Jefferson spurs LSU to seesaw victory over Ole Miss

BATON ROUGE, La. - Jordan Jefferson passed for a career-high 254 yards, threw for one touchdown and ran for another, and fifth-ranked LSU beat Mississippi for the first time in three meetings, 43-36, yesterday.

"I have definitely been waiting on a night like this," said Jefferson, who has been maligned at times by rabid LSU fans. "I'm just glad that [the passing game] finally came through when we needed it."

LSU (10-1, 6-1 SEC) trailed 36-35 with 4:57 left when Patrick Peterson returned a kickoff 34 yards to midfield, setting up a winning drive that ended with Stevan Ridley's third touchdown rushing with 44 seconds remaining.

Peterson intercepted Jeremiah Masoli's desperation pass as time ran out.

If LSU wins its final game at Arkansas next Saturday, the Tigers likely will earn a bid to a BCS bowl, their first since they won the national title in the 2007 season.

Ole Miss coach Houston Nutt said of his players: "You like the way they competed and they left their heart out there. That's the thing that I'll go to sleep with tonight."

Brandon Bolden rushed for 91 yards and two TDs for Ole Miss (4-7, 1-6), which came in needing to win its final two games to be eligible for a bowl.

The Rebels took their first lead at 24-23 on Bolden's 3-yard TD run with 4:34 left in the third quarter. The two teams, which combined for 890 yards of offense, then seesawed the lead throughout the fourth quarter.

Masoli finished 15-for-23 for 177 yards, one TD and two interceptions. Jeff Scott had 188 yards on kickoff returns for the Rebels, including three of at least 39 yards.

Jefferson was an efficient 13-for-17 with one interception, and Ridley's 89 yards rushing led LSU.- AP