We'll take it: Good luck trying to find better LSU motto

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Upon further review, Les Miles is the luckiest man in America. Combine that with the best athletes in America and things tend to even out ...

Or result in the most clutch, exciting, disturbing, undeserved win of 2007. Maybe not in the country, but at a place more complex at the moment: LSU, where they specialize in clutch, exciting, disturbing and undeserved.

The Tigers' luck -- there's that word again -- changes again when they get the ball to Early Doucet in crunch time. (US Presswire)

After a 41-34 LSU victory over Nick Saban's current team by some of Nick Saban's former players in the Saban Bowl, the Tigers are now presumably over their inner Saban issues.

These Tigers -- who probably move up to No. 2 in the BCS standings on Sunday -- are also on a rocket sled to the SEC Championship Game. Unless, of course, they show up as unprepared and emotionally overwrought as they did Saturday night.

Which, of course, can happen when you're winning games in spite of your coach with fourth-down gambles (Florida) or one-second cushions (Auburn).

The Tigers were saved by a variety of factors this time. Four big Alabama plays were (rightly) reversed in LSU's favor, each one seemingly setting off a minor riot in Bryant-Denny Stadium.

The Tigers overcame themselves -- 14 penalties, including at least four personal fouls or unsportsmanlike conducts. They overcame 'Bama, finally, when safety Chad Jones sacked and stripped quarterback John Parker Wilson with 99 seconds left. Tailback Jacob Hester then broke a 34-34 tie with a 1-yard run with 1:26 left.

"I don't want to say we're lucky, but we definitely came through when we had to come through," Hester said.

Well, then, what would Hester call the Tigers after this fourth consecutive game (three of them wins) decided by seven points or less?

"Gutsy," he said, "Call us gutsy."

Miles was more harsh, which he should have been.

"We'll never play that poorly again," promised the Tigers coach who got a game ball from his players for surviving the emotional roil of defeating the man who left him with 17 current starters.

"But if (we) do, we'll take it in victory."