LSU coach Les Miles poses with the Associated Press College Football National Championship Trophy. Miles collected the hardware Tuesday in New Orleans.

New Orleans ? For the first time, a team with two losses ended up No. 1.

LSU climbed to the top of the Associated Press college football poll for the third time this season, winning its second title after beating Ohio State 38-24 in the BCS national championship game Monday night.

“This truly is a great team,” LSU coach Les Miles said. “There may be more talented … but this is the best team.”

Right behind the Tigers, who received 60 of 65 first-place votes from the media panel, was another Southeastern Conference team. Georgia was No. 2, making the SEC the first league since the Big 8 in 1971 to have the top two teams in the final AP poll. National champion Nebraska was followed by Oklahoma that season.

Southern California, which started this season ranked No. 1, finished No. 3. Missouri was fourth, its best finish in the AP poll, and Ohio State fell from No. 1 to No. 5 after losing the title game.

Georgia received three first-place votes, USC got one, and so did No. 7 Kansas.

The last time four teams received first-place votes in the final AP poll was after the 1977 season, when No. 1 Notre Dame, No. 2 Alabama, No. 3 Arkansas and No. 4 Texas split up the top votes.

It was the first time a team with two losses finished No. 1.