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With LSU beefing up its passing game now that Zach Mettenberger is pulling the trigger, the Tigers are going to need a go-to receiver to emerge:

OUT: WR Rueben Randle. How important was Randle last season? He had more receiving yards than any other player in SEC games and was the only player in the league to surpass 600 receiving yards (629) in SEC contests. Five of his eight touchdown catches came in league games, and he averaged 19.1 yards per catch against SEC defenses. In short, when the Tigers needed a big play in the passing game, Randle was there to deliver. He led the Tigers with 53 catches in all games and just missed 1,000 receiving yards. He joined cornerback Morris Claiborne and defensive tackle Michael Brockers in giving up his senior season and declaring for the NFL draft.

IN: Jarvis Landry, Odell Beckham Jr. and Russell Shepard. The good news for the Tigers is that they have some explosive players at the receiver position. They just don't have that one guy who's proven that he can be the featured target despite defenses trying to take him away. Beckham had an excellent freshman season and was second on LSU's team with 41 catches. He'll be even better his second time around. The guy to watch is Landry, who's oozing with talent. He's also a football player. If you don't think so, go back and watch how he blew up a few people on special teams last season. Don't forget about Shepard, either. This is his last chance to fulfill his potential. He caught four touchdown passes last season, but was suspended the first three games, and at one point, was planning on declaring for the NFL draft. He changed his mind and is back for his senior season. The Tigers need him to be a more consistent playmaker. And even though he's struggled to make the transition to receiver, Shepard is still plenty dangerous in the open field.

Making the rounds in the SEC:

• Once on his way out, LSU senior receiver Russell Shepard likes what he sees so far from the Tigers' offense.
• A member of LSU's women's soccer team, Mo Isom, will attempt to make the LSU football team as a place-kicker.
• Auburn's Philip Lutzenkirchen is healthy again after undergoing shoulder surgery and is looking forward to settling back in at tight end.
• Auburn will unveil statues honoring its three Heisman Trophy winners in a ceremony prior to the Tigers' A-Day spring game.
• Georgia gets a commitment from receiver Tramel Terry, the state of South Carolina's top prospect for the 2013 class.
• Arkansas' players are set to hold their Pro Day for NFL scouts on Tuesday.
• Cordy Glenn and Orson Charles lead the way during Georgia's Pro Day.
• Top defensive end/linebacker prospect Stacy Thomas of Miami has Florida and Florida State as his top two schools.
• One of the participants in Texas A&M's quarterback race this spring, Johnny Manziel, has also been known to throw down 360-degree dunks.

Just because a team is projected to have a top-five finish doesn't mean it's perfect. No matter how good you think your team is, we're here to bring it down a notch.

And that's exactly where Brian Fremeau of Football Outsiders/ESPN.com comes into play. He has taken a look at ESPN colleague Mark Schlabach's 2012 Way-Too-Early Preseason Top 25 and broken down the weaknesses of Schlabach's top 5.

It just so happens that three of them are SEC teams (imagine that!). Here's what Fremeau had to say about them:

2. Alabama

"Alabama's defense will take a step back with the roster turnover, but the question is how big a step -- (Nick) Saban's past four teams at Alabama have ranked in the top 10 in opponent points per drive.

"The learning curve will be steep. The Crimson Tide will open the year against the Michigan Wolverines in Dallas, an offense led by Denard Robinson that was more efficient than any opponent Alabama faced a year ago. Special teams needs to be a point of emphasis, as well -- Alabama was below average on field goals, punts, kickoffs and kickoff return efficiency a year ago."

3. LSU

"The big question is whether LSU can take a step forward on offense. The offense was completely smothered by Alabama in the title game, but generating first downs plagued the Tigers at times throughout the year. LSU earned at least one first down on only 69 percent of its drives (49th-best rate nationally) and ranked 101st in producing 'methodical drives' (possessions of at least 10 plays). All eyes will be on transfer quarterback Zach Mettenberger in spring practice."

5. Georgia

"The focal point for next season has to be about finishing games and drives. On methodical drives of ten or more plays, Georgia scored a pathetic 1.5 points per possession (119th nationally and 2.3 points fewer than the national average). Late drives stalled in the bowl game loss to Michigan State due to conservative play calling and execution breakdowns. Georgia also needs to win the field position battle next year -- the Bulldogs were 63rd in field position advantage on the season, and all four losses a year ago were due in part to field position mismanagement."

My thoughts:

• Alabama will lose some key pieces to its defense in 2012, but I don't think you'll see the same team we all saw in 2010. That defense was susceptible to the big play, and the Tide isn't exactly returning a group of youngsters. Alabama's defense will be made up mostly of juniors and seniors next season, but there's no denying the talent gone. I am also interested to see who steps up in the leadership department now that guys like Dont'a Hightower, Courtney Upshaw and Josh Chapman are gone.
• At LSU, all eyes will be on Mettenberger, but it should be interesting to see what those young receivers do during the offseason, too. Russell Shepard is the lone senior returning to the starting lineup at receiver, and if his post-championship Twitter escapade was any indication, he still has some maturing to do before next season. A lot more will be expected from rising sophomores Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry. Beckham was LSU's No. 2 receiver last season, so he could move to No. 1 before the season starts. People think Landry can be a real playmaker in LSU's offense.
• Obviously, a lot of the focus in Athens, Ga., this offseason will be on running back Isaiah Crowell. His nagging injury issues became a problem for the Bulldogs, and the running game was inconsistent because of it. Georgia has pretty good depth at the running back position, but Crowell is the headliner and if he's going to be the guy again, he has to become more reliable for the Bulldogs to repeat as SEC Eastern Division champs.

LSU receiver Rueben Randle will also make himself available for the NFL draft, Randle's father told The Baton Rouge Advocate.

That means the Tigers are losing an SEC-high four underclassmen to pro football. Cornerback Morris Claiborne and defensive tackle Michael Brockers announced their intentions on Thursday to enter the draft. Receiver Russell Shepard has tweeted that he's leaving LSU.

Randle was LSU's leading receiver this season with 53 catches for 917 yards and eight touchdowns. Randle averaged 17.3 yards per catch and was one of the top big-play receivers in the league. Randle and Shepard were the only two players on the team who caught more than two touchdown passes this season, meaning rising sophomores Odell Beckham, Jr. and Jarvis Landry will be counted upon to assume much larger roles next season.

Here's the most up-to-date list of SEC underclassmen declaring for the draft. The deadline is Sunday:

• LSU defensive tackle Michael Brockers
• Georgia tight end Orson Charles
• LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne
• Mississippi State defensive tackle Fletcher Cox
• South Carolina cornerback Stephon Gilmore
• Alabama linebacker Dont'a Hightower
• Alabama cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick
• South Carolina receiver Alshon Jeffery
• LSU receiver Rueben Randle
• Alabama running back Trent Richardson
• LSU receiver Russell Shepard

LSU will lose two key components to its tremendously talented 2011 defense in 2012.

Sources have told The (New Orleans) Times-Picayune that All-America cornerback Morris Claiborne and third-year sophomore defensive tackle Michael Brockers will announce their intentions to enter this year's NFL draft at a news conference Thursday.

Claiborne's departure should come as no surprise. He won the Jim Thorpe Award, given to the nation's top defensive back, and was a complete cover corner, shutting down his side of the field in the passing game. He finished his junior season with six interceptions and defended 12 passes.

Claiborne is the third-rated player on Scouts Inc.'s draft board.

Brockers was a force in the middle of LSU's defensive line. He recorded 54 tackles, including 10 for loss, had an interception, defended three passes, and blocked a field goal in Monday's Allstate BCS National Championship Game.

A source told ESPN's Joe Schad that junior wide receiver Russell Shepard will also forgo his senior season and enter the draft.

On Wednesday, Shepard indicated through the Twitter account @LSUShep10 that he was leaving LSU.

"Thanks for your support Tiger Nation...but I have to do what's best for my family and myself...Geaux Tigers," Shepard said.

Shepard's departure would be a surprise, considering he has yet to really show his full potential at LSU. He arrived as a quarterback/wide receiver, but wasn't used in the offense as much as most expected. Following Monday's championship game, Shepard also tweeted his displeasure with only getting in for three plays against Alabama.

During his three seasons with the Tigers, Shepard has 52 catches for 478 yards and five scores, including two rushing touchdowns.

With the deadline for underclassmen to enter the draft Sunday, there's still time for all three to change their minds. Shepard might want to seriously consider his decision before he makes anything official.

LSU wide receiver Russell Shepard talks about LSU's offense needing to be more consistent and how hard it was to watch his teammates play when he couldn't at the beginning of the year.

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 State's 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 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 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 as 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 strictly 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 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 its 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 the 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 reenergized that program, leading the Commodores back to the postseason, while Kentucky snapped its 26-year losing streak to Tennessee.

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 Jones 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 but 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. Jones 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 just had his team prepared every week but 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 post-game 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 step 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 -- The entire state of Alabama will be on pins and needles while awaiting the announcement of the final BCS standings on Sunday night.

Oklahoma State’s 44-10 rout of Oklahoma on Saturday night was just what the Crimson Tide were hoping wouldn’t happen. Now, it’s probably going to come down to the narrowest of margins between Alabama and Oklahoma State for that No. 2 spot in the final BCS standings.

LSU, meanwhile, locked up its berth in the Allstate BCS National Championship Game with a 42-10 bludgeoning of Georgia in the SEC championship game on Saturday, and the Tigers made it abundantly clear afterward that they had no problem going through Alabama a second time to get their crystal trophy.

“We beat them at their house,” LSU receiver Russell Shepard said. “Now they’ve got to come to our house [New Orleans]. So I feel like we have the advantage. We didn’t play our best football that first game.

“Now, we have a full month to prepare, and there’s nobody I would want preparing us more than Coach Miles.”

LSU sophomore safety Eric Reid said that if the Tigers' opponent is Alabama, everybody shouldn’t expect the same kind of game. LSU won 9-6 in overtime on Nov. 5 in Tuscaloosa.

“It’s a new game,” Reid said. “The game we played in the past is in the past. We’ve got to go out there with a clean mind and clean slate and do it again.

“The name on their jersey doesn’t matter to us. We’re going to line up and play football. If it’s Alabama again, then we’ll be playing Alabama again.”

Reid added, “But, first, we’ve still got a little celebrating to do.”

Sam Montgomery, the Tigers’ sophomore defensive end, reiterated his sentiments from a week ago. In short, the ultimate way to culminate this season would be to beat Alabama for a second time.

“It’s one of those things that you want to go down the hardest path, so when you look back on these moments, there’s nothing nobody can say,” Montgomery said.

One thing that Montgomery doesn’t buy is that LSU won the first time simply because Alabama missed four field goals.

“I wouldn’t blame it on the field goals at all,” Montgomery said. “You have an offense. We have a defense. You have a kicker. We have a kicker. Pressure is a part of football. If you can’t handle pressure, you’ve got a problem. Get the right guy in.”

Shepard said the last time he checked, football was made up of three phases.

“At the end of the day, we don’t care what anybody says,” Shepard said. “We’re 13-0. If we’ve got to play Bama, Oklahoma State, Oklahoma ... we welcome anybody. We’re not scared of anybody.”

LSU senior offensive guard Will Blackwell said he didn’t think it was fair that Alabama would get a shot at the national title without winning its conference title.

“But I’m not a voter, and my opinion doesn’t really matter,” Blackwell said. “If we beat them again, we’ll be the best team there ever was.”

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.