, 1992 Alabama team, 1996 Florida team and 1998 Tennessee team when ranking the best national champions from this league over the past 40 years.

Where the Tigers would fit in remains to be seen, but it’s clear that simply winning a national title isn’t enough for this team.

“We want to do something that hasn’t been done, something we’ll always be remembered for,” LSU junior receiver Russell Shepard said. “We’ve dealt with everything that has come our way this season.

“We know what’s at stake.”

Add yet another accolade to LSU's tremendous 2011 season.

A win away from the school's first 14-0 season and a third BCS championship, coach Les Miles was voted The Associated Press coach of the year Tuesday.

Of the 56 votes cast, 30 went to Miles. Kansas' Bill Snyder was second with 16; Oklahoma State's Mike Gundy had six; Michigan's Brady Hoke got three and USC's Lane Kiffin had one.

It really should come as no surprise that Miles took home the honor. Miles has been through a lot in order to get his Tigers to a 13-0 record. For starters, LSU and Miles had to deal with a handful of off-the-field incidents that could have easily derailed the Tigers' special season.

Things started when Steve Kragthorpe stepped down as offensive coordinator during the offseason and became the team's quarterback coach after being diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. Kragthorpe had reportedly done wonders for embattled quarterback Jordan Jefferson's game during the spring and offseason, but when Kragthorpe stepped down, questions surrounded how Jefferson would play this season.

Even more questions arose after Jefferson was involved in an off-campus bar fight that got him suspended for the first four games of the season. Starting wide receiver Russell Shepard was absent for three of those games, after talking out of turn about an NCAA probe.

LSU never missed a beat on the field and eventually became the No. 1 team in the country. Even with LSU playing the best ball around, the Tigers weren't free from off-field distractions. Halfway into the year, star cornerback Tyrann Mathieu, starting running back Spencer Ware and talented third corner Tharold Simon were suspended for a game after each reportedly failed a drug test.

Remarkably, LSU stayed the course, but felt adversity again when the Tigers met double-digit deficits to Arkansas and Georgia in consecutive weeks.

However, all the Tigers did was pull off back-to-back 40-plus-point runs to catapult into the Allstate BCS National Championship Game.

This season might not only be the best in LSU history but it could be the best in SEC history. Of LSU's 13 wins, 12 have come by double digits and seven by 30 or more points. The Tigers beat eight ranked opponents, with seven of them coming by double digits.

If LSU beats Alabama in the national title game, the Tigers will be the first team to beat nine AP Top 25 teams in one season.

More is made of Miles' quirky behavior than his actual coaching ability, but he has more than proved himself this season. Honestly, Miles has more than proved himself before, but this year he and his team were front and center for so long -- and not always for the right reasons -- yet never fell to the pressure and Miles was a major part of that.

Miles didn't score any touchdowns or intercept any passes for the Tigers this season, but he did a wonderful job of pushing and motivating those who did.

The catchy nickname is one of the reasons Tyrann Mathieu has become the rage this season in college football.

He’ll forever be known as the “Honey Badger.” It’s just one of those monikers that sticks.

Something else that sticks is the way he plays the game, the impact he has on the game and his uncanny ability to make game-changing plays when his team needs them most.

This LSU football team is crawling with talent. Anybody who doesn’t think so might want to turn on the television in a couple of years and watch the NFL.

Where Mathieu fits into that equation remains to be seen. His teammate, junior receiver Russell Shepard, said it best last week following the Tigers’ SEC championship game win over Georgia.

“He’s not the fastest, and he’s not the biggest,” Shepard said. “But he plays with a lot of passion.”

And it’s no secret to anyone who’s played against him why he just happens to always be around the ball.

“When you play as hard as he does, good things happen to you,” Georgia coach Mark Richt said.

Indeed they do. There’s a reason the 5-foot-9, 175-pound dynamo has recovered five fumbles, tied for the most in the country. The same goes for his six forced fumbles, which is tied for third nationally.

He’s scored two of his four touchdowns on fumble returns and the other two on punt returns. His 92-yard punt return against Arkansas two weeks ago was jaw-dropping. His 62-yard return last week against Georgia was even better, and then came one that topped them all.

Mathieu didn’t score on his 47-yard return, but he left as many as seven Georgia defenders in his wake while cutting, starting and stopping and weaving his way to the Bulldogs’ 17-yard line before the last guy finally got him.

Here’s the common denominator on all three returns: They came at points in the game when the Tigers needed a spark.

Mathieu, who’s played cornerback, nickelback and safety on defense this season, has his own built-in clock. He can sense when his team needs that big play.

And the way he attacks the ball, you’d swear he also has a built-in homing device.

“It goes deeper than football what Tyrann Mathieu means to this team,” LSU defensive end Sam Montgomery said. “He might be a young guy, but we have a lot of young guys who are leaders that make plays, and nobody has made more of them this season than Tyrann.

“He’s a leader of leaders.”

Also the Tigers’ leading tackler, Mathieu hit a lull late in the season when he was suspended for the Auburn game for reportedly testing positive for synthetic marijuana.

It’s the reason some people may choose not to vote for Mathieu for the Heisman Trophy.

That’s a whole different debate.

But if you’re looking for the player who’s impacted his team in the most areas and has done it on the brightest stages, the next thing the “Honey Badger” takes will be the Heisman Trophy on Saturday night in New York City.

The SEC made out like a fat rat right at "The Home Depot College Football Awards Show" Thursday night.

LSU cornerback Tyrann Mathieu got things started for the conference by taking home the Chuck Bednarik Award, which is given to the nation's best defensive player.

It's hard to argue against Mathieu winning. He was arguably the most exciting player to watch this season, regardless of position. He flew around the field, picking up tackles, stripping balls, batting balls away and genuinely frustrating just about every offensive player he came in contact with.

Quarterbacks had to shift things around in order to direct passes away from him, but that rarely worked. The Honey Badger led LSU with 70 tackles, forced six fumbles, recovered five fumbles and had four non-offensive touchdowns.

He took what he wanted all year, took the Bednarik and is hoping the take the Heisman Trophy on Saturday night.

Joining his partner in crime was fellow cornerback Morris Claiborne, who won the Jim Thorpe Award, given to the country's top defensive back. Claiborne led LSU and was second in the SEC with six interceptions and also defended 12 passes. Claiborne might be the best cover corner in the country. A lot was made about Patrick Peterson leaving LSU, but Claiborne made it seem like Peterson never left. It's no surprise that Claiborne is projected to be the top cornerback taken in next year's NFL draft.

Alabama running back Trent Richardson was named the top running back in the country, winning the Doak Walker Award. Richardson led the SEC with 1,583 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns. He averaged 137 yards in SEC play and ran for 100-plus yards in nine games this season. He was easily the most valuable player for Alabama this season, and the offense really did go through him.

Like Mathieu, he's headed to New York as a finalist for the Heisman. Can Richardson follow in the footsteps of close friend and former Bama back Mark Ingram?

There was also a very special moment Thursday night when Alabama was awarded the Disney Spirit Award, which is given to the most inspirational team or player. Alabama players received a tremendously loud ovation as they went to receive their award. This team stood as a symbol of hope for the city of Tuscaloosa, Ala., after devastating tornadoes swept through the state of the Alabama and decimated parts of Tuscaloosa.

Long snapper Carson Tinker, who lost his girlfriend during the storm, was interviewed on stage, making for a very powerful moment. Tinker showed such composure and strength as he recounted the months after those devastating storms. The moment touched a lot of people, including LSU wide receiver Russell Shepard, who sent a very supportive tweet for the Alabama program, from his account @LSUShep10.

Here's what Shepard tweeted:

"Watching this segment I look at Bama in a different light.. I'm proud of you boys lets make this game Historic ... Geaux Tigers. #RollTide."

Here are the rest of the SEC award winners:

Outland Trophy (best interior lineman): Barrett Jones, Alabama

The Home Depot Award (Coach of the Year): Les Miles, LSU

Frank Broyles Award (Assistant Coach of the Year): John Chavis, LSU

Before the season, we all had an inkling that the SEC Western Division would be just a little bit stronger than its Eastern counterpart.

The West dominated the East in 2010, and with little overall improvement from that side of the conference, the consensus was that the road to SEC supremacy was headed through Alabama, Arkansas or Louisiana.

But getting out of that frighteningly tough division was another chore in itself.

Most of us put our cards in Alabama’s camp. With a defense that looked like it was copied and pasted from an NFL roster, a bulldozing running back in Trent Richardson and Nick Saban leading things, the Crimson Tide seemed like a safe bet.

But it was once again the Year of the Tiger.

LSU teased us with its talent before the season. No one questioned the assortment of riches coach Les Miles had at his disposal, but we were worried about the youth, Miles’ quirkiness and a troubling quarterback situation.

All of that came into play during LSU’s magical season, and the Tigers never blinked.

The year started with the suspension of starting quarterback Jordan Jefferson and the ineligibility of starting wide receiver Russell Shepard. That didn’t seem to matter as equally embattled quarterback Jarrett Lee stepped up and led the Tigers to a 4-0 start with wins over three ranked teams, including No. 3 Oregon, all on the road.

We saw an efficient, powerful offense and an athletic, selfish defense. The Mad Hatter appeared to have something special, but we wouldn’t be certain until more controversy hit.

Outside of the obvious awkward quarterback situation once Jefferson came back, Miles watched as national darling Tyrann Mathieu, who became known as the “Honey Badger,” and starting running back Spencer Ware were suspended two weeks before the Alabama game.

Again, LSU didn’t flinch.

In a showdown that received more hype than some national championship games, we saw two SEC sledgehammers bludgeon each other before LSU escaped with a 9-6 overtime win at Alabama. LSU controlled not only the SEC but the nation.

LSU met two more REAL challenges before clinching a spot in the Allstate BCS National Championship Game. Thanks to some fancy punt returns from the Honey Badger, LSU erased 14- and 10-point deficits to Arkansas and Georgia with 40-plus runs.

LSU is 13-0 for the first time, and a win in New Orleans could make this the greatest season for an SEC team.

The Tigers will have to play Alabama, again. The Tide never left the national scene after their lone loss, only dropping as far as third in the BCS standings. Even after watching the final weekend, it had enough support to be thrust into the title game for what should be an epic rematch.

The West will send three other teams bowling, including an Arkansas team that flirted with the BCS until the final weekend. Bobby Petrino reeled off another 10-win season and did so without one of the SEC’s most complete running backs in Knile Davis.

A year removed from winning the national championship, Auburn had to deal with harsh realities of rebuilding. The Tigers started 4-1, but their young players hit the wall shortly after. Still, there looks to be some solid talent on the Plains.

Mississippi State didn’t live up to lofty expectations, but will be bowling in back-to-back seasons for the first time in more than a decade, while Ole Miss’ 2-10 season got its head coach fired.

As for the East, South Carolina and Georgia battled until the very end, while Florida and Tennessee sank further into mediocrity. Vanderbilt was the feel-good story, as new coach James Franklin truly re-energized that program, leading the Commodores back to the postseason.

Georgia’s rebound from a 0-2 start was exactly what coach Mark Richt needed. With his seat getting hotter and hotter in Athens, Richt helped orchestrate a 10-game winning streak that took the Dawgs back to the SEC title game.

The Gamecocks might have been the preseason favorites in the East, but came up short after losing starting quarterback Stephen Garcia and running back Marcus Lattimore. Still, 10 wins is nothing to scoff at.

We knew the West was bigger, stronger and better than the East, but with LSU and Alabama set to collide once more, it now seems like it’s bigger, stronger and better than anyone.

Offensive MVP: Alabama running back Trent Richardson

Richardson has a chance to be Alabama’s second Heisman Trophy winner after a tremendous junior year. It usually takes a handful of defenders strapped to his back to finally bring Richardson down. As Alabama’s main back, Richardson led the SEC with 1,583 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns. Against SEC competition, Richardson averaged 137 yards a game and 6 yards per carry. In 12 games, he accumulated more than 100 rushing yards nine times. In five of those games, he registered more than 160 yards. Richardson not only carried opposing defenders throughout the season but he carried Alabama’s offense and dictated the way the Tide moved the ball.

Defensive MVP: LSU cornerback Tyrann Mathieu

The Honey Badger was one of the most exciting players to watch in college football this season. It didn’t matter where he was on the field, he knew how to find the ball, forcing offenses to change their game plans in order to direct plays away from him. Mathieu led LSU in tackles (70), intercepted two passes, defended nine passes, forced six fumbles, recovered five fumbles and scored four non-offensive touchdowns. Mathieu was the commander of the Tigers’ back-to-back 40-point runs against Arkansas and Georgia with punt returns that went for scores of 92 and 62 yards. He forced and recovered two fumbles in those games and like Richardson, is headed to New York for the Heisman ceremony.

Newcomer of the Year: Georgia linebacker Jarvis Jones

Jones officially came back home this season. Because of transfer rules he had to sit last year after leaving USC, but was more than ready for his return to college football. Jones was asked to come in and replace former Bulldog star Justin Houston and, boy, did he make Houston’s departure easier to stomach. Jones wasn’t just one of the best linebackers in the SEC; he was one of the best at his position in the country. Jones found ways all season to disrupt opposing backfields and led the SEC with 19.5 tackles for loss, including 13.5 sacks. He had the speed to make plays all over the field for the Bulldogs and helped make Georgia’s defense rank third nationally.

Coach of the year: LSU’s Les Miles

Somehow, the Mad Hatter has done it again. Despite his sometimes-odd decisions, Miles has his Tigers undefeated and a win away from capturing their second national title during his tenure. Miles hasn’t only had his team prepared every week; he’s been able to direct his players through the off-field sludge that could have derailed LSU’s special season. With every distraction LSU faced, the Tigers just got stronger. Players credit LSU’s mental strength to Miles, who found ways to keep his team focused and relaxed on the way to a season that saw eight wins over ranked teams, with five coming away from Baton Rouge.

Biggest Surprise: Vanderbilt

It wasn’t just the fact that Vanderbilt made it back to a bowl game for the first time since 2008 that made this season special; it was the way Vandy did it. First-year coach James Franklin wanted to instill a new attitude at Vandy. Mission accomplished. The Commodores didn’t back down to anyone and were fun to watch on both offense and defense. Once Jordan Rodgers took over at quarterback midway through the year, the Commodores were equipped with one of the more explosive SEC offenses, while the defense was extremely aggressive, forcing 27 turnovers. The Commodores were a few mistakes away from possibly winning eight or nine games. Franklin’s bravado and postgame antics showed the Commodores weren’t going to be taken lightly.

Biggest Disappointment: Florida

The Gators are in this category for the second straight year because of the offensive nightmare Florida endured. Florida went through a coaching transition in 2011, but with it came offensive guru Charlie Weis and a pro-style offense. Senior quarterback John Brantley was supposed to fit much better into Weis’ system, and after the first four weeks it looked like he did. However, after suffering a severe ankle injury in the Alabama game, Brantley and Florida’s season went south. Even after Brantley returned, Florida’s offense never fully recovered, and all the highly rated recruits Florida was stocked with struggled to stay consistent. Will Muschamp’s first regular season as head coach ended with a 6-6 record and the Gators had a losing record in SEC play for the first time since 1986.

Best Game: South Carolina 45, Georgia 42, Sept. 10

LSU and Alabama’s game of the century was the perfect display of SEC power, but South Carolina’s comeback win over Georgia in Week 2 had everything. There were 831 combined yards of total offense, 87 points, a special-teams touchdown by a defensive lineman, seven lead changes and a late touchdown that almost set up an eighth and final lead change. The biggest lead was 10 points, and that came with a little more than three minutes left after South Carolina defensive end Melvin Ingram, who went 68 yards for a touchdown on a fake punt, took an Aaron Murray fumble into the end zone to make it 45-35. Murray cut the lead to three less than a minute later with a 33-yard touchdown pass, but a failed on-side kick and two clutch runs by Lattimore sealed the game for the Gamecocks.

ATLANTA -- They say the Honey Badger takes what he wants.

On Saturday, with the LSU offense running on embalming fluid in the first half, Tyrann Mathieu plucked the SEC championship right out from under the noses of an inspired Georgia team. In the process, he sent the No. 1 Tigers on their way to the Allstate BCS National Championship Game.

They’re crazy about Mathieu on the Bayou, for sure. But the BCS organizers might be even bigger fans, because without his heroics in jump-starting LSU to its 42-10 dismantling of Georgia, there could have been utter chaos when those final BCS standings come out on Sunday night.

Not anymore.

Mathieu took a snooze-fest in the first half and turned it into his own little highlight show.

“Everybody calls him the Honey Badger. I call him the Chosen One,” LSU receiver Russell Shepard said. “When we need a play, he makes that play. The dude is a great testament to those kids who didn’t get recruited highly and just got overlooked.

“He’s not the fastest, and he’s not the biggest. But he plays with a lot of passion.”

Mathieu, making yet another case as to why he belongs at the Heisman Trophy ceremonies next weekend, broke loose on a 62-yard punt return for a touchdown in the second quarter -- his fourth touchdown of the season.

Remember, he hasn’t taken an offensive snap all season.

“Last night, I envisioned having three touchdowns,” Mathieu said. “I think I came close to that. What it came down to is me trying to do what I can for my team. I put the pressure on myself at times.”

And when it comes to the other team, he keeps applying that pressure.

Georgia, playing great defense, managed to get into halftime with a 10-7 lead.

But then on the first possession of the second half, LSU defensive tackle Michael Brockers leveled a scrambling Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray. The ball popped loose, and Mathieu was there to pounce on it at the Bulldogs’ 27, setting up the Tigers’ second touchdown.

Georgia again couldn’t go anywhere on its next possession and did the unthinkable. The Bulldogs kicked it to Mathieu again, and he turned in his second dazzling punt return of the night to send the Bulldogs packing for good.

On this return, as many as seven Georgia defenders had chances at Mathieu. He was eventually dragged down at the Bulldogs’ 17-yard line.

“He breaks people down. He breaks their spirit down,” LSU defensive end Sam Montgomery said. “That’s what you’ve got to do, take away people’s heart, and he does that.”

Mathieu, voted the SEC championship game MVP, called it an “honor” to pick up his team.

And, man, did the Tigers needed a pick-me-up. They didn’t manage their first first down until the 13:26 mark of the third quarter. That’s after netting 1 yard of total offense in the second quarter.

“My teammates do a great job of having my back,” said Mathieu, who’s now forced six fumbles and has recovered five this season. “Anything I can do for those guys to lift their spirit, I think the Honey Badger [does] that sometimes.”

In a lot of ways, he embodies this entire LSU football team.

Mathieu’s one-game suspension for testing positive for synthetic marijuana back in October was the kind of thing that would have rocked a lot of teams. Teammates Spencer Ware and Tharold Simon were also suspended against Auburn.

Obviously this isn’t just any team.

The Tigers have weathered bar brawls, suspensions and injuries. They even came back after offensive coordinator Steve Kragthorpe gave up play-calling duties in August after announcing that he had Parkinson’s disease.

But as LSU coach Les Miles said last week following the Tigers’ 41-17 rout of Arkansas, this team doesn’t flinch.

“We’ve just been through so much together,” Mathieu said.

When Mathieu rejoined the team in October, he was determined to make amends.

“He just said, ‘I’m going to make it up,’” Shepard recounted. “It was a short statement, but it meant a lot. He knew he was one of our leaders. We’re all brothers, and we’re in this together.

“We want to make history. Our ultimate goal is to be one of the best teams in college football history.”

Mathieu said he’ll let the voters determine whether he’ll get a trip to New York City next week for the Heisman Trophy ceremonies.

“I just try to go out there and play my best football for my team and my coaches,” said Mathieu.

The replay on his punt return for a touchdown looked like he might have tossed the ball to the official prior to crossing the goal line.

“I could see the referee looking at me kind of strange,” Mathieu conceded. “I’ll be sure next time to make sure I cross the goal line.”

It’s about the only thing he did wrong Saturday.

The ultimate compliment came from Georgia coach Mark Richt.

“I’ll be honest with you,” Richt said. “I enjoy watching the guy play football other than when he plays against us, because when you see a guy like that, you can appreciate it. You appreciate it because of how he plays.

“There’s something about him that he seems to find a way to do something special just about every game … and he did it again.”

Something says it won’t be the last time, either.

BATON ROUGE, La. -- No. 1 LSU remained perfect Friday by sprinting past No. 3 Arkansas for a 41-17 victory at Tiger Stadium after trailing 14-0 early.

Here's an instant analysis:

How the game was won: LSU trailed 14-0 in the first quarter, but scored 21 unanswered points in the second quarter and then dominated the second half with a combination of its bruising running game and big plays on defense.

Turning point: Leading 24-17 entering the fourth quarter, LSU scored a touchdown on its first possession of the fourth quarter and came right back and scored another one following Morris Claiborne's leaping interception, breaking the game wide open.

Stat of the game: LSU held Arkansas to 89 total yards in the second half. For the game, the Hogs were held to 254 total yards. They entered the game averaging 463.3 yards per game, which led the SEC.

Stat of the game II: It was LSU's third win of the season against a top 5 team.

Player of the game: LSU's Tyrann Mathieu, switching over to safety from cornerback to fill in for the injured Eric Reid, had a 92-yard punt return for a touchdown to tie the game at 14-14 in the second quarter. He also forced two fumbles, the first one leading to the Tigers' third touchdown, which put them ahead 21-14 at the half.

Unsung hero: Despite a couple of shaky plays in the first half, LSU senior quarterback Jordan Jefferson came back strong with his best all-around outing of the season. He was 18-of-29 for 208 passing yards, including a 9-yard touchdown to Russell Shepard, and also ran 48 yards for a touchdown.

What it means: LSU (12-0, 8-0) completes a perfect regular season and heads to Atlanta next week to face Georgia in the SEC championship game. The Tigers also put themselves in great shape for a berth in the Allstate BCS National Championship Game, even if they lose to the Bulldogs.

LSU punter Brad Wing is easily the most popular Aussie on the Bayou these days, and he knows a bad impression of an Australian accent when he hears one.

He’s heard some real winners ever since his starring role last Saturday in LSU’s 9-6 overtime conquest of Alabama at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

People that Wing doesn’t even know have been coming up to him on campus and trying out their “G’day mate … great kick.”

And, yes, his teammates have been getting into the act, too.

For the record, freshman receiver Odell Beckham has the best fake Aussie accent. Junior receiver Russell Shepard has the worst, and apparently, it’s not even close.

“Russell’s is shockingly bad,” Wing said. “I tell Odell we could probably pass for brothers over in Australia, but maybe not.”

Wing said even LSU coach Les Miles will take a crack at it every once in a while.

“His is OK. We’ll just leave it at that, but Russell takes the cake for the worst one ever,” Wing said.

Of course, with the way Wing is punting the ball, he could be speaking in Russian and nobody would mind.

“I can’t tell you what a weapon it is when you have a punter like (Wing) who can put the ball where he can,” LSU defensive coordinator John Chavis said.

How good has Wing been this season for the Tigers?

He’s punted the ball 37 times, and 19 of those have been downed inside the 20-yard line. LSU opponents have been limited to a total of 7 punt return yards all season.

Against Alabama, Wing kept the Crimson Tide pinned in deep just about the entire game. He sailed one punt out of bounds at the Alabama 5, had another one downed at the Alabama 4 and a third one fair caught at the Alabama 11.

But it was Wing’s 73-yard punt in the fourth quarter that was the big blow for the Tigers. LSU was backed up on its own 9-yard line in a 6-6 game, and it looked like Alabama was about to get the ball near midfield.

Wing, standing in his own end zone, had other ideas. He launched a missile that just kept going and landed well over Marquis Maze’s head, rolling all the way down to the Alabama 18.

“I hadn’t hit any like that in the games,” Wing said. “Back in high school, I hit one like that. It was just good to do it in the game.”

Prior to this season, Wing had played just two years of American football. He grew up playing Australian Rules Football, but came to Baton Rouge prior to his senior year in high school as part of an exchange program.

His father, David Wing, punted for the Detroit Lions in 1990 and also punted in NFL Europe.

In just one season at Parkview Baptist in Baton Rouge, Wing showed enough promise that LSU offered him a scholarship.

Initially, he was planning to be in the United States for only one year, but that all changed when the Tigers offered the full ride.

“It’s all happened so fast,” said Wing, who’s averaging 43.4 yards per punt. “In two years, my life has taken a complete turn. Just to be a part of a program like this is unbelievable. To come from Australia and be a part of the No. 1 team in the country is crazy. It’s like a dream come true.”

The best news for the Tigers is that he’s just getting started.

A redshirt freshman, Wing has been kicking a ball since he was 5 years old. But he didn’t kick a football until two years ago. For that matter, he knew very little about American football, period, and what he did know was about the NFL.

“I probably could have named three or four quarterbacks,” Wing said. “I definitely didn’t know about college football. I’m still learning all the rules. I still don’t know them all, but we’ll get there, I think.”

Wing had a 44-yard touchdown run on a fake punt nullified against Florida earlier this season when he briefly stuck out his arms to celebrate before crossing the goal line.

Even though the call was borderline at best, Wing is quick to add, “I learned that rule pretty quick. I’ve got that one down.”

He’s still adjusting to the spiral style of punting, but has the pooch kicks down pat.

“That kick is my Australian kick, the kick we use to pass around to one another, so I’m very comfortable with that kick,” Wing said. “That’s the type of kick I’ve been doing ever since I could stand up. That’s why I look so relaxed.

“I’m still working on the consistency of the longer kick, but am more comfortable with the end-over-end kick.”

Just in the last few weeks, Wing’s family moved to Baton Rouge from Australia to be with him during his college career. His father along with his mother, Kathleen, and younger brother, Tom, are digging the whole college football experience every bit as much as Wing.

“They’re beginning to understand just how big a deal college football is in the United States,” Wing said.

That’s fitting because it didn’t take Wing long to understand just how big a deal the kicking game is at LSU.

“Special teams are huge around here,” Wing said. “We start off every single day with special teams. Coach Miles really holds special teams in high regard, and we take it just as serious as an offensive or defensive snap.

“Guys are fighting to get on special teams here, and we take huge pride in it.”

The fake Aussie accents are a different story.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Alabama and LSU traded field goals in the first half and went into halftime Saturday night tied at 3-3 in Bryant-Denny Stadium.

Here's a quick halftime analysis:

Turning point: After missing three long field goal attempts, Alabama got a 34-yard field goal from Jeremy Shelley to take a 3-0 lead with 3:53 left in the half. LSU answered with its only extended drive of the half, marching 74 yards in 11 plays for Drew Alleman's 19-yard field goal as the second-quarter clock expired. The big play for the Tigers was Jordan Jefferson's 29-yard completion to Russell Shepard down to the Alabama 8-yard line.

Stat of the half: LSU had managed just 50 yards of total offense in the first half until driving for the late field goal.

Stat of the half II: The Tigers committed their first turnover since the third week of the season when Jarrett Lee was intercepted by Robert Lester late in the first quarter. Jefferson came in at quarterback for LSU after that and played the rest of the way.

Player of the half: LSU punter Brad Wing has pinned Alabama at its own 5 and its own 4.

If you want to find the SEC's leading receiver in yardage and touchdowns, you might be surprised to find where he resides.

He isn't in Fayetteville, Ark., Columbia, S.C., or Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Head farther south and you'll find him.

Through eight games, LSU's Rueben Randle leads the league with 638 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. He’s averaging 19.3 yards per catch and 4.1 catches per game. He has failed to record a touchdown in just two games this season.

Randle has already equaled his catches (33) from last year and has almost 100 more yards and four more touchdowns. There is no question that Randle has benefited from a much more aggressive offense, thanks to the addition of Steve Kragthorpe to the coaching staff, but Randle said he was more focused heading into this third season.

He took more time to work on his game during the offseason by training at Sonic Boom Speed Conditioning & Strength Training Academy in New Orleans on the weekends, where he worked with high school and junior high athletes to get more one-on-one work in a more hands-on environment.

Randle said he got more explosive out of his breaks, developed better route-running ability and got quicker off the line.

His teammates were impressed with the new and improved Randle who showed up for summer workouts, but they weren’t surprised by how good he looked.

“I saw improvements as soon as I got back,” Randle said. “The guys saw it from me during 7-on-7s and as soon as we got into camp. It was a big help for me going into the season.

“They all knew that I had it and I’d get more opportunities this year. I’m taking full advantage of them.”

He sure has and the interesting thing is that before the season, it was Russell Shepard who got most of the receiving attention outside of camp. He talked about becoming more of a focal point in LSU’s offense and vowed to improve on his sophomore season.

With his ability to play both inside and outside of the backfield, Shepard figured to grab a ton of touches in the fall. But after he was suspended for the first three games of the seasons, Randle took hold of the limelight.

And he’s made his quarterbacks’ jobs much easier along the way.

Senior Jarrett Lee said working with Randle has been almost effortless. In fact, it’s been that way since Randle came on campus three years ago. Randle’s time as a high school quarterback gives him the ability to know when his quarterbacks will get the snap and when and where to be in his routes at the right times.

“He’s a special playmaker,” Lee said of Randle. “He was a former high school quarterback, so he understands football and a quarterback’s mindset. That’s what makes him a special player. He works hard each and every day because he wants the football in his hands.

“From the spring to the summer, he grew up a lot because he knew this could be a special season for him. During the summer, I felt like he became more aggressive. He wanted the ball more.”

Randle doesn’t brag about his abilities, but no one would blame him if he flaunted his speed or the fact that his 6-foot-4, 207-pound frame makes him nearly impossible to adequately defend in one-on-one situations. Oh, and don’t forget those hands made of magnets.

Randle discusses the little things that separate him from his SEC receiving counterparts. He talks about running crisper routes, making the right checks at the line and learning how to improve his blocking.

Those are the things he says he does differently.

It also helps that the offense has expanded tremendously this year. A more open and vigorous passing game has made it easier for him to do his thing. Also having two quarterbacks slinging the ball like they have isn’t too bad, either.

“It’s fun when you get your opportunities,” Randle said. “Now, you’re running full stride and you don’t have to break stride and the ball just lands in your hands. It’s also exciting to have quarterbacks that can deliver the ball like that.”

The countdown began weeks ago, but now it's not just the media and fans talking about Alabama-LSU. The players and coaches can finally get in on all the fun.

Here's what we learned over the weekend:

1. An all-SEC national title game isn't farfetched: With all the craziness that occurred Saturday night, our dreams of an Alabama-LSU national championship game don't seem so crazy now. Both teams proved once again that they are the best in college football, while those around them fell at the worst of times. Oklahoma was stunned 41-38 at home to Texas Tech and Wisconsin fell to Michigan State, thanks to a beautiful Hail Mary pass as time expired. Those were two losses the SEC giants needed if a rematch was going to be possible. Obviously, the SEC isn't out of the woods yet. Oklahoma State, Clemson, Stanford and Boise State all probably have to lose, and, of course, the loser of the Nov. 5 matchup has to keep it super close and win out in style afterward. It will take some more help, but today it doesn't seem as impossible as it did before Saturday's chaos.

2. LSU gets stronger and more dominant every week: When the Tigers should look weak after losing key players, they just reload. There is no letdown on this team. When you talk about the most mentally tough squads in college football, LSU had better be at the top of your list. The Tigers began the season without starting quarterback Jordan Jefferson and playmaking wide receiver Russell Shepard and all they did was steamroll over each opponent they faced without their two starters. Not to mention arguably LSU's top offensive lineman, senior Josh Dworaczyk, has been out all year with an injury. So, when LSU was without freak cornerback Tyrann Mathieu, running back Spencer Ware and corner Tharold Simon for the Auburn game, we should have shaken it off, like the Tigers did. They pounded Auburn 45-10 and might have played their most complete game of the season in the process.

3. Arkansas can't afford more slow starts: We all know that Arkansas has the talent, but the mental focus seems off sometimes with this team. Saturday, the Razorbacks were as sluggish as they could be coming out of the gate against Ole Miss and quickly fell behind 17-0. Arkansas had absolutely nothing going for it on offense in the first half, but stormed out onto the field in the third quarter and bumrushed the Rebels, outscoring them 19-0 in their eventual 29-24 win. But this one was way closer than it should have been. If Ole Miss was a stronger team, Arkansas might not have recovered from the early deficit. Rough starts against Alabama and Texas A&M were worrisome, and this one didn't make us feel great about the Hogs. You have to commend the strong second-half push, but a start like this against a team like LSU or maybe even South Carolina could result in a disappointing outcome for the Hogs.

4. Jordan Rodgers was the right pick: Talk about Rodgers' play at Vanderbilt's camp over the summer was mostly positive, but without the entire spring to work through the playbook, Larry Smith kept his starting job. So Rodgers patiently waited, and after replacing Smith in consecutive games, Rodgers was given the starting nod by coach James Franklin for the Army game. With an offense struggling all season, Franklin needed to shake things up, and getting some new blood in at the quarterback position was the right move as Rodgers passed for 186 yards, rushed for 96 and had two touchdowns in the Commodores' 44-21 win. He sparked the entire offense that put up a season-high 530 yards, including 344 rushing yards. The Commodores finally found some consistency within their offense and Rodgers was a main reason for that. He took total command of the huddle and directed the Commodores efficiently all night. He's starting to get more and more comfortable out there and his numbers will start to improve going forward.

5. Tennessee has fight, but not the manpower: For two quarters, Tennessee stood toe-to-toe with one of the mammoths of college football. We saw the most fight out of Tennessee since wide receiver Justin Hunter went down in the Florida game. Then, Alabama got its second wind and the game was over before the fourth quarter even began. But when you're without four key components to your team and you have depth issues across the board, a loss like that isn't a shock. Tennessee just doesn't have enough dogs for a fight like that. There is a lot of good, young talent at Tennessee, but most of it is starting. Behind it, there isn't much, thanks to poor recruiting before coach Derek Dooley got there. He's having to play a bunch of youngsters out there and that can trigger ugly outcomes in this league. If you look at special teams, the Vols can't get their best athletes out there because the coaches don't want wear them out after defensive series. This team is still a year away from being close to where Dooley wants it and that should have been expected. It was always a three-year plan with him and he's working in the right direction.

Chris Low talks with LSU WR Russell Shepard about the Tigers' 38-7 win against Tennessee.

Two matchups between unbeaten teams, one in the Western Division and one in the Eastern Division, highlight Week 4 in the SEC.

Here’s a look at what to watch:

1. Tide stingy at home: Scoring points against Alabama has never been easy, certainly not since Nick Saban arrived. But scoring points against the Crimson Tide at home has been nearly impossible. Beginning with the 2008 season, Saban’s second on the job, Alabama has given up more than 20 points at Bryant-Denny Stadium only once, and that one time came last season when Auburn rallied from a 24-0 deficit and won 28-27. Arkansas has specialized in scoring points under Bobby Petrino, but it’s been tough sledding for the Hogs against the Crimson Tide. In three games under Petrino, they’ve never scored more than 20 points against Alabama and managed only a field goal in the second half last season in a 24-20 loss.

2. Downright special: The area of the game that Arkansas has to win Saturday if it’s going to take down No. 3-ranked Alabama is special teams. The good thing for the Hogs is that they’ve been pretty special in most facets of special teams, particularly the return game. Joe Adams is one of the most feared open-field runners in the league and returned two punts for touchdowns in the opener. He’s averaging 19.6 yards a return to lead the SEC, and getting a big return from him would be huge for the Hogs this weekend. They also lead the league in kickoff returns, averaging 33 yards a return. Freshman Marquel Wade took one back 85 yards for a touchdown in the New Mexico game. Petrino hired John L. Smith prior to the 2009 season to upgrade special teams, and the former Michigan State and Louisville head coach has delivered.

3. Third and not so long: It sounds simple enough, but the key to beating Alabama is staying out of third-and-long. And the truth is that it’s anything but simple. Petrino said one of the things the Crimson Tide do better than anybody else is create negative plays on first and second down to force third-and-long situations. That’s when they dial up their pressure. Petrino said it’s imperative that the Hogs are in third-and-5 a lot more than they’re in third-and-10. Arkansas is second in the SEC through three games in third-down conversion (48.6 percent), but has had very little success on third down against Alabama. The Hogs are just 9-of-41 (21.9 percent) against the Tide the last three seasons.

4. Shepard’s return: LSU quarterback Jarrett Lee gets another speedy playmaker to throw to when junior receiver Russell Shepard returns for the Tigers against West Virginia after serving an NCAA-mandated suspension the first three games. One of the things that stuck out to LSU coach Les Miles this past spring and preseason was how much better Shepard became as a true wide receiver. A former quarterback, Shepard improved his route-running and became a more technically sound receiver. He’s electric in the open field, and it will be interesting to see what LSU’s new offensive brain trust (Greg Studrawa and Steve Kragthorpe) has devised to get Shepard the ball. He has to be more consistent in catching the ball, but should be now that he’s had two years of working exclusively at receiver.

5. Flirting with disaster: Is this the week for South Carolina? The Gamecocks have picked up a dangerous habit this season of playing to the level of their competition, and they’ve come a little closer each week to losing the game. You can hear the frustration in Steve Spurrier’s voice, and he understands fully that Vanderbilt’s not a team to mess around with. The Commodores, who’re also 3-0, beat the Gamecocks in 2007 and 2008, and the combined score between these two teams the last four seasons is dead even – 58-58. Both teams have made a ton of big plays on defense this season. South Carolina has three defensive touchdowns, and so does Vanderbilt. The two defenses have combined to force 21 turnovers (12 by Vanderbilt and nine by South Carolina). Something says protecting the ball will be mighty important in this one.

6. Tackling Lattimore: South Carolina’s Marcus Lattimore has already carried the ball 87 times this season and leads the country with 534 rushing yards. The 230-pound sophomore is at his best after contact and wears down defenses with his ability to pick up extra yards after the initial hit. Vanderbilt has enough confidence in its cornerbacks that the Commodores will probably free up safety Sean Richardson to act more as a linebacker in this game and walk him up closer to the line of scrimmage. Of course, that invites South Carolina quarterback Stephen Garcia to throw the ball, and Garcia has not been overly sharp through three games. The Gamecocks would like to get junior receiver Alshon Jeffery more involved, which will probably be their answer if the Commodores do load the box. Jeffery has been held to one touchdown catch in the first three games. He’s due for a big game.

7. Block that kick: Florida was one of the best teams in the business at blocking kicks under Urban Meyer, and it also looks like that’s going to be one of the Gators’ strengths under Will Muschamp. They’ve already blocked two punts this season, one of those by Chris Rainey last week in the Tennessee game. They go up against Kentucky this Saturday, and the Wildcats’ special-teams units are probably having nightmares right now. Counting field goals, Florida has six blocked kicks against Kentucky dating back to the 2006 season -- four blocked punts and two field goals.

8. No more picks: Ole Miss offensive coordinator David Lee is hoping less is better. He said he’s reduced the playbook by about 30 percent and totally eliminated one pass protection heading into Saturday’s game with Georgia. Quarterback Zack Stoudt had protected the ball well in the first two games, but threw five interceptions last week in the 30-7 loss to Vanderbilt. That five-interception performance continued what’s been a plague for the Rebels. In their past 28 games, which dates back to the start of the 2009 season, they’ve thrown 40 interceptions. A big part of the problem this season is that they haven’t been able to run the ball nearly as well as they thought they would. Ole Miss is 11^th in the SEC in rushing offense and averaging just 109 yards per game.

9. Georgia hurting up front: Georgia’s offensive line has been beset with injuries and defections the past couple of years, and there was another one Wednesday in practice when starting right guard Chris Burnette injured his knee. Georgia coach Mark Richt said he didn’t think it was a serious injury. But just having Burnette go down with any degree of injury is a blow. Already, the Bulldogs had been playing without starting left guard Kenarious Gates, who hurt his ankle in the opener against Boise State. Gates was able to make it through practice Wednesday, so Richt is hopeful of having at least one of his starting guards available Saturday against Ole Miss. Senior center Ben Jones could move over to guard, but the Bulldogs would prefer to keep him at center.

10. Going back to basics: Preseason camp ended back in August, but try telling that to the Auburn players. After a brutal defensive performance last week in a 38-24 loss at Clemson, Auburn coach Gene Chizik went back to more of a preseason camp-mentality this week in practice, which meant a lot more hitting and a lot more tackling. The Tigers’ tackling hasn’t been up to par in any of their first three games and was especially bad last week. It’s really been a struggle for Auburn’s secondary, although Auburn didn’t have any sacks or quarterback pressures in the loss to Clemson. So obviously it’s not just one area of the defense that’s not getting it done. The Tigers have simplified some checks on defense, hoping some of the younger players will play faster and more instinctively.

LSU could be getting back one of its most dynamic offensive weapons for the fourth week of the season.

A source told the Associated Press that wide receiver Russell Shepard will be eligible to play at West Virginia on Sept. 24.

Shepard was suspended before LSU's opener against Oregon for breaking an NCAA rule when he discussed an ongoing investigation concerning the relationship scouting service provider Willie Lyles had with LSU and other schools.

While the Tigers dismantled Oregon without much of a passing game in Week 1, getting Shepard back is will be a major boost to the offense. For the Tigers to make it through the SEC they'll have to generate something more than what they showed through the air against the Ducks, which was 98 yards from Jarrett Lee.

Shepard is a player who can lineup at receiver and in the backfield. Last year, he caught 33 passes for 254 yards and a touchdown, while carrying the ball 32 times for 226 yards and two more scores. He might not have had eye-popping numbers, but he's a big-play threat. This spring his teammates and coaches raved about his improvements and he was very vocal about becoming one of the best receivers in the league.

This team showed it can run the ball very effectively and has a real weapon in tight end DeAngelo Peterson. If Rueben Randle can be targeted more and Shepard can play to his potential, LSU's offense actually becomes formidable.