LSU vs. Mississippi State: Out of the BCS, Tigers make new goals

A return trip to the BCS national title game is pretty much dead. So are a second straight SEC or SEC West title. What do the LSU Tigers still have to play for? Plenty, as The Advocate out of Baton, Rouge, La., writes.

The team's list of goals isn't completely erased, just trimmed from the top following a 21-17 loss to No. 1 Alabama that all but eliminated the Tigers from national title contention. No. 9 LSU hosts No. 22 Mississippi State this weekend and finishes the regular season with Ole Miss and Arkansas, so SEC positioning for a better bowl game is definitely still at stake.

The report mentions how two years ago, a loss to Auburn ended previously undefeated LSU's national title hopes, but a strong finish and Cotton Bowl win gave players confidence and launched the next season's undefeated run to the BCS title game.

Ending the year on a high note is important to this year's Tigers, too:

"The goals are to finish strong and win our last few games," defensive end Barkevious Mingo said. "There's still a lot to play for."