LSU kicks it into gear to rally past Georgia for SEC title

Reporting from Atlanta -- Louisiana State got off to a slow start in Saturday’s Southeastern Conference title game.

That’s slow as in molasses.

The nation’s No. 1 team was held to 12 first-half yards and zero first downs before shifting its transmission out of neural and into championship drive.

Taking advantage of an early second-half fumble and a brilliant Tyrann Mathieu punt return, LSU overcame a three-point halftime deficit with two quick touchdowns strikes en route to a 42-10 win over Georgia before a crowd of 74,515.

Not that any of this allegedly mattered.

LSU was probably going to make the Bowl Championship Series title game even with a loss to Georgia.

But did LSU really want to advance on the heels of its worst performance of the year?

LSU overcame its sluggish start to cap a perfect 13-0 regular season in which it has clearly has been the nation’s top team.

The symmetry of LSU’s season continues toward New Orleans on Jan. 9. LSU won its two previous BCS titles, in 2003 and 2007, in the Superdome.

The Tigers, barring any surprises in Sunday’s final BCS standings, will likely face No.2 Alabama in a rematch. LSU defeated the Crimson Tide, 9-6, in overtime, in Tuscaloosa on Nov. 5.

A Georgia victory would have put the Bulldogs in the Sugar Bowl and likely given the SEC three BCS bids.

Georgia finished the regular season 10-3. The Bulldogs had won 10 straight games after starting 0-2.

Georgia squandered early momentum and a shut-down defensive performance but still led, 10-7, at the half.

It didn’t last long.

Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray’s fumble on his team’s opening possession set LSU up at the Bulldogs’ 21.

With 13:35 left in the third quarter, LSU finally picked up a first down. One play later, Kenny Hilliard rushed 15 yards for the touchdown that put LSU up, 14-10.

Georgia’s punt on its next possession was returned 47 yards by Mathieu to the 17. That led to a four-yard Hilliard score.

LSU scored again late in the quarter, on an eight-yard pass from Jordan Jefferson to Hilliard, and the game had completely turned.

The Tigers, who had five yards rushing in the first half, ran for 203 yards in the second half.

LSU entered the SEC title as one of the most dominant No. 1 teams in the 14 history of the BCS.

For the last two weeks, the Tigers have held a perfect 1.000 average in the BCS standings.

LSU’s most valuable player in the first half, though, was freshman punter Brad Wing, who averaged 54 yards on seven kicks.

Wing’s 67-yard punt, a SEC title-game record, pinned Georgia back on its own 13 and set up Mathieu’s 62 yard return for touchdown with 5:48 left in the half.

LSU’s offense was dormant as the Tigers had seven straight drives of “three and out.”

Tigers’ quarterback Jordan Jefferson completed only two of seven passes for seven yards.

Georgia led by only three because two Bulldog receivers dropped touchdown passes.

Tavarres King, on Georgia’s first drive, let a Murray pass slip through his hands in the end zone.

The Bulldogs had to settle for Blair Walsh’s 40-yard field goal.

On Georgia’s next drive, Murray found Malcolm Mitchell uncovered down the right sideline, but Mitchell dropped he pass only a few steps from the end zone

It was a costly blunder as Walsh then missed a field goal attempt.

Of course, the way the second half went, it didn’t really matter.