ESPN College Football

David Helman writes : The home stretch for the NFL draft begins in earnest Thursday for LSU alums, as the Tigers prepare for their annual pro day.

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.”

Even as we turn our attention to the 2012 football season, there's always time to check back with the past from time to time.

The SEC released its last set of notes from the 2011 season this week, so we thought we'd take a look at some of the interesting facts and figures from the previous season.

For starters, how about a look at the SEC players of the week?

Week 1 (Games of Sept. 1-3): Offense - Vick Ballard, RB, Mississippi State; Defense - Tyrann Mathieu, DB, LSU; Special Teams - Joe Adams, WR/RS, Arkansas; Offensive Lineman - Rokevious Watkins, OT, South Carolina; Co-Defensive Lineman - Jaye Howard, DT, Florida; Luke McDermott, DT, Kentucky; Co-Freshman - Trey Depriest, LB, Alabama; Tre Mason, RB/RS, Auburn.

Week 2 (Games of Sept. 10): Offense - Tyler Bray, QB, Tennessee; Defense - Mark Barron, S, Alabama; Special Teams - Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina; Offensive Lineman - Alvin Bailey, OG, Arkansas; Defensive Lineman - Rob Lohr, DT, Vanderbilt; Co-Freshman - Josh Clemons, RB, Kentucky; Isaiah Crowell, RB, Georgia.

Week 3 (Games of Sept. 15-17): Co-Offense - Chris Rainey, RB, Florida; Marcus Lattimore, RB, South Carolina; Defense -Trey Wilson, DB, Vanderbilt; Special Teams - Caleb Sturgis, PK, Florida; Offensive Lineman - Wesley Johnson, C, Vanderbilt; Defensive Lineman - Bennie Logan, DT, LSU; Freshman- Odell Beckham, WR, LSU.

Week 4 (Games of Sept. 24): Offense - Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama; Defense -Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina; Special Teams - Brad Wing, P, LSU; Offensive Lineman - Barrett Jones, OT, Alabama; Defensive Lineman - Jaye Howard, DT, Florida; Freshman- Isaiah Crowell, RB, Georgia.

Week 5 (Games of Oct. 1): Co-Offense - Tyler Wilson, QB, Arkansas; Jarius Wright, WR, Arkansas; Defense - Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina; Special Teams - Steven Clark, P, Auburn; Offensive Lineman - William Vlachos, C, Alabama; Defensive Lineman - Sam Montgomery, DE, LSU; Freshman - Isaiah Crowell, RB, Georgia..

Week 6 (Games of Oct. 8): Offense - Connor Shaw, QB, South Carolina; Defense - Mike Gilliard, ILB, Georgia; Special Teams - Blair Walsh, PK, Georgia; Offensive Lineman - Will Blackwell, OG, LSU; Defensive Lineman - Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State; Freshman - Tevin Mitchel, CB, Arkansas.

Week 7 (Games of Oct. 15): Offense - Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama; Co-Defense - Corey Lemonier, DE, Auburn; D.J. Swearinger, FS, South Carolina; Special Teams - Steven Clark, P, Auburn; Offensive Lineman - Chris Faulk, OT, LSU; Defensive Lineman - Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State; Co-Freshman - Bruce Ellington, WR, South Carolina; Ray Drew, OLB, Georgia.

Week 8 (Games of Oct. 22): Offense - Dennis Johnson, RB, Arkansas; Defense - Dont’a Hightower, LB, Alabama; Special Teams - Brad Wing, P, LSU; Offensive Lineman - Ryan Seymour, OG, Vanderbilt; Defensive Lineman - Barkevious Mingo, DE, LSU; Freshman - A.J. Johnson, LB, Tennessee.

Week 9 (Games of Oct. 29): Offense - Michael Dyer, RB, Auburn; Co-Defense - Jerry Franklin, LB, Arkansas; Jarvis Jones, OLB, Georgia; Special Teams - Zach Hocker, K, Arkansas; Offensive Lineman - Cordy Glenn, OT, Georgia; Defensive Lineman - Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State; Freshman - Brandon Wilds, RB, South Carolina.

Week 10 (Games of Nov. 5): Offense - Jeff Demps, RB, Florida; Defense - Eric Reid, S, LSU; Special Teams - Dennis Johnson, RS/RB, Arkansas; Offensive Lineman - Ben Jones, C, Georgia; Co-Defensive Lineman - Jake Bequette, DE, Arkansas; Sam Montgomery, DE, LSU; Freshman - Maxwell Smith, QB, Kentucky.

Week 11 (Games of Nov. 12): Offense - Zac Stacy, RB, Vanderbilt; Defense - Dont’a Hightower, LB, Alabama; Special Teams - Joe Adams, WR/RS, Arkansas; Offensive Lineman - Ben Jones, C, Georgia; Defensive Lineman - Travian Robertson, DT, South Carolina; Freshman - Isaiah Crowell, RB, Georgia.

Week 12 (Games of Nov. 19): Offense - Tyler Wilson, QB, Arkansas; Co-Defense - Ron Brooks, DB, LSU; Danny Trevathan, LB, Kentucky; Special Teams - Blair Walsh, PK, Georgia; Offensive Lineman - Will Blackwell, OG, LSU; Co-Defensive Lineman - Malik Jackson, DT, Tennessee; Abry Jones, DE, Georgia; Freshman - Curt Maggitt, LB, Tennessee.

Week 13 (Games of Nov. 25-26): Co-Offense - Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama; Connor Shaw, QB, South Carolina; Defense - Tyrann Mathieu, DB, LSU; Special Teams - Ryan Tydlacka, P, Kentucky; Co-Offensive Lineman - Kyle Fischer, OT, Vanderbilt; William Vlachos, C, Alabama; Co-Defensive Lineman - Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State; Garrison Smith, DE, Georgia; Freshman - Kenny Hilliard, RB, LSU.

SEC Championship Game MVP: Tyrann Mathieu, CB, LSU

BCS (Yes, the SEC has won six straight)

• Since 2006, more than half of the slots in the BCS National Championship Game have been taken by SEC teams (7 of 12). The Big Ten and the Big 12 have two each and the Pac-12 has one.

• An SEC team has led or tied for the lead at the end of 20 of the last 24 quarters of BCS National Championship Game play.
• Since 2006, an SEC team has been ranked first in the weekly BCS standings in 26 of the 48 weeks, with four different teams holding the top spot. Florida was first for seven weeks, Alabama for six weeks, Auburn for three and LSU for 10 weeks, including all eight polls of this season.
• The SEC has had more teams ranked in the BCS standings for the most times than any other conference since 2006. The league has had 11 of its 12 teams ranked at one time or another since 2006 for a total of 238 times. The SEC breakdown: LSU (45), Alabama (35), Florida (33), Auburn (29), Georgia (23), Arkansas (23), South Carolina (21), Tennessee (14), Mississippi State (8), Kentucky (4) and Ole Miss (3).
• Since 2006, the SEC has posted a 9-3 record in BCS bowl games, more wins and a higher winning percentage (.750) than any other conference. The win total equals that of the next two highest conferences.

Bowls

• Since 2006, the SEC has accrued more bowl wins (36) and appearances (55) than any other conference. The conference’s .655 bowl winning percentage is third behind the Big East (23-10, .697) and Mountain West (20-9, .690) during that time.
• In January bowl games, the SEC is 22-10 (.688) against nonconference competition. Since 2008, the league is 16-6 (.727) against nonconference opponents in January bowls.
• In seven 2011-12 bowl games against nonconference teams, SEC defenses held opponents to less than its scoring average in five of those games. One of the two other games were in overtime (Michigan State-Georgia) and the other was Auburn holding Virginia to 24 points, when the Cavaliers season average was 23.2 points per game.

Random

• Over the last five seasons, Alabama owns the SEC's best winning percentage with a 50-12 record (.806). LSU has the most wins with 53, while Vanderbilt owns the league's lowest winning percentage (.355). LSU owns the best winning percentage over the last 10 years (.795) with a 105-27.
• SEC teams were 20-28 on the road against SEC opponents last season. Kentucky, Ole Miss, Tennessee and Vanderbilt failed to win on the road against conference opponents.
• LSU led the SEC with a touchdown efficiency on drives of 34.8. Alabama led in scoring efficiency (46.8). Ole Miss was last in scoring efficiency (20.1) and Kentucky was last in touchdown efficiency (13.2).
• LSU led the SEC with 129 fourth-quarter points and a fourth-quarter scoring margin of plus-95. Ole Miss was last with 41 points and a scoring margin of -36.
• Arkansas led the SEC in yards per scoring drive (61.9).

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.”

Chris Low interviewed LSU guard Will Blackwell at media day.

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.”

In keeping with our senior theme, here’s a look at our All-SEC team this season comprised solely of seniors:

OFFENSE

QB: Jarrett Lee, LSU
RB: Chris Rainey, Florida
RB: Vick Ballard, Mississippi State
WR: Jarius Wright, Arkansas
WR: Joe Adams, Arkansas
TE: Aron White, Georgia
OL: Cordy Glenn, Georgia
OL: Will Blackwell, LSU
OL: Rokevious Watkins, South Carolina
OL: Kyle Fischer, Vanderbilt
C: William Vlachos, Alabama

DEFENSE

DL: Melvin Ingram, South Carolina
DL: Josh Chapman, Alabama
DL: Jake Bequette, Arkansas
LB: Chris Marve, Vanderbilt
LB: Danny Trevathan, Kentucky
LB: Courtney Upshaw, Alabama
LB: Jerry Franklin, Arkansas
CB: DeQuan Menzie, Alabama
CB: Casey Hayward, Vanderbilt
S: Antonio Allen, South Carolina
S: Mark Barron, Alabama

SPECIAL TEAMS

PK: Blair Walsh, Georgia
P: Ryan Tydlacka, Kentucky
RS: Marquis Maze, Alabama

For the third straight season on the SEC blog, we pay homage to the top seniors in the league.

We changed it up a little bit this year and didn’t pick one senior on all 12 teams. Instead, we picked the 12 best seniors -- period. These guys all rose above and beyond in terms of on-the-field production, leadership and their impact on their teams.

There were a lot of tough calls and a lot of terrific seniors in the league this season, meaning several deserving players were left off. We looked hard at how players fared against league competition, their consistency and whether or not they were able to make it through the whole season.

Here’s introducing our 2011 SEC Super Seniors. They’re listed in alphabetical order:

Arkansas WR/RS Joe Adams: He was Mr. Versatility for the Hogs, scoring touchdowns running, receiving and returning punts this season. Adams earned consensus All-America honors as a punt returner and all-purpose player. He returned three punts for touchdowns and also finished among the SEC league leaders with 49 catches for 630 yards.

South Carolina S Antonio Allen: Playing the hybrid “Spur” position in the Gamecocks’ defense, Allen led the team with 81 total tackles, including 8.5 tackles for loss. He was everywhere the ball was -- forcing four fumbles, recovering three fumbles and intercepting three passes. He scored a pair of defensive touchdowns and earned second-team All-America honors by the Associated Press.

Alabama S Mark Barron: Widely considered the top safety in college football, Barron was second on Alabama’s team with 66 total tackles and the anchor of one of the top defensive backfields in the country. He was a consensus first-team All-America selection and one of three finalists for the Thorpe Award as the top defensive back in America.

LSU OG Will Blackwell: He moved from right guard to left guard this season after missing most of 2010 with a broken leg and was named first-team All-American by a couple of different services. Blackwell was a driving force in the Tigers’ bruising running game, which averaged an SEC-leading 220.4 rushing yards against league competition.

Georgia OT Cordy Glenn: A fixture up front for Georgia and one of the highest rated offensive line prospects in the SEC, Glenn has started the past 46 games for the Bulldogs. He settled in this season as one of the best left tackles in the SEC after playing left guard in 2010. He earned third-team All-America honors by the Associated Press and was a consensus first-team All-SEC selection.

Vanderbilt CB Casey Hayward: One of the top cover cornerbacks in the league, Hayward was a Walter Camp second-team All-American. He tied for the SEC lead with 14 passes defended and tied for third in the league with five interceptions. He routinely went up against the other team’s best receiver, won a lot more battles than he lost, and was a big reason the Commodores were able to play so aggressively on defense.

South Carolina DE Melvin Ingram: Already one of the league’s most feared pass-rushers, Ingram showcased his athleticism in the Georgia game with his 68-yard touchdown run on a fake punt. He became just the third South Carolina player in history to earn consensus All-America honors, Ingram tied for fourth in the SEC in both tackles for loss (13.5) and sacks (8.5).

Vanderbilt LB Chris Marve: The rock of the Vanderbilt defense for each of the past three seasons from his middle linebacker position, Marve led the Commodores with 84 total tackles this season, including seven for loss. His leadership was invaluable this season as the Commodores made it back to a bowl game for the second time in four years. He earned second-team All-SEC honors for the third straight season.

Kentucky LB Danny Trevathan: The SEC’s most consistent defender over the past two seasons, Trevathan has led the league in total tackles each of the past two seasons, finishing with 143 this season. He led all linebackers nationally with five forced fumbles, was second among all linebackers with four interceptions and led the Wildcats with 11.5 tackles for loss. While he didn’t get the publicity that some linebackers around the country did, Trevathan matches up to any of them on the field.

Alabama OLB Courtney Upshaw: Picking out Alabama’s most valuable defender would be a difficult task. The Crimson Tide have about four or five candidates. Upshaw would certainly be in that conversation, and it’s a no-brainer that he was the Crimson Tide’s top big-play defender. He’s second in the SEC with 17.5 tackles for loss and tied for fourth with 8.5 sacks. He also led the Crimson Tide with 11 quarterback hurries.

Alabama C William Vlachos: A three-year starter at center with 39 straight starts, Vlachos was a first-team All-SEC selection by both the coaches and Associated Press this season. He was also a finalist for the Rimington Trophy as the top center in the country. He consistently graded out as one of Alabama’s top offensive linemen this season, and helped pave the way for 27 100-yard rushers during his 39 starts.

Arkansas WR Jarius Wright: Already one of the Hogs’ most productive receivers, Wright took his game to another level this season as far as making things happen after the catch. He turned into the SEC’s best all-around receiver and set school records with 63 catches for 1,029 yards and 11 touchdowns. Wright averaged 16.3 yards per catch and also became the Hogs’ all-time leader in receptions with 165.

Making the SEC rounds on a Tuesday.

• It appears Cincinnati quarterback Zach Collaros will start against Vanderbilt in the Liberty Bowl.
• New Colorado State coach Jim McElwain is taking a page out of Alabama coach Nick Saban's book when it comes to dealing with assistant coaches.
• Arkansas running back Knile Davis' future with the Razorbacks is in question as the AT&T Cotton Bowl approaches.
• South Carolina defensive ends Melvin Ingram and Jadeveon Clowney keep pushing on the Gamecocks' defensive line.
• Auburn cornerback T'Sharvan Bell draws strength from a former teammate.
• New Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze plays catch-up on recruiting.
• Florida coach Will Muschamp says continuity will be the most important factor in hiring his next offensive coordinator.
• Mississippi State's linebackers have jelled this season.
• Safety Shawn Williams is the brash heart of Georgia's defense.
• LSU offensive lineman Will Blackwell shows his perseverance and talent in a distinguished way.