Throughout most of the season, LSU has been ranked near the top of the national polls in large part because of a defense that stood among the nation's best in all four major statistical categories.

Even when the Tigers lost in three overtimes at Kentucky on Oct. 13, they only allowed 375 total yards. More important, they stayed alive in the national championship race.

All of those factors took a major hit in a 50-48, triple-overtime home loss to Arkansas on Nov. 23. The defeat itself sent fifth-ranked LSU (10-2, 6-2 SEC) tumbling out of the national championship picture. Now the Tigers must pick up the pieces in time to play Tennessee for the SEC championship in Atlanta on Dec. 1.

"It's hard; a lot of people are still talking about the game. ... We're trying to refocus, turn all our attention toward Tennessee," LSU defensive end Tyson Jackson said. "We're human. We're still going to think about it every now and then. We have to try our best to put it away. This is a veteran ballclub. I don't think it will be a hard task to get everybody refocused. We're looking forward to Tennessee."

The Tigers also need to get back on track on defense. By allowing 466 yards of total offense in a 41-24 victory at Ole Miss on Nov. 17 and 513 yards six days later against Arkansas, the defense suddenly finds itself the subject of criticism and doubt.

"It's just something that you're going to deal with, especially when you lose a game," LSU middle linebacker Darry Beckwith told the Baton Rouge Advocate. "It's something you have to deal with and just keep pressing on, get ready for the next game."

While the Tigers go about the process of preparing for Tennessee, it remains to be seen who will be running the defense throughout the week and on Dec. 1. As of Nov. 27, defensive coordinator Bo Pelini had emerged as the leading candidate to become the head coach at Nebraska. Media reports in both Nebraska and Louisiana said Pelini met with Nebraska athletic director Tom Obsorne twice since the Arkansas game. Pelini has denied media interview requests and Miles has danced around the question, just as he has about his own possible interest in becoming the next head coach at Michigan.

"Coach Pelini is a great coach," defensive end Kirston Pittman told the Advocate. "He does a great job of getting us focused and keeping us zoned in on the task at hand, so I know he won't have a problem staying focused.

"We really can't get caught up in that. That's coach Pelini's decision, and I know he'll make the best decision for he and his family when it's time, but I don't think he'll be distracted at all."

In the meantime, the Tigers have to learn from last week's mistakes and get ready for a Tennessee team that threw seven touchdown passes in a 52-50, four-overtime victory at Kentucky last week.

While it's easy for fans to question why Pelini didn't blitz more against Arkansas, the reality is that the one-on-one coverage struggles of cornerback Jonathan Zenon and nickel safety Danny McCrary and the nature of Arkansas' misdirection offense with tailback Darren McFadden at quarterback made it difficult for LSU to blitz effectively.

"Every time you blitz, you leave holes in your defense," Pittman said. "You send a few guys off the corner, or you might send someone up the middle, and that leaves the middle of the field open, or the flat open, or the hash open, or whatever it may be. You take a gamble every time you blitz."

Ultimately, as Pittman indicated, it's up to the coaches to put the players in the right position, but then it's up to the players to make plays.

"We had a great scheme against Arkansas," Pittman said. "We had people in position to make plays every play, but sometimes those (Arkansas) guys wanted it a little bit more, and they made the play."

--DT Glenn Dorsey's impact always goes beyond stats because of his ability to control the line of scrimmage and provide a foundation for the defense. Through 12 games, Dorsey has 61 tackles, 11.5 for loss and six sacks with four pass breakups and four quarterback hurries. He's played the past four games with a nagging right knee injury and played the past two with a sore lower back that often forced him to the sideline against Arkansas, but he still managed to make five solo tackles. When he's not making plays, Dorsey is at least controlling his area and allowing his teammates to make plays. Dorsey is a finalist for the Lombardi Award, the Outland Trophy and the Bednarik Trophy and a semifinalist for the Nagurski Award and the Lott Trophy.

--WR Early Doucet's season got off to strong start, but he missed four consecutive games. Despite missing so much game time, he came back to play an important role in victories over Auburn and Alabama. He still stands second on the team with 45 receptions for 445 receiving yards and four touchdowns. His experienced has been a boost for LSU's young receivers this season, but he made an inexplicable mistake in the Arkansas game, wiping out a 54-yard touchdown pass by lining up on the line in the slot, turning himself into an ineligible receiver.

--OLB Ali Highsmith remains one of the most important and active players on one of the nation's best defenses. Highsmith is second on the team with 86 tackles to go with 7.5 tackles for losses, 1.5 sacks, seven quarterback hurries, eight pass breakups and a forced fumble.

--CB Jonathan Zenon is capable of giving defensive coordinator Bo Pellini an opportunity to get creative and take chances with the other defenders because he can leave his corners in man-to-man coverage. However, Zenon has struggled in man-to-man coverage late in the season and opponents haven't been afraid to attack him. Zenon has 35 tackles, two interceptions, a forced fumble and six pass breakups.

--CB Chevis Jackson is the other half of LSU's shutdown cover corners, allowing the safeties and linebackers to get more involved in the run game and the pass rush. Opponents originally spent more time going after Jackson than Zenon, but that's changed in recent weeks. Jackson has done his part with 37 tackles, four interceptions and 12 pass breakups.

--SS Craig Steltz's nose for the ball makes him a constant threat for a turnover, and he has responded with six interceptions, a fumble recovery and three forced fumbles. Steltz, one of three finalists for the Jim Thorpe Award given annually to the nation's top defensive back, leads LSU with 89 tackles to go with five tackles for losses and seven pass breakups.

--QB Matt Flynn has been hurt by an early-season ankle injury, dropped passes and his own inconsistency, but he's played his best football in recent games. Flynn has a knack for making big plays when they're needed the most. He's passing for 203.0 yards per game with 17 touchdown passes, and he's run for four touchdowns. However, he's completing just 55.1 percent of his passes, and he's thrown 10 interceptions.

SCOUTING THE OFFENSE: The Tigers produced 204 rushing yards and 209 passing yards against Arkansas last week. While QB Matt Flynn threw an interception on the game's final play (a two-point conversion attempt), he also threw three touchdown passes and ran for another score. Flynn doesn't throw for a strong percentage, but the passing game is still capable of making big plays. Between the various talents of LSU's running backs and the playmakers in the passing game, the Tigers rank 10th in the nation in scoring and 12th in rushing, with 40.17 points and 219.5 rushing yards per game.

SCOUTING THE DEFENSE: LSU entered the Arkansas game ranked No. 2 in the nation in run defense, allowing 78.3 yards per game, but the Tigers gave up 385 rushing yards against Arkansas, including touchdown runs of 73 and 65 yards. After allowing 466 yards of total offense in a 41-24 victory at Ole Miss on Nov. 17, the Tigers allowed a season-high 513 yards against Arkansas. Despite still being ranked in the top two in the SEC in all four major defensive stats, the Tigers are dead last in red-zone defense, allowing opponents to score 90.3 percent of the time from 20-yard line in. Opponents have reached the LSU red zone 31 times this season and have scored 20 touchdowns.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "This is a team that's fought tooth and nail for the entire time and won 10. Certainly there will be some disappointment off of some goals that were left behind. But I think everybody in this building will come to recognize when you start the season out, you play first and foremost for the (SEC) West and secondly for the conference championship. And that opportunity is still before this team." -- LSU coach Les Miles.

THIS WEEK'S GAME: LSU vs. Tennessee, SEC championship game, Dec. 1 in Atlanta -- After spending all season chasing a shot at the national championship, the Tigers no longer have a realistic shot in the title race. That leaves the SEC championship and a trip to the Sugar Bowl as the remaining goals on LSU's list. Those rewards should be enough to motivate most teams, but it remains to be seen if those will be enough to get the Tigers back on track after last week's three-overtime home loss to Arkansas. The defense must play much better than it played last week, especially against the pass. It's not going to be easy to create pressure against a Tennessee offense that has only four sacks all season, but the Tigers can't afford to blitz if they're going to get the kind of man-to-man coverage they got last week.

PLAYERS TO WATCH: QB Matt Flynn -- It will be easy to remember Flynn for throwing the game-ending interception on a two-point conversion in the third overtime against Arkansas, but the Tigers wouldn't have been in position to win without Flynn bouncing back a poor first half by passing for three touchdowns and running for a touchdown and a two-point conversion. Flynn has made plenty of big plays in the clutch this season, but he needs to get off to a better start.

RB Jacob Hester -- The Tigers rely on a number of skill players in the run and pass games, but none is more steady than Hester, who often gets the ball in the most critical situations, especially in short yardage.

WR Early Doucet -- He wasn't at his best in a big game last week, even wiping out a 54-yard touchdown reception because he didn't line up in the right place. The entire LSU offense is much better when Doucet is making plays and creating more openings for the running game and the other receivers.

DBs Jonathan Zenon and Danny McCray -- There's a lot of fault to be distributed throughout the defense, but Zenon and McCray stood out for getting burned for big plays against Arkansas. McCray in particular got caught out of position repeatedly.

ROSTER REPORT: The defensive problems against Arkansas were exacerbated by injuries to key players, with senior All-America DT Glenn Dorsey playing at less than 100 percent because of knee and lower back problems; starting SS Craig Steltz, one of three finalists for the Jim Thorpe Award, trying to play through a hamstring injury; starting FS Curtis Taylor missing playing time because of an ankle injury. All three are expected to play against Tennessee, but the nagging nature of their injuries leaves LSU vulnerable.

QB Matt Flynn and starting offensive linemen Ciron Black and Carnell Stewart also played through injuries against Arkansas. The biggest concern this week is Flynn's tender throwing shoulder. Flynn said the injury will limit him early in the week, but he expects to be ready to go against Tennessee.

LSU coach Les Miles said he is "very optimistic" about the status of running back/return specialist Trindon Holliday, who missed the Arkansas game because of knee and lower back problems.