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 pads went on in Baton Rouge, La., as LSU's football team participated in its fourth spring practice Tuesday.

“I liked practice today,” coach Les Miles said. “We are getting better. I like the improvement that some of our young offense and defensive linemen are making. I think we threw the ball extremely well today considering how early we are in spring. It was a good, physical practice. We started well and finished on a good note.”

The guy throwing the ball the best this spring is new starting quarterback Zach Mettenberger. So far, he has really impressed his head coach with both his passing ability and his leadership skills. That's certainly a good thing, considering how much both of those areas were criticized when Jordan Jefferson was under center for the Tigers last season.

“He has command of the huddle and it appears that he has anticipation as to where the ball is going,” Miles said. “He’s throwing it pretty well.”

Miles also complimented the play of sophomore offensive lineman Elliott Porter, who worked out at center.

“I liked the way he practiced today,” Miles said. “He got better today and he continues to improve. I think he will challenge for playing time.”

The Tigers return a solid, veteran line in 2012, but it never hurts to have depth up front. Depth helped LSU out in 2011 when top lineman Josh Dworaczyk went down with a season-ending injury last year. T-Bob Hebert started the season off in Dworaczyk's spot at left guard, but Will Blackwell eventually moved there and had an All-American season.

LSU also moved pieces around when center P.J. Lonergan went down with an ankle injury halfway through the season. LSU had seven different offensive linemen make starts last season.

Miles also talked about the on-going tryout at kicker, where former LSU women’s soccer keeper Mo Isom stole all the headlines. Miles said there isn't a timetable on making a decision about the kicking participants, including Isom, but he won't hesitate to use her if he feels she can be a real asset for the Tigers.

“If she gave us an opportunity and an advantage, we will certainly consider that,” he said. “There has to be an advantage to the team.

"The good thing about this is that she’s an athlete. She’s been through a team before and she understands commitment. I would have much less reservations with her than I would with any number of other people who frankly didn’t know what they were getting in to.”

If she makes LSU's team, she would be the first female football player in school history. However, she'd have some tough competition this fall with rising senior Drew Alleman returning. He is coming off the most accurate season by an LSU kicker in school history, after hitting 16-of-18 field goals and 62-of-63 extra points in 2011.

The tryouts for placekicker will continue Thursday. For more information on Isom and her tryout with the Tigers, check out what GeauxTigerNation's David Helman wrote about her Tuesday.

LSU will take Wednesday off before returning to practice on Thursday. The Tigers will wrap up their first full week of spring practice Saturday and are scheduled to practice three times a week for the next three weeks.

LSU offensive guard Josh Dworaczyk has been granted a sixth year of eligibility, the NCAA and LSU announced Wednesday.

Dworaczyk, who was arguably the Tigers' top lineman heading into last season, suffered a season-ending knee injury during training camp in August and missed all of the 2011 season.

“I’m excited to be able to get another year so that I can finish my career on the field,” Dworaczyk said in a release through the school. “I felt like I had some unfinished business, so being able to get this additional year is a blessing.

“Watching from the sidelines last year wasn’t always easy, because I was so used to being a contributor on the field. Getting another year means that I get to wear the Purple and Gold again, and for that I’m very thankful.

“Getting to see the game through the eyes of a coach and understanding what they are looking for from the players on the field, it helped me fully understand our offense. It also gave me a different relationship with my teammates. As a player, I was a leader on the field. Last year, I couldn’t be in the huddle with my teammates so I tried to be a motivator, giving words of advice or encouragement and doing whatever I could to help from the sidelines.”

Dworaczyk's return will ease the loss of All-American Will Blackwell, who took over at left guard halfway through his past season.

Dworaczyk has started in 26 of the 38 games (all at left guard) that he's played in, and will add to an already experienced returning line. The addition of Dworaczyk means LSU's offensive line will enter the fall with 105 combined starts -- Dworaczyk (26), center P.J. Lonergan (26), right tackle Alex Hurst (24), left tackle Chris Faulk (15), and right guard Josh Williford (14) -- and will yet again cement itself as one of the top offensive lines in the SEC.

“This is great news for our program,” LSU coach Les Miles said. “You never want to see a player have his career cut short because of an injury. Josh is a tremendous representative of our program, and it’s nice to see that he’s going to get a chance to finish out his LSU career on the field.”

Now that Edward has unveiled his five most improved players from the SEC this season, I’ll take my shot.

In some cases, guys went from being a very good player to a great player. In other cases, guys went from being a reserve to a key starter. There were also some guys who bounced back from injury-plagued seasons.

Here’s what I came up with. The players are listed in alphabetical order:

Dont'a Hightower, LB, Alabama: Flip on the game tape, and it’s obvious that Hightower was a different player this season. He was back to his explosive, instinctive self after conceding that mentally and physically he wasn’t all the way back a year ago from reconstructive knee surgery, which cut short his second season in 2009. As the Crimson Tide’s middle linebacker in their base defense and edge pass-rusher on third down, Hightower led the team with 85 total tackles, including 11 for loss. He also had eight quarterback hurries, forced a fumble and blocked a kick. In short, he made a lot more things happen in 2011 than he did the year before and saved one of his best efforts for the Allstate BCS National Championship Game. Defensive coordinator Kirby Smart said Hightower was one of the guys who made the Crimson Tide’s No. 1-ranked defense go, and with his knee back to full strength, the 6-4, 260-pound junior went from a good player in 2010 to one of the best linebackers in college football in 2011.

Cameron Lawrence, LB, Mississippi State: When Lawrence came to Mississippi State, he was more of a utility man. In fact, he played quarterback, receiver, safety and linebacker during his first season. But he settled in at one of the outside linebacker spots and had a monster junior season, finishing second in the SEC with 123 total tackles, including six for loss. The 6-2, 230-pound Lawrence also forced two fumbles and helped fill a huge void at linebacker after the Bulldogs lost all three starters the year before. Lawrence’s chief role prior to this season was on special teams, and he’d recorded just 31 tackles in his first two seasons combined. He passed that total by the fourth game of the season this year on a defense that finished 16^th nationally in points allowed.

Eric Reid, S, LSU: Tyrann Mathieu had the catchy “Honey Badger” nickname and collected a ton of highlight-reel plays, but Reid was one of the most improved and consistent players on LSU’s team in what was a breakout sophomore season for him. He tied with Mathieu for the team lead with 76 total tackles and also had two interceptions and two forced fumbles. His interception at the 1-yard line in the first game against Alabama was the play of the year in the SEC. Reid was as good in coverage as he was against the run and wound up earning second-team All-SEC honors. He showed flashes as a true freshman when he wound up starting the last three games of the regular season, but put it all together this season to become one of the better all-around safeties in the league.

Zac Stacy, RB, Vanderbilt: Part of the credit goes to an improved Vanderbilt offensive line, but no player in the SEC improved more from last season to this season than Stacy. The 5-9, 208-pound junior set school records with 1,193 rushing yards and 14 rushing touchdowns, and he also caught 20 passes. Stacy averaged 5.9 yards per carry, and more than once, demonstrated that he could break the big one. He had three runs of 50 yards or longer. Stacy’s rushing total this season was nearly 400 yards more than he had in his first two seasons combined. Stacy rushed for 331 yards a year ago, but missed the last three games after suffering a blow to the head against Florida. He also shared the carries with Warren Norman the first two seasons, and Norman redshirted this season after undergoing knee surgery. Stacy worked hard on his strength and explosiveness last offseason, and seeing the opportunity to be the Commodores’ go-to back this season, he ran with it all the way to a record-setting season and All-SEC honors.

Jarius Wright, WR, Arkansas: Even before his senior season, Wright had been a key member of the Hogs’ receiving corps and one of their strongest leaders. But in 2011, he blossomed into the most productive receiver in the SEC and set several school records along the way. Wright had always possessed great speed, but he became a better player after the catch this season, which made him even more difficult to defend. He finished with 66 catches for 1,117 yards and 12 touchdowns, while averaging 16.9 yards per catch. Wright was a consensus first-team All-SEC selection and leaves Arkansas as the single-season record-holder in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. The 12 touchdown catches match the number of touchdowns Wright caught in his first three seasons combined, and he had 24 more catches this season than he did a year ago as a junior.

Here are 10 more players that just missed the cut:

• Antonio Allen, LB/S, South Carolina
• Will Blackwell, OG, LSU
• Matt Elam, S, Florida
• Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama
• Corey Lemonier, DE, Auburn
• Jordan Matthews, WR, Vanderbilt
• Bacarri Rambo, S, Georgia
• Da’Rick Rogers, WR, Tennessee
• Connor Shaw, QB, South Carolina
• Tyler Wilson, QB, Arkansas

NEW ORLEANS -- The ride is over.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Very short.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ESPN.com's Edward Aschoff talks with LSU's Will Blackwell following the Tigers' loss to Alabama in the BCS title game.

NEW ORLEANS -- Will Blackwell knows exactly where LSU should rank among national championship teams in college football if the Tigers take home the trophy after tonight’s Allstate BCS National Championship.

“The best,” Blackwell said in a very matter-of-fact way. “If we win this game, show me a team that beat tougher opponents on a tougher schedule. We’ve played ranked teams on the road three or four times. We’ve beaten, what, two of the four BCS bowl champions? I haven’t seen a record better than that.”

A win over Alabama would certainly put the Tigers in the discussion with some of the best college football teams in the last 40 years. You have 1972 USC, 2001 Miami, 1995 Nebraska and 1979 Alabama in the running as well.

Is this the most talented team ever? Absolutely not, but for everything the Tigers have been through and the schedule this team has conquered, a win tonight might be enough to put the Tigers into the top spot.

A win over Alabama would give LSU nine wins over teams ranked in the Associated Press poll in one season, which would be an NCAA record.

LSU coach Les Miles was asked about where this team would rank with a win, but he wasn’t biting Sunday.

“I've been asked that question a couple of times, and I think certainly it's fair after [Monday] night,” Miles said. “I think it's all about this game. It's one that certainly we're all looking forward to, and I think that those conversations are best served for then.”

We’ll see what he says if the Tigers get the win tonight.

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.”

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.”

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

ATLANTA – Like waves rolling over rocks, the Tigers just keep coming.

Sometimes, there’s a lull – that moment of naivety – where it seems like the surge won’t come. But that feeling is always temporarily, as the Tigers find a way to kick their game into another gear.

“You want to be like a machine and you just keep on working,” LSU offensive lineman T-Bob Hebert said.

That machine has proved to be unstoppable for 13 weeks now, as the Tigers are headed to the Allstate BCS National Championship Game riding an undefeated season and the endurance to maul anyone.

This team not only doesn’t understand how to quit, it gets stronger as the clock ticks. Opponents can take leads or find weak spots, but that lasts long enough just to make LSU mad.

It happened last week when LSU outscored Arkansas 41-3, after trailing 14-0, and it happened again in the SEC title game, when Georgia jumped out to a 10-0 lead in the first half.

The Tigers found their switch, flicked it on, and went to pounding Georgia into the artificial surface inside of the Georgia Dome.

After spending the first 30 minutes setting offenses back 100 years, the Tigers strutted out in the second half with their usual bully demeanor. As usual, the defense feasted and the LSU ground game went to clubbing away.

LSU ran for a measly 5 yards in the first half, but at the end of the Tigers’ 42-10 victory over Georgia had 207 debilitating rushing yards against the beat-up Bulldogs.

It was a complete change from a first half that featured some pretty revolting play by quarterback Jordan Jefferson. He was 2-of-8 passing for 7 yards and was getting eaten up in the pocket.

He overthrew and underthrew open receivers, while trying his hardest to turn the ball over with throws into double coverage.

In the second half, Jefferson and his coaches turned to handing the ball off more and it worked. Jefferson said his running backs took the pressure off him and bailed him out.

When you have four backs who average 223 pounds of pure hurt, it isn’t that hard to get on a ground-game roll.

“We’re very powerful because there are too many of us back there,” said running back Alfred Blue, who led all rushers with 94 yards, including a 48-yard touchdown run. “We knew going into halftime that we were down and their defense was going to eventually wear out and we were going to start pounding them.”

And did they.

LSU transformed in the second half. That solid Georgia defense that entered the game fifth in total defense and sixth against the run, looked tired and hopeless before the third quarter even ended.

Tyrann Mathieu got LSU’s 42-0 run going with his 62-yard punt return for a score, but an Aaron Murray fumble and another scintillating Mathieu return nearly buried the Bulldogs as they set up LSU’s first two offensive scores almost minutes apart.

It all cascaded down on the Bulldogs when Kenny Hilliard, the man behind LSU’s first two third-quarter touchdowns, bulldozed over a helpless Brandon Boykin before walking into the end zone on an 8-yard reception to make it 28-10.

“When someone punches you in the mouth, you can either back down or you can come and punch them right back,” Hebert said.

LSU punched, kicked and totally had its way with Georgia. LSU forced three turnovers, harassed a completely flustered Murray and made Georgia’s running game nonexistent until garbage time.

As frustrated as Murray looked after the handful of drops his receivers delivered him in the first half, the downtrodden expressions he showed in the second half appeared far more painful.

But it was the Georgia defense that looked even more abused. This group outplayed LSU’s offense in the first half, but didn’t have enough steam thereafter.

“It happens to every team we play,” Blue said. “We know we’re a four-quarter team and once we start going, it’s on.”

And the waves just keep coming.

Since LSU’s 41-17 win over Arkansas, most of the chatter has centered around how the Tigers could lose to Georgia in Atlanta but still play in the Allstate BCS National Championship Game.

Basically, LSU just needs to not be blown out by the red-hot Bulldogs.

No one is expecting that, so it appears LSU fans can start booking their French Quarter hotel rooms -- if they haven’t done so already.

Still, anything can happen, and while LSU might be a shoo-in for the national championship, players aren’t worried about that. They aren’t looking to make the 500-plus-mile trek to Atlanta just to check out the Fox Theatre. Like the rest of the season, it’s business as usual for LSU.

“We've had a lot of people on the outside say a lot of different things,” LSU offensive lineman Will Blackwell said. “As you know, that hasn't really slowed us up, hasn't stopped us at all. We do a very good job around here keeping things on the outside on the perimeter and not letting them affect us in any way.”

Somehow, the Tigers have done a masterful job of not allowing off-the-field distractions ruin this season. From losing starting quarterback Jordan Jefferson for the first four games because of his role in a fight at an off-campus bar, to failed drug tests that resulted in one-game suspensions for three players, including starters Tyrann Mathieu, who was at one time near the top of the Heisman race, and Spencer Ware.

With every obstacle and distraction, the Tigers seem to get stronger, and while the national championship is the main goal, getting an SEC title is the immediate objective. Talk of them not focusing on that is almost silly.

“It is kind of weird. We don't look at it like that,” safety Brandon Taylor said. “That's kind of like a distraction to us, because if you win the SEC championship you get two rings, and that's what we've been playing for. It wouldn't feel as great going to the national championship if you don't win the SEC championship because we feel it's not right.”

Georgia coach Mark Richt isn’t expecting any sort of letdown from LSU. He could only envision it if there was a 100 percent guarantee that LSU would be in the national title game regardless of Saturday's outcome. However, with nothing written in ink, Richt isn’t holding out hope for an unfocused LSU team.

“I don't think it's going to be a factor at all, and I think that, when a team is as good as they are and are in the habit of winning, all they know is winning,” Richt said. “They're not going to let that creep in there in their mindset, I wouldn't think.”

The Arkansas defense wore down more and more with each bone-crushing hit delivered on the Bayou last Friday.

The Tigers’ packed running backs corps punished the Razorbacks with 286 rushing yards on 46 carries, but this wasn’t the first time LSU’s backfield took total control of a game.

LSU’s stable of running backs has pounded opposing defenses all year. The Tigers are second in the SEC in rushing, churning out 216 yards on the ground a game, and have 32 rushing touchdowns.

It starts with Spencer Ware, who head coach Les Miles labeled as the hard-nosed bruiser. Then there’s Michael Ford, who packs a punch, but has a bit more acceleration. Alfred Blue is the slasher and Kenny Hilliard, a true freshman, might be the most gifted with his size, speed and power.

“They're very well equipped to run the football and to run it in such a way that they just wear you down as the game goes on from what I've seen,” said Georgia coach Mark Richt, who must prepare his defense for LSU’s running game in Saturday’s SEC championship game.

“Everybody's having trouble with it. That's why they're undefeated. They're big and physical.”

It almost seems unfair that LSU can rotate four quality backs throughout a game and have an offensive line that has played so well throughout the season. The O-line is pushing and pulling at the defense perfectly to get backs free and gets help from fullback James Stampley, whom Richt referred to as a “beast.”

But Saturday could be different for the Tigers. Their running dominance will face quite the challenge inside the Georgia Dome once the Bulldogs’ vaunted rushing defense says hello -- and it won’t be a very welcoming hello, either.

Georgia’s rush defense ranks sixth nationally (95 yards allowed a game) and is giving up just 2.5 yards per carry to SEC teams.

Georgia linebacker Jarvis Jones said he and his teammates aren't intimidated by LSU’s power running game. He said they’re excited to see what LSU has to show and thinks Georgia can match LSU’s intensity.

“We're physical, just like they are,” said Jones, who has an SEC-high 19.5 tackles for loss, including 13.5 sacks. “I believe we've just got to penetrate, get on the ball, make plays. When we get our hand on them, we've just got to bring it to the ground no matter what.”

You have to like the confidence.

It’s no secret that Georgia won’t be favored Saturday, but the Bulldogs are riding a 10-game winning streak and have one of the most underrated defenses out there.

Still, Saturday poses Georgia’s toughest defensive assignment up front.

“It helps to wear down a defense in the sense that our guys don't get as tired,” LSU offensive lineman Will Blackwell said of the Tigers’ running game. “We got fresh legs here at the end of the season. We've got three, four, maybe five guys that can all run the ball and run it hard.

“The best thing for us is we don't have to put the whole load on one guy. When one of those guys comes in, he can just pound it as much as he can and look forward to getting a little break.”

However, Georgia is no stranger to making plays behind the line of scrimmage. The Bulldogs are first in the SEC, and 12th nationally, with 91 tackles for loss and opposing offenses have lost 390 yards on those tackles.

“We've prided ourselves all year on being stout against the run,” Georgia cornerback Brandon Boykin said.

“If we can contain their run game, that will be a big plus for us and help us be successful.”

Containing it won’t be easy, but Georgia’s fully aware of that. A good running game not only wears down defenses but it opens up the passing game, something LSU did well against Arkansas.

For Miles, there’s no question his offense -- and team -- wouldn’t be this successful without its tough running game.

“We're fortunate there that we have guys that can step on the field and give us some advantages,” Miles said.

“We're capable any time you have those kind of guys. It allows you to run the football effectively. You have to have that matching tailback that can take a pitch and go speed or come downhill into a tight space and run with physical ability. I'd have to think that our running back group gives us that.”

You won’t pry the name of LSU’s starting quarterback out of Les Miles.

Don’t even try.

There are two quarterbacks and Miles isn’t afraid to play both or switch the starter up minutes before a game.

LSU has come this far with a two-quarterback system, so why stop now?

“It doesn’t really matter who starts for us because we know both guys are going to get into the game,” offensive lineman Will Blackwell said.

“Starts are just another stat.”

Senior Jordan Jefferson was supposed to be the guy from the beginning, but his involvement in a fight at an off-campus bar forced him to sit for the first four games.

With Jefferson out, fellow senior Jarrett Lee, who has had a troubled on-field past with the Tigers, took over. When he and LSU were expected to fall on their respective faces, Lee shined, playing near perfect for the first eight games.

If not for Lee, LSU might not be right at the top of the national championship run.

But as Blackwell puts it: expect the unexpected around LSU.

Jefferson returned after four games, seeing his production improve each week. In the epic showdown with Alabama, Lee struggled, throwing two interceptions and completing three passes, so Jefferson took over for most of the second half and led the Tigers on their game-winning overtime drive.

The quarterback race spiced up last week when Jefferson started against Western Kentucky, passing for 168 yards and a touchdown. Jefferson played until about 12 minutes left in the game, when Lee replaced him and drove the Tigers on an 82-yard scoring drive. However, 10 of the 14 plays were rushes.

Miles said he wanted to get Lee in earlier, but Western Kentucky’s defense changed things up, making Jefferson the more effective quarterback.

So, with the Ole Miss game just days away, Jefferson is the starter, right?

Pump the brakes.

Blackwell said both are getting equal reps in practice and Miles prepares both to be the starter.

“I can tell you that we have two quarterbacks,” Miles said. “Frankly, when I think about the quarterback position I think about both guys. We’re very fortunate to have two quality quarterbacks.”

“The fact that you can train two quarterbacks in the exact same offense and plays, and there would not necessarily be a change in script. With that being said, you have to have two different quarterbacks and be prepared to play them in key times in the season so that you can win a championship.”

Miles even keeps the starter secret from his players until the last minute. Maybe, because even he doesn’t know.

That could be quite frustrating, but Blackwell said it helps players prepare harder and for more situations. So far, it hasn’t affected the offensive players.

With each quarterback getting a heavy amount of practice reps, Blackwell said the line is properly prepared to block for the run-first Jefferson and the pass-heavy Lee. Both require different blocking styles, but after extensive work with both, last-minute changes aren’t a deterrent.

But it could be for Lee. He worked so hard while Jefferson was out and continued to flourish when Jefferson returned. To think Lee wasn’t bummed about being benched at Alabama or watching Jefferson start last Saturday is a bit naïve.

Blackwell said Lee might have hurt inside, but he never showed it. He never let it take away from his focus and it hasn’t been a distraction.

“This isn’t the worst thing Jarrett’s ever been through,” Blackwell said. “He feels fortunate for starting the nine games that he did. If Jordan hadn’t had his issues, he might not have gotten one start at all.

“It’s good to see a guy like that recognize a blessing and not hold his head because he’s already gotten more than he thought he was going to get.

“So it isn’t that bad of a deal.”

Still, the offensive chemistry has to be questioned if Jefferson officially takes over the offensive reigns after everything Lee has done for this team.

To Blackwell, it shouldn’t matter. This team has been through so much and met so much adversity that Blackwell doesn’t think the guy saying "Hut" will make a difference.

“Whether it’s Jordan back there, Jarrett back there or even Zach Mettenberger, we just want to win,” he said. “We don’t care who’s in there because we’ve all worked hard and we all want to reap the benefits.”

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Even though LSU junior center P.J. Lonergan is healthy, the Tigers will stick with senior T-Bob Hebert as the starter.

Lonergan is expected to play Saturday night. He's missed the last two games with a foot injury.

Sophomore Josh Williford will start at right guard for the Tigers and senior Will Blackwell at left guard.