BCS Rankings: Contenders and Pretenders of the Week 13 BCS Top 25

In a season as short as the college football season, ranking teams is a very fluid task. One week can drastically alter the perception of a team.

During this past weekend's rivalry games, we again learned which teams were overrated and which teams may have been flying too far under the radar.

Clemson: Pretender

The Tigers fooled us again this season with another late-season collapse, but Clemson's problems rarely come from big games like their in-state clash with South Carolina. Many thought the Tigers would bounce back from last week's debacle in Raleigh and play very well in Columbia.

As things played out, the Gamecocks dominated Clemson, holding the high-powered Chad Morris offense to only 13 points in a 34-13 rout.

The Tigers get a chance to right their ship next week in the ACC Championship Game, but this team is nowhere near the team it was after its 8-0 start.

Houston: Contender

Many thought Houston was ripe for the picking as they traveled to Tulsa for a de facto Conference USA West Division title game. The Golden Hurricane had the ability to keep pace with Case Keenum and the Cougars, and their only losses were to top 10 teams.

On Friday, Houston proved many of its doubters wrong, turning what appeared to be a competitive game into a 48-16 rout, completing a 12-0 regular season.

The much-maligned defense held quarterback G.J. Kinne in check for most of the afternoon, and the Cougars now stand just one win away from a BCS bowl bid.

Notre Dame: Pretender

A record of 8-3 was seen as a disappointment for Notre Dame through 11 games with their offensive power and relatively light schedule, but the Irish had a great opportunity to salvage their season with a big road win at Stanford.

Like they did a month ago against USC, Notre Dame's offense was shut out for the first 30 minutes, and the Irish never seriously threatened Andrew Luck and the Cardinal in the second half. Once again, the big stage was too much for a program that has been on the big stage more than any other throughout its history.

South Carolina: Contender

SEC East teams have been hard to gauge this season, as the division is the worst it's been since it came into existence in 1992. Georgia won the division without playing the top three teams in the SEC West, and South Carolina was blown out against Arkansas while missing both Alabama and LSU.

The Gamecocks have been unimpressive even in victory this season (Navy by three, Tennessee by 11, Florida by five), but for the first time since September, Steve Spurrier's team played a complete game in a blowout of Clemson. Despite the division being down, 10-2 is a major accomplishment for a program without a winning tradition.

Penn State: Pretender

Even in a negative light, it's refreshing to again be able to talk about Penn State's on-field performance. With the division title on the line, the Nittany Lions were not competitive in Madison, getting run over by Montee Ball and again struggling offensively.

PSU has dropped two of their last three after an 8-1 start.

It's apparent that their success in September and October, which featured only two wins over teams that finished with winning records, was mostly smoke and mirrors. Even at 9-3, Penn State's bowl destination may be complicated by its off-field issues.

Wisconsin: Contender

Those back-to-back devastating losses to Michigan State and Ohio State seem like a long time ago for Wisconsin. The Badgers running game is again dominating opponents, and Wisconsin rolled into the first Big Ten Championship Game with a 45-7 rout of Penn State.

Had the Badgers not given up a terrible touchdown to the Buckeyes in the final minute, they may be in the national title mix with a chance to avenge their only loss of the season next week against Michigan State. However, a return trip to Pasadena would be a nice consolation prize for a team clicking on all cylinders at the moment.