Then came the Miles-to-Michigan saga.

And LSU still fought through it all, beating Tennessee, capturing the SEC title, earning back its place at the head table.

That is the definition of a great team. That is the definition of a resilient team.

By Jan. 7, quarterback Matt Flynn will be ready, working in tandem with Ryan Perrilloux, keeping Ohio State defenders guessing. By Jan. 7, Dorsey will be completely healthy, ready to create his special brand of havoc.

By Jan. 7, LSU will be ready to realize its destiny. Let’s face it, this season has been insane.

I mean, 13 top-five teams have been defeated by unranked opponents. Before this season, you would’ve had to go back to 1996 for the No. 1 and No. 2 teams to be beaten on the same weekend. This season, the craziness happened three times.

Seemingly, nobody wanted to play for a national title. Definitely, nobody wanted to be No. 2, this season’s cursed position in the rankings.

There were moments when you could’ve pulled the rankings out of a hat.

Now we’re back to some normalcy. If there was a playoff system, I’d pick LSU to play USC, and I’d like the Tigers’ chances.

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But we don’t have a playoff system. We have the extremely imperfect BCS, and a finish that doesn’t go down very smoothly.

There’s no problem with LSU getting this shot, though. The Tigers are deserving, even with two losses. Now they have a chance to put a resounding exclamation point on this season filled with question marks.

If you still have a problem with LSU, just examine its lineup. Look at the speed and skill on offense. Study that front seven, its size and mobility. Hear that Superdome roar.

Do you really want your favorite team to play these guys? Do you really think Ohio State — or anybody else — has a shot in this environment?

Exactly.