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LSU quarterback Jarrett Lee had a steady performance in the No. 4 Tigers' 40-27 victory over No. 3 Oregon on Saturday night.

LSU took a 16-13 lead just before halftime, going ahead to stay, on Rueben Randle's 10-yard TD catch from Lee.

Randle caught the ball in the front corner of the end zone over freshman cornerback Terrance Mitchell — in the spot Harris would have been playing on defense.

The other LSU touchdown before halftime came when fill-in punt returner Barner fielded a punt inside the 5, took a couple of steps backs. That's when Tyrann Mathieu stripped the ball away, scooped it up after it bounced on the turf and took a couple of steps into the end zone.

LSU has won 34 consecutive nonconference games, the longest such streak in the nation, including all 23 in the regular season under seventh-year coach Miles.

"Our football team is united. They play together," Miles said. "You put a ball on the line and they'll scrap you for it."

Ware had 26 carries for 99 yards while Fort had 14 runs for 98 yards and two TDs, his second on a 16-yard run in the fourth quarter.

LaMichael James had one of the worst games at Oregon, even though he scored a touchdown for the 12th time his last 13 games. James had 18 carries for 54 yards, only five more than he had against Auburn in the national title game.

"I don't think we were ready mentally. We have a lot of underclassmen and people who've never played in a college football game," James said. "It was difficult."

De'Anthony Thomas, who scored on a 4-yard run in the final minute, had his first fumble when big defensive end Sam Montgomery reached in and stripped the ball away. The ball popped directly into the hands of safety Eric Reid.

After Ford's 5-yard TD, Craig Loston punched the ball out of Thomas' hands, setting up Ware's 1-yard TD that made it 30-10 after Mitchell was called for pass interference in the end zone.

Darron Thomas was 31-of-54 passing for 240 yards with a touchdown and an interception in a game the Texas native considered "bigger than the national championship." Thomas went to Oregon instead of LSU after Miles wouldn't promise that he could play quarterback.

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