AUBURN, Ala. — LSU coach Les Miles said he can use a hard-fought win over Auburn as “a tremendous lesson” for a team more accustomed to lopsided victories.

Lesson No. 1: Defense still wins in the Southeastern Conference.

Second-ranked LSU came up with a first-quarter safety and shut out Auburn in the second half for a 12-10 win Saturday.

Auburn led 10-9 at halftime but finished with only 183 yards — 86 rushing and 97 passing.

“We were tested, and we answered the call,” Miles said.

A fumbled punt return by Auburn’s Quan Bray set up Drew Alleman’s 30-yard field goal late in the third quarter that gave LSU its winning margin. Alleman missed a 34-yarder with 39 seconds remaining, but Auburn managed only one first down after Alleman’s miss. Auburn quarterback Kiehl Frazier’s final pass was intercepted by LSU’s Tharold Simon as the game ended.

“We didn’t finish,” Auburn coach Gene Chizik said. “There will be a day when we will. We will continue to grind and work until we can.”

LSU’s only touchdown came on a 1-yard run by Michael Ford in the first quarter.

Onterrio McCalebb scored Auburn’s touchdown on a 4-yard run on the last play of the first quarter.

Miles called his team’s performance “not perfect.”

“It’s something we’ll certainly be able to teach from in a very aggressive manner,” Miles said. “There’s work to do, but we’ll take a victory on the road at Auburn.”