Alabama’s Jalen Milroe made it a point to deliver Nick Saban his birthday gift.

Saban, who turned 72 on Oct. 31, said earlier in the week all he wanted for his birthday was a win over LSU. Milroe and the Crimson Tide delivered with a 42-28 win over LSU to take control of the SEC West.

“No. 1, it was coach’s birthday earlier this week,” Milroe told CBS right after the game. “So that was his birthday gift right there.”

Milroe gift wrapped the win personally with four rushing touchdowns on 155 yards as Alabama rolled up 507 yards of total offense. He also threw for 15 of 23 for 219 yards.

“The players did a great job in the second half,” Saban told CBS. “The offense did a great job of controlling the ball, kept the ball away from them. Got a couple of big stops on defense when we needed to get up two scores, so that kind of changed the game for us.

“I’m proud of the way our guys competed in the game. It was tough gut check when they scored right before the half, but they bounced back right in the second half.”

LSU scored at the end of the first half to tie the game at 21, thanks to a 75 yards-drive that took just 56 seconds.

In the second half, though, Alabama took control.

“The message in the locker room was one play at a time,” Milroe said. “Constantly just want to build and grow.”

When Saban was asked about the win for his birthday, he was all smiled.

“Yeah, I’m good,” he said. “Happy birthday.”

Mark Heim is a reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim. He can be heard on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5 FM in Mobile or on the free Sound of Mobile App from 6 to 9 a.m. daily.