LSU’s Jordan Jefferson is counting his blessings

Jordan Jefferson knows how lucky he is.

Louisiana State’s senior quarterback nearly ruined a dream season when his involvement in a preseason bar fight led to a four-game suspension.

“I did imagine that,” he said Saturday. “And I was going to do whatever it took to get back to this position.”

Jarrett Lee started the Tigers’ first nine games before Jefferson regained his starting spot Nov. 12 against Western Kentucky.

Jefferson finished the season with 684 yards passing with six touchdowns and one interception.

He is a better runner than Lee and should give Louisiana State more versatility against Alabama’s top-ranked defense Monday night in the Bowl Championship Series title game.

Jefferson said he and Lee have a strong relationship. If Louisiana State wins the national title, both quarterbacks will have made great contributions to the cause.

“Me and Jarrett have been through a lot throughout our careers at LSU,” Jefferson said. “So we can relate to some of the situations that we’ve both been in. And it just makes our relationship a lot better.”

Alert the scoreboard operator

Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart doesn’t expect a repeat of November’s 9-6 game in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

“I think it will be a very different game this time,” Smart said. “I don’t think they’ll play as conservative as they did the last time. They were in quarterback flux. They were in transition.”

Jefferson has started at quarterback in the Tigers’ last four games.

“They’ve got a stable guy now,” Smart said. “So obviously they may have more game plan for him.”

Keeping count

No. 13 is a lucky number in Alabama lore, as it represents the number of national titles the school claims in football.

Alabama won its first title in 1925 with a 20-19 victory over Washington in the Rose Bowl. That team, coached by Wallace Wade, shut out eight opponents and outscored 10 opponents, 297-26.

Bear Bryant coached the Crimson Tide to six titles, the first in 1961 and the last in 1979. Alabama is seeking its second BCS title after winning its first in 2009.

Louisiana State is going for its fourth national title, its first coming in 1958. It is trying to become the first program to win three BCS titles after winning in 2003 and 2007.

He speaks with a funny Southern (hemisphere) accent

Alabama defensive end Jesse Williams, from Brisbane, Australia, has tattoos covering his body, including one that reads, “Mum.”

“I guess the tattoos are a little intimidating,” Williams said, “but I’m a pretty nice guy.”

Williams (6 feet 4 and 319 pounds) did not start playing American football until he was 14 and attended Western Arizona Community College.

He was recruited by Louisiana State, USC, Arkansas and Tennessee before deciding on Alabama.

How did a guy with so many tattoos not get recruited by Ohio State?

chris.dufresne@latimes.com