BCS Rankings: Oregon and Teams That Have Bounced Back from Tough Losses

It's not easy losing your first game of the season knowing that may swing you out of the BCS Championship Game.

But the No. 9 Oregon Ducks have still had a season worthy to be proud of, even after their 38-35 loss to USC, and they've shown heart when it was all but assured they wouldn't be making it to the title game for the second straight year.

This list commemorates the teams who have struggled, but never let their foot off the gas, believing in themselves when they had every reason to fall apart.

3. Oregon (10-2, No. 9)

The Oregon Ducks have averaged 45.9 points per game this season, and scored 41 points against Arizona State earlier in the season without stars Darron Thomas and LaMichael James for most of the game.

Out of all the shocks this season, the Ducks' loss to USC was one of the biggest surprises for me, given I didn't think at that point anybody could beat them.

After losing to No. 1 LSU in the first game of the season, the Ducks went on win nine straight games, including a 53-30 thumping of Stanford.

They followed their loss to USC with a 49-21 dismantling of in-state rival Oregon State.

2. Georgia (10-2, No. 14)

After losing their first two games of the season to Boise State and South Carolina, the Georgia Bulldogs have stormed back, winning their last 10 games, including against Auburn and Georgia Tech.

The Bulldogs face a tough task against No. 1 LSU in the SEC Championship Game on Saturday, but they've earned this trip to the conference title game behind quarterback Aaron Murray and a solid defense that just limited high-powered Georgia Tech to 17 points.

Well done, Georgia.

1. South Carolina (10-2, No. 12)

There aren't many teams who can survive the loss of their starting quarterback and their superstar, but Steve Spurrier's South Carolina Gamecocks deserve a lot of credit this season.

The Gamecocks' only losses are a three-point defeat to Auburn and a defeat to then-No. 7 Arkansas, and they just rocked then-No. 17 Clemson, 34-13.

They've done this with their backup quarterback and after the loss of running back Marcus Lattimore.

It's too bad the Gamecocks aren't headed for a BCS bowl game because they certainly deserve it.