Miles Comments on SEC Championship Game

“Recapping the Arkansas game, certainly we would have liked to have it end differently. There were some bright spots. Offensively, we scored 48 points with no turnovers, had 213 yards while passing and rushing for 200 yards. Jacob Hester showed tremendous effort with 126 rushing yards. We had as strong of a quarterback performance that I have been around with Matt Flynn. He is a gutsy player and competitor. He threw three touchdowns and ran for a two-point conversion. Everything we could possibly ask him to do he did. He was our offensive M.V.P.”

“Defensively, there was one play in the first half that we would like to get back. As we went into halftime, we felt like we were in pretty good shape. Then there were about five plays that we would like to have back in the second half, including overtime. We faced an exceptional offense and they were executing at an unbelievable level. There are reasons to improve. It is something that we are going to want to continue. You have to give credit to a great running back (Darren McFadden) and a great scheme for Arkansas. There were some tremendous performances on defense. Ali Highsmith had 15 tackles with four assisted tackles. He was our defensive M.V.P. He was all over the field.”

“On special teams, on a week where we were concerned about a kick return, a punt return and about matching a dangerous return team, we played very well. Patrick Fisher averaged 42 yards a punt. We held Arkansas to three yards on punt returns. On kickoff coverage we knocked the ball loose and got an extra possession. At some point they decided not to return their best returner (Darren McFadden.) I felt we played really well on special teams. Colt David continues to set records every time he kicks. The guy who wins our M.V.P. is Chad Jones. He goes down there on kickoffs and punts and makes tackles. He returns punts and kickoffs and is just playing extremely well for us. We are certainly happy with his development as a true freshman on our team.”

On what his team has accomplished so far...
“I’ve thought about how this season has gone. Certainly we would like to have the last game back. We understand what that has cost us in our national ranking and what it means. Right now, I would like to talk about what we are, and not what we just lost. What we are is one hell of a football team. I like our team, especially the character of our team. If you think about this football team, we have not been healthy since the first game of the year. Yet, no matter who we call on to go in and make plays, they make plays.”

“This team has not lost a game in regulation. I know it does not mean much to you guys (media.) The point is, in a 60 minutes game, we play as competitive as we can be. There is not a team that we have played that has bested us in the first 60 minutes. If you had to look at the length and width of the game, that is how it is measured. Then you go to overtime, and I think our overtime system is just as flawed as any other overtime system. It’s just the way it is and it is probably correct. You have to decide it then where it takes the length of the field and certain situations out of it. It is imperfect, but a darn good system. You tell me if there are other teams in this country that can say that. If you just give us ties, like in the old system, we are undefeated with two ties. Maybe that adds up as one lost.”

“Go find a team that has losses that only came in overtime. Go find a team that compares competitively with five nationally-ranked teams and has done extremely well. I am talking about our team and what we can be, not what we just lost. I think our best football is coming. I haven’t talked to my team yet today, but I can say this – there is too much character on this team not to understand that 10 wins, third-straight time at this school, has not been done before, is special.”

On the SEC Championship game and facing Tennessee...
"The opportunity to play for the conference championship, in the finest football conference in America, is a tremendous opportunity. You put me in that position, you will understand that I am excited. This team has achieved. I look forward and I am sure our team will look forward to preparing for Tennessee.”

“I understand that Tennessee is very good. We played them the first two years that I was here. Both games were decided late in the game. It is a very competitive team and our team is no different. They are very talented with quality men on both sides of the ball. I think (Erik) Ainge is a tremendous quarterback and can really throw it. Their defense includes a front seven of big, strong and physical guys. Their secondary has athletic talent.”

“Their receiving core is led by Lucas Taylor, who leads the conference in receiving.”

“Tennessee is better than they have been. We are going to have to play well to win. We look forward to that challenge. Let me go play for the SEC title. I am right where I want to be. There only two teams in this conference that get the opportunity and right to practice this week. There are two teams playing for the conference championship and I am thrilled to be one of them. I look forward to competing against Tennessee in Atlanta on Saturday.”

On how long it took him to get over the Arkansas loss...
“I did not have a great Friday or Saturday. I started figuring out all these other nationally-ranked teams that play these schedules and I am thinking ‘I like my team.’ Watching what has happened in college football has helped me. Last Saturday helped me a lot. The people that were competing, with their schedules, who they played and who they have lost to makes me pretty proud of our team. It helped me a lot to watch how Saturday unfolded.”

On how the defense has struggled lately...
“The Arkansas game in certain personnel, they didn’t have a chance. When they got to the running back personnel and started using (Darren) McFadden like they did, I have to admit they had us. Even when we could get an extra guy to the play, we still couldn’t make the tackle. That is Arkansas. I think it is unrealistic to look at a defense and think that they will hold them to 250 yards. We are playing quality offenses in this conference week in and week out. I want this defense to look forward to playing this weekend. I think they are due. The potential to play our best is right in front of us. We look forward to going to Atlanta and playing for the title.”

On the rumors of defensive coordinator Bo Pelini interviewing with Nebraska...
“Bo Pelini has not traveled to any place. I have been with him everyday. The only thing that I can tell you is I don’t know what your information is and I don’t have a lot of information on it. I know that he is preparing our team for our season and the SEC Championship. I can also say that I would recommend Bo Pelini to any school. I think he is a quality coach and wonderful colleague. He is focused on the task at hand and I don’t think he would have it any other way.”

On comparing Arkansas RB Darren McFadden with LSU WR Trindon Holliday...
“When No. 8 (Trindon Holliday) goes on the field for us, it draws attention and rightfully so. When McFadden is blocking, is it going to be a screen or an opportunity to dump it off to him? There is greater attention to that kind of a player without question. Would I have liked to have seen other strategies used to give us success against him? Absolutely.”

On the Tennessee offense...
“Their quarterback (Erik Ainge) is a very talented thrower. They have a real quality receiving group. They have not given up many sacks. Is there concern? Absolutely. I also like our match up. I like our guys rushing their offensive line and the opportunity to get at their passer. I think we will provide coverage. Our secondary will want to play more so in this game. I am concerned but our opponent should be also.”

On what he thinks of the current BCS standings...
“Beyond this weekend’s games, the opportunity for the champion should be a tremendous opportunity. If you win the conference, that conference championship should carry a lot of weight with a lot of people. I will wait to talk about this system beyond that time frame.”

On the formation penalty that nullified RB Jacob Hester’s touchdown reception...
“It was the most elementary formation that we have minus our first one. The first one that we put in is to go right. The second one is to go left. In this instance it was left-slot. One gets on and one gets off. It is not a complicated call but the situation makes it complicated. It is a very competitive game and one of the players substituted for that play. There wasn’t any special coaching. It was something that we have done routinely.”

On WR Trindon Holliday’s status for the SEC Championship...
“Certainly without him in there we are not as fast. I am very optimistic. He sprinted Sunday and I think he will do the same today. He will have a light workout and he will condition and practice with the team. Tuesday is up in the air but I think by the back end of this week, he will be ready to play.”

On QB Matt Flynn’s status for the SEC Championship...
“Right now, Matt is no different from other weeks we have been with him where he is a little worse for wear at the beginning of the week. I think he will take the reigns on Tuesday or Wednesday and continue to do the things we ask him to do.”

On some fans and media members saying a conference championship is less significant than in the past...
“Only two teams can play for it. Certainly this is a program that strives for a national championship, an SEC Western Division title and an SEC Championship. If there is a conflict in perception of its importance, it hurts the conference championship and demeans in some ways the game. In our conference it shouldn’t because you to have line up and play week in and week out. That might be the view of some of the public, but it is certainly not my view. I am thrilled to be in this game and look forward to competing with everything we have.”

On how confident he is that his team will be ready for the SEC Championship after dealing with the Arkansas loss...
“I think with the understanding that this team has achieved, it won’t be hard for them to understand that they are in an advantaged position. Only two teams in this league can qualify for this game and certainly we have done that. I am pretty confident. I have not met with the team today, but I am pretty confident, knowing the leadership and who I go to work with everyday, that they will understand pretty comfortably that we have a great opportunity in front of us.”

On the dramatic games that have taken place in the SEC...
“Just reviewing the games, the price of season tickets should go up, except for our fans because they expect those types of games. It shows how competitive college football is. It is a great sport.”

On what he saw out of Tennessee in its game against Kentucky...
“I saw exactly what I saw on film. They are a very talented team with the ability to throw the football. They made some big plays when they had to. They are a very competitive team.”

On if he has talked to his coaching staff about waiting till after the season to look at other jobs...
“If I worked on a different staff, then that is probably something I would need to do. On this staff, I think everybody is on the same page. There is no individual goal or professional opportunity that is more important than representing this football team to the best of our ability. This is a quality group of men. This football staff enjoys going to work with these players. There are no other views. There are no quick phone calls. It is about attention to detail, improving and playing our best in this game.”

Boone to get Help in Hiring next Head Football Coach

Ole Miss will turn to a nationally known headhunter to find candidates for its head football coaching vacancy, the school's athletic director, Pete Boone, said Sunday.

Boone said he spoke with Chuck Neinas, a longtime athletic administrator who owns his own consulting firm, on Sunday for over half an hour and has decided to contract with him.

The use of Neinas Sports Services typically costs a school between $20,000 and $40,000, Boone said. The value to a school is that Neinas operates discreetly and has contacts with coaches nationwide, meaning they can contact Neinas to let him know they're interested in the job.

"That person is kind of the filter," Boone said. "And certainly if we're interested in someone he can find out either one way or the other whether or not they're interested enough that we could contact their athletic director."

Ole Miss is looking for a coach after it dismissed Ed Orgeron on Saturday morning, less than a day after his team blew a 14-point fourth quarter lead at Mississippi State. The loss secured the school's first winless Southeastern Conference season since 1982. Orgeron was 3-21 in SEC games.

Boone met with Ole Miss players for a half-hour Sunday night at the team meeting room in the school's Indoor Practice Facility to give them reasoning for the decision, according to an Ole Miss release. Assistant coaches Hugh Freeze and John Thompson joined him, as did staff members Aaron Ausmus, Tim Mullins and Kyle Strongin.

Boone wouldn't say Sunday if the school had made contact with any candidates.

The selection of Neinas' firm places Ole Miss with a handful of other schools who have hired him. Ole Miss used another search firm, ChampSearch, in 2006 when it hired Andy Kennedy as its basketball coach.

Neinas (pronounced NI-nus) is reported to be assisting Texas A&M's search to replace Dennis Franchione, who resigned Friday. In a USA Today profile of Neinas last December, it was reported that he worked on six searches last off-season alone, including Alabama, which paid him $35,000, according to The Birmingham News.

Neinas consulted on the searches that led Butch Davis to North Carolina, Mark Dantonio to Michigan State, Randy Shannon to Miami and Tom O'Brien to North Carolina State, USA Today reported.

According to the article, Neinas' tactics are extremely secretive, and his firm even offers a background search performed by a former FBI agent. The Web site for Neinas Sports Services touts his ability to run a confidential search and a network of personal relationships.

A message left at Neinas Sports Services' office in Boulder, Colo., was not returned Sunday.

Before starting his own firm in 1997, Neinas served 17 years as the executive director of the College Football Association. Prior to that, he served nine years as the commissioner of the Big Eight Conference.

Boone Discusses Coaching Possibilities with Team

Ole Miss Athletics Director Pete Boone met with members of the Rebel football squad for about 30 minutes Sunday night to discuss the search for a new head football coach and give them an opportunity to ask questions, either publicly or privately.

Ed Orgeron, who had served as head coach of the Rebels for the last three seasons, was informed on Saturday that he would not be retained. An immediate search has begun for his replacement.

Boone was joined at the team meeting by assistant coaches Hugh Freeze and John Thompson, head football strength and conditioning coach Aaron Ausmus, head football athletic trainer Tim Mullins and coordinator of football operations Kyle Strongin. Several other football staff members and athletics administrators also attended the meeting.

A majority of the squad attended the meeting at the Indoor Practice Facility after having returned to campus following the Thanksgiving break.

“It was an opportunity to give the players at least some reasoning behind why the decision was made,” Boone said. “I also expressed my commitment to them to be successful, while making football fun for them and put more college life back into their lives, along with hard work that comes with it.”

A good portion of the meeting dealt with finishing the semester strong in the classroom and things like getting treatment for any injuries and going over post-season strength and conditioning opportunities.

Freeze and Thompson reminded the players that they represent the University of Mississippi and the plan is to move forward together.

Earlier in the day, Boone confirmed he plans to hire Chuck Neinas, president of Neinas Sports Services in Boulder, Colorado, to assist in the search to hire a new head football coach at Ole Miss. “Chuck Neinas knows people,” Boone said of the person considered by some to be the No. 1 headhunter in college football.

“We’re not going to announce possible candidates,” Boone said to the media, noting that if asked questions about who has contacted him or who he has contacted, his response is “I am not going to get into that on a daily basis. All I’ll deal with is the process, which needs to be well thought through as we look for the kind of person needed to lead these kids.”

Boone did say he already has a fluid list of possible candidates which could change daily. “The list may be 20 names today, 10 tomorrow and then 15 the next.”

Sox Sweep Halos with 9-1 Win

Unlike the last time he stepped on the mound in October, Curt Schilling didn't have a blood-stained sock as proof for his will to win. He didn't need it either.
The evidence was all in the way Schilling completely carved up the overmatched Angels on Sunday afternoon and pitched the rolling Red Sox right into the American League Championship Series for a matchup with either the Indians or Yankees that will open on Friday at Fenway Park.

Though more of a control specialist at the age of 40, Schilling was still at his vintage best in lifting the Red Sox to a 9-1 victory that closed out the Angels with a three-game sweep in this AL Division Series.

As it turns out, all the offense the Red Sox needed came in the top of the fourth inning, when the lethal 3-4 combo of David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez led off with back-to-back homers against Jered Weaver.

"You have to be excited about what's going on with this team," said Ortiz, who went 5-for-7 with two homers in the series. "We're playing good, hopefully the four or five days off doesn't affect us."

Eleven days of rest certainly didn't faze Schilling in this one. He held the Angels to six hits and no runs over seven innings, walking one and striking out four. In 16 career postseason starts, Schilling is 9-2 with a 1.93 ERA.

"We're trying to win the games," said Schilling. "Whatever I can do in the mix, it makes you feel good to contribute. How you do it is not really relevant anymore to me."

Now, the Red Sox -- who celebrated this win with champagne and Ramirez dumping buckets of water on anyone he could find -- will try to get the next eight wins necessary to achieve their ultimate goal. For those who believe in omens, Boston's World Series championship run in 2004 also began with a three-game sweep over the Angels.

This series was a compete clinic, as the Red Sox outscored the Angels, 19-4.

"Our main key was pitching," said Red Sox third baseman Mike Lowell. "I knew we would have to pitch well in order to be successful in this series."

Schilling left after seven, with a tight 2-0 lead. Then the Red Sox busted the game right open and all but punched their ticket to the ALCS with a seven-run barrage in the top of the eighth.

"[Schilling] gave us a quality start when we needed it," said Lowell. "Our bats did a good job in that eighth inning and we were able to put the game away."

Dustin Pedroia got that game-breaking rally started with a double to left that scored Julio Lugo. Kevin Youkilis added a sac fly. After a single by Ortiz, Lowell raked an RBI double to left. J.D. Drew got another run home on a fielder's choice. Jason Varitek added an RBI double and Coco Crisp produced a two-run single, and the rout was on.

In a tightly contested duel, the pitchers were the story early. Weaver took a tough-luck loss, giving up four hits and two runs over five-plus innings.



Home | News | Multimedia | PhotosThe Angels had a good crack at it against Schilling in the third. With two on and two outs, Vladimir Guerrero walked to load the bases. But Schilling got the out he needed, inducing Reggie Willits -- who had entered the game in place of the injured Garret Anderson -- into a foul pop that Varitek hustled to get to.

"I thought Schilling was outstanding," said Red Sox manager Terry Francona. "I thought from the beginning, he commanded, especially the command of his fastball to both sides of the plate -- in and out, up and down. He really pitched."

The missed opportunity by the Angels quickly became more painful. Ortiz led off the Boston fourth with a towering solo homer to right. Ramirez followed by pummeling a long ball onto the rocks in center field. It was Ramirez's 22nd homer in postseason play, tying him with Bernie Williams for the all-time lead.

It was the ninth time Ortiz and Ramirez have gone back-to-back since becoming teammates in 2003, and the second such instance in the postseason.

"Mike [Scioscia] put it great yesterday," said Schilling. "Pick your poison. Manny is seeing the ball well. There is no way to get either one of those guys out when they're both on."

Schilling had one last jam to deal with in the bottom of the seventh, as the Angels, following a leadoff double by Maicer Izturis, had a runner on third with one out. Again, Schilling came through, getting Juan Rivera on a popup to first and striking out Mike Napoli. Knowing his day was done, Schilling clapped into his glove and excitedly walked back to the dugout, where a crush of high fives and pats on the back greeted him.

"I think if you saw the way I reacted to it, you know how important I thought it was," Schilling said. "It was a 2-0 game at that point."

But the Red Sox put one giant exclamation point on the sweep following Schilling's exit and made the cloudless day in Southern California feel even more perfect.

"These guys worked so hard and executed so well in this series, and they have a lot to be proud of," said Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein.

In many ways, the day belonged to Schilling.

"It's one thing when you get billed as a big-game pitcher, but it's another thing when you actually come through time and time again," said Lowell. "I think he did an outstanding job and got out of some tough situations when he needed to, and then he was cruising through a good part of the game. He gave us a quality start when we needed it."

Now, the Red Sox will take Monday off and go into workout mode for three days, starting Tuesday.

"We'll be back Friday, New England," said Red Sox principal owner John W. Henry.

And the games will only get bigger then.

Tigers Prevail over Gators

Les Miles should head straight to one of those Mississippi River casinos.

Clearly, the LSU coach is on quite a roll.

The No. 1 Tigers and their go-for-broke coach pulled off one gamble after another before Jacob Hester hit the jackpot, scoring on a 2-yard run with just over a minute remaining for a 28-24 victory over ninth-ranked Florida on a thrilling Saturday night in Death Valley.

Playing as a top-ranked team in the AP Top 25 for the first time since 1959, LSU was in serious trouble much of the game. Their top-rated defense was shredded by Florida's double-threat quarterback, Tim Tebow, who led the Gators to a trio of 10-point leads.

But they couldn't hold off the Tigers.

LSU (6-0, 3-0 Southeastern Conference) took advantage of two second-half turnovers and barely converted a pair of fourth-down runs on their final drive. Finally, Hester powered into the end zone to give LSU its first lead of the night -- and the only one that mattered.

"We pretty much knew it was going to be a chance to win the game," Hester said. "Coach Miles said, 'I believe in you. I don't want a tie. I want to go out and win this thing.' When your head coach has that kind of respect and trust in you, you want to prove something to him."

Florida (4-2, 2-2) lost for the second week in a row, the first time that's happened to Urban Meyer since he was a little-known coach at Bowling Green in 2002. And, in all likelihood, the Gators' hopes of repeating as national champions have been snuffed out just halfway through the season.

"I don't know if I've ever done this, but I guarantee we'll be back," Meyer said defiantly. "The Florida Gators will be back. Smokin'."

Tebow threw for a pair of touchdowns and ran for another, leading Florida to a 24-14 lead with 15 minutes remaining. But the Gators, who failed to complete a comeback against Auburn the previous week, were the victims of LSU's rally this time.

"I thought our defense hung in there," Meyer said. "They are so young and the offense has got to move the ball. That's twice now. It's two weeks in a row."

LSU kept rolling the dice and coming up with winners. The Tigers scored two touchdowns on fourth-down plays and another after pulling off a fake field goal. Then it was Hester, bulling his way into the end zone to put LSU ahead with 1:09 remaining.

When LSU knocked down Tebow's final long pass in the end zone, the record crowd of 92,910 let out its biggest roar of all.

The Tigers should still be No. 1 when the poll comes out Sunday. And, with second-ranked Southern California losing to Stanford in a 24-23 stunner, really there's no doubt about it.

"We took great strides in showing our character and ability to come from behind," Miles said. "I like the way this team is coming together."

Miles helped the cause by going all-in every chance he got.

Backup quarterback Ryan Perilloux scored on a fourth-and-goal run from the 1 in the second quarter. Starting quarterback Matt Flynn pulled off a fake field goal that led to Keiland Williams' 4-yard TD run in the third quarter. Flynn tossed a 4-yard scoring pass to Demetrius Byrd on fourth-and-goal with 10:15 remaining.

But the Tigers weren't done.

First, with 7 minutes left and the ball on their side of midfield, LSU passed up a punt and went for it needing nearly 2 yards. Hester took the handoff and put his head down. The chains came on after he was tackled. First down by about the length of the football.

"I gamble more than you think," Miles said with the devilish grin of someone who doubled down and hit blackjack. "Their offense is a possession offense. ... They keep the ball. We knew if we got some fourth-down opportunities, we knew were going to make those calls. We were going to make 'em. We just knew that."

They did, over and over again.

LSU kept driving down the field, but found itself facing another fourth-and-1 at the Florida 6. Most coaches would have taken a chip-shot field goal and their chances in overtime. Not Miles, who apparently decided all the cards were going his way. He also was mindful that kicker Colt David already had missed from 43 and 37 yards.

Hester got the ball again and dove forward. The chains came out again. Another first down with less than a yard to spare.

"All the guys were hoping coach Miles would go for them," Williams said. "Even the defensive coaches were trying to get him to go for it."

On the other sideline, Meyer couldn't believe what he was seeing. Just how frustrating was it?

"Very frustrating. Very frustrating," he said.

Finally, Miles' players cut him some slack. On third-and-goal from just outside the 2, Hester took another handoff on virtually the same play that had worked twice before, falling into the end zone with his 23rd carry of the night.

Flynn leaped into the air and pumped his right fist. Touchdown, LSU.

Hester, who finished with 106 bruising yards, trotted off the field to another rousing ovation at Tiger Stadium, there the home team is 30-2 over the last five years.

Tebow got the ball across midfield on the final possession. But his final, desperate heave was batted down in the back of the end zone.

Facing a defense that had two shutouts and was allowing less than 175 yards per game, Tebow passed for 158 yards and rushed for 75. But the Gators let the momentum slip away with two turnovers.

"It is something that just cannot happen," Tebow said. "We have got to straighten it out."

The burly quarterback threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to Kestahn Moore early in the second quarter to make it 10-0, and scored on a 9-yard scramble late in the half to send the Gators to the locker room up 17-7.

LSU got a huge emotional boost on its first possession of the second half. At about the time Williams was scampering into the end zone to make it 17-14, Stanford was closing out its shocking upset of USC, which was still No. 1 in the coaches' poll.

When the score was announced, the crowd went nuts. But Tebow quickly silenced them with a 37-yard touchdown pass to Cornelius Ingram.

Miles Gambles Pay off in Tigers Win

Is Les Miles a gambler?

Or just a calculated risk-taker?

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Going for it on fourth-and-short is perhaps an easier decision when you've got as much talent on the field as any team in the country. Going for it five times against a ranked opponent, once with a fake field goal? That takes a little more guts.

"Coach Miles had the confidence to call them," said running back Jacob Hester, who ground out a couple of fourth-down runs to narrowly earn chain-measured first downs during LSU's game-winning drive against Florida on Saturday. "The defense, they knew what was coming and the offensive line didn't care. They went out there ... and made holes for us."

The No. 1 Tigers' dramatic 28-24 comeback victory over the Gators could go down as a signature moment for Miles at LSU, where he's had more trouble than one might think in validating his coaching ability.

He inherited many of his starters from former LSU coach Nick Saban, whose recruiting efforts in Louisiana brought the Tigers back to prominence this decade. Critics have been quick to point that out, even as Miles has gone 28-4 with two lopsided bowl wins since taking over in 2005.

Perhaps now the LSU fans who have faith in Miles' ability will begin to drown out the remaining skeptics.

After waiting nearly half a century -- since 1959 -- to play as the top-ranked team in the AP Poll, the undefeated Tigers (6-0, 3-0 SEC) got there under Miles and have retained that distinction for at least another week.

While Southern California was blowing a late lead, allowing seemingly miraculous fourth-down conversions to a Stanford squad it was heavily favored to beat, LSU was scoring touchdowns on fourth downs and clawing back from a late 10-point deficit for its most emotional win of the season.

"A good football team finds a way," Miles said. "To me, that's a mark of this team."

Miles has called two successful fake field goals in the past three games, one that went for a touchdown against South Carolina and another against Florida that led to 7 points.

Asked if he has more of those in his bag of tricks, Miles grinned and said, "Eight."

"There's the fake field goal option, fake field goal option-pass -- I mean, it goes on and on and on," he said. "We'll keep one ready for every game."

Of the other four times LSU successfully went for it on fourth down against Florida, two went for touchdowns. The most daring of those came with just over 10 minutes left and LSU trailing by 10.

At fourth-and-3 from the 4, the easy choice was a short field goal for a one-possession game. Miles opted to have quarterback Matt Flynn drop back. Under pressure, Flynn rolled right and appeared primed to try to run it in himself. Suddenly, much like Florida's Tim Tebow had done earlier in the game, he pulled up to throw. Demetrius Byrd made the grab to pull the Tigers within 3.

When Hester crashed through for his 2-yard TD with 1:09 to go, LSU had its first lead.

"Coach Miles said, 'I believe in y'all. I don't want a tie. I want to go out and win this thing,"' Hester said. "When your head coach has that kind of respect and trusts you, you want to go out and prove something to him."

Meanwhile, LSU's defense, which seemed to have no answer for Tebow and the Gators through most of the first three quarters, forced a pair of turnovers on a fumble and an interception on consecutive Florida possessions, then got a three-and-out the next time the Gators got the ball.

"Everyone came together and we were able to overcome the adversity and come out with the win," said defensive end Kirston Pittman, who came down with LSU's interception on a deflected pass.

"In the face of adversity and playing from behind, they played very well," Miles said. "I am proud of this team, very proud."

Rebs post first Shutout since 2003

-Seth Adams threw two touchdowns Saturday and the Ole Miss defense notched the Rebels' first shutout since 2003 in a 24-0 win over Louisiana Tech on homecoming.

Ole Miss (2-4) snapped a four-game losing streak while holding the Bulldogs (1-4) to 301 yards of total offense. Adams completed 16 of 32 passes for 167 yards and touchdowns to Dexter McCluster and Shay Hodge.

Louisiana Tech's Zac Champion threw for 144 yards on 16 of 27 passing, and the Bulldogs lost their fourth straight.

Danny Horwedel missed a 42-yard attempt in the third quarter, and Ole Miss' Brandon Jenkins blocked a 36-yard field goal attempt late in the fourth quarter and Dustin Mouzon returned it 55 yards for the final score.

Daniel Porter rushed for 51 yards for the Bulldogs, and Patrick Jackson added 48.

The two teams combined for four turnovers in the first half, and it was one of those that helped give Ole Miss a 7-0 lead.

Defensive end Marcus Tillman fell on Louisiana Tech center Lon Roberts' errant snap in the shotgun formation on the second play of the game. Three plays later, Adams hit McCluster on a deep slant for a 28-yard touchdown 1:32 into the game.

It was the first touchdown since Sept. 30, 2006, for McCluster, who missed the first four games of the year with a shoulder injury and the last six games of last season with a neck injury.

After Joshua Shene put Ole Miss up 10-0 at the half with a 27-yard field goal in the second quarter, Adams hit Hodge for a 17-yard touchdown in the third quarter for a 17-0 lead.

Louisiana Tech committed 13 penalties for 117 yards and allowed Ole Miss' first shutout since a 31-0 win over Mississippi State on Nov. 27, 2003.

The 24-point winning margin marked the Rebels' largest under head coach Ed Orgeron.