BCS Rankings 2011: 5 Teams We're Surprised Are Still Hanging Around

With the latest release of the BCS standings there a few surprises in the middle part of the rankings, including quite a few teams that we're surprised that have hung around this long.

Many times teams suffer an early or mid-season loss and never recover, but these teams went the opposite route and saved their seasons.

Here's a look at five such teams that have done just that.

No. 7 Arkansas

Arkansas suffered a Week 4 loss to No. 2 Alabama and despite many scary moments after that they've found a way to rise to No. 7 in the BCS Standings.

In three of the last four weeks, the Razorbacks were in trouble. They had to rally in the second half against Texas A&M and struggled to eek out victories against both Ole Miss and Vanderbilt. Yet they have found ways to win and behind and offense that's 9th in the nation in passing, have found a way to go 7-1 on the season.

No. 9 South Carolina

If the Gamecocks folded at any moment during the past few weeks, it would have been understandable.

They suffered a loss to Auburn. Their quarterback Stephen Garcia was dismissed from the team. They lost one of the top running backs in the nation in Marcus Lattimore to a season-ending injury and have only managed to score 14 points in each of their past two games.

Yet South Carolina continues to win with a defense that's fourth in the nation in points allowed (17.1) and don't seem like a team that's going to go away.

No. 10 Nebraska

Many expected the Cornhuskers to experience some bumps in the road in their first season competing in the Big Ten and they proved everyone right in their first ever Big Ten game when they got whacked by Wisconsin.

But they've won three straight since that game and their rushing attack, which is ranked ninth in the nation at 252.1 yards per game, has helped them fit right into the thick of things in the Big Ten.

No. 16 Penn State

The Nittany Lions sit at 8-1, but we still know very little about Penn State.

They were outclassed by Alabama early on and they don't have great all-around talent, but they've found a way to put together a winning streak.

They really haven't had a good win yet on the season, which they get the chance to do so in the season's final three weeks, and their offense leaves a lot to be desired.

Yet in typical Penn State fashion they have won with defense as the Nittany Lions are fourth in the nation in points allowed (12.4).

No. 22 Auburn

Give Auburn head coach Gene Chizik some credit for keeping the Tigers competitive.

Their offseason loses have been well documented and he's had to shuffle players in and out of the lineup, especially at the quarterback position.

They've lost to some good teams in Clemson, Arkansas and LSU, but have rebounded each time to win the following week.

One thing they can do is run the football and running back Michael Dyer is having a great season.

For as bad as they've looked in their losses, being ranked anywhere in the BCS Standings is an achievement for this young Tigers team.

They just won't go away.