Were it not for the ability to rally from healthy deficits, LSU would not have won the national championship a year ago.
That was true last weekend as well when the Tigers bounced back from an 11-point halftime deficit against Auburn.
LSU scored the winning touchdown on a Jarrett Lee-to-Brandon LaFell pass with slightly more than a minute left in its 26-21 win.
Coach Les Miles was confident at halftime that his team would once again respond successfully in the second half.
"Our players understand how to play from behind,"
Miles said Monday. "We're very competitive. Our locker room at halftime was just like it's supposed to be. There was some great leadership in there. They said it's time to do the things they came here to do."
Lee, who replaced injured Andrew Hatch, guided LSU to three touchdowns and a field goal in the second half. Auburn also lost a 10-point lead last season against LSU. Florida, Alabama and BCS title game opponent Ohio State were the other teams who saw the Tigers rally from double-digit deficits.
"In that second half, it was not only the quarterback,"
Miles said. "The intensity of our level of play was raised. The leaders on our team have been through tough times. They understand the games are going to be tight."
"Anytime you go on the road and have to overcome adversity, rallying to win shows how competitive the players are. They have poise and courage. I can't say it enough. They are competitive. That's it."
The win was LSU's first at Auburn in 10 years.
Hatch, who led LSU to its only first half points on a Colt David field goal, suffered a mild concussion early in the third quarter and was unable to return.
On Monday, Miles said he expects Hatch to play Saturday against Mississippi State.
"I would be optimistic that (Hatch) will play this weekend,"
Miles said. "It's likely that he will play. Just listening to the trainers, I think he'll play. I don't know yet who will start. Whoever the starter is will play well."
Miles indicated that he has been pleased with the progress of both quarterbacks. As far as Miles is concerned, the starter is not an issue.
"Our quarterback position has made progress,"
Miles said. "They just haven't had enough snaps yet to have seen all the progress. Both quarterbacks are going to play. So, it doesn't make that much of a difference as to who is the starter."
"Changing the name of the guy who goes on the field first is not a big thing. We're going to rally around the guy who plays quarterback."
Miles must prevent his team from a having a letdown against a Mississippi State team that has lost three of its first four games.
"We have to be ready to play,"
Miles said. "The key is that we have to be ready to improve. This team is in a good position."
"It's coming off a hard-fought victory on the road where it had not had success in the past. That's a good place to teach from. We were better last week. Now, we have to do it for four quarters."
