Mike Aresco is fired up, and rightfully so.

The American Athletic Conference commissioner, a seasoned veteran of college football, looks at the various rankings and can't believe what he sees.

There are four Power Five conference schools with three losses slotted between 12th and 17th in the latest College Football Playoff rankings.

Houston, the only school in the country with two wins over teams ranked in the Top 5, is relegated to No. 20 by the College Football Playoff Selection Committee.

Just last Thursday, an unranked Houston outfit destroyed No. 5 Louisville, 36-10, on national television. Louisville only fell to No. 11 in this week's Associated Press Top 25 while Houston returned to the rankings at No. 18.

Navy beat writer Bill Wagner previews the Midshipmen's coming game against SMU. Navy beat writer Bill Wagner previews the Midshipmen's coming game against SMU. SEE MORE VIDEOS

"Does that make sense after what you saw the other night?" Aresco asked rhetoricaly. "Didn't anybody watch that beatdown? That result should have elevated our entire league."

As far as Aresco is concerned, the entire American Athletic Conference has not gotten the respect it deserves this season. Navy, which is 8-2 and the West Division champion, still is not ranked in the AP Top 25. The Midshipmen did debut in the College Football Playoff rankings at No. 25.

Houston is the only other American member in the AP Top 25 and the CFP rankings, checking in at No. 18 and No. 20, respectively.

Navy has clinched a playoff berth in the American Athletic Conference; Temple hopes to join it. Navy has clinched a playoff berth in the American Athletic Conference; Temple hopes to join it. SEE MORE VIDEOS

South Florida, which is 9-2 with one of those losses coming at the hands of Florida State (No. 15 AP, No. 14 CFP), has not been ranked all season. USF is the only AAC school to knock off Navy and head coach Ken Niumatalolo is still raving about the overall speed and talent of the team that resides in Tampa.

Temple (8-3), which currently sits in first place of the AAC East Division by tiebreaker over South Florida, has not been ranked all season. Tulsa, which came within a whisker of ending Navy's impressive winning streak at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, has not registered a blip on the radar.

"I think our teams have been underappreciated and underranked all year," Aresco said. "I think USF should be ranked. I think Temple should be ranked. I thought Navy should have been ranked weeks ago and should be higher now. I think Houston should be in the Top 10. I don't know why people aren't talking about Tulsa."

Aresco is concerned because the College Football Playoff rankings have serious implications. The highest-rated Group of Five Conference champion is awarded a berth in a New Year's Six Bowl. As things presently stand, Western Michigan (11-0) of the Mid-American Conference is on pace to earn that spot in the Cotton Bowl.

According to published reports, the Cotton Bowl payout is $3,625,000 per team. That is some serious money and will provide a major lift to whichever conference gets the bid. Navy is slated to appear in the Armed Forces Bowl, which pays $675,000 per school. That is a massive gulf in terms of potential revenue for the American.

Aresco firmly believes the American is on par with the self-proclaimed Power Five conferences (Atlantic Coast, Big 10, Big 12, Southeastern and Pac-12). He is absolutely certain the American is on a higher level than its brethren in the so-called Group of Five (Conference USA, Mid-American, Mountain West, Sun Belt).

Needless to say, Aresco cannot stomach the thought of the AAC champion not playing in the Cotton Bowl.

"We all know the system is flawed. It is clearly flawed when a team like Houston or a team like Navy is not playing on New Year's Day and teams with weaker resumes might be," Aresco said. "Unfortunately, we have to deal with it."

Aresco is particularly concerned that American Athletic Conference schools are being dramatically downgraded due to one or two losses. Navy fell on the road to a very good South Florida squad and dropped out of the AP Top 25 like an anchor. Houston, which was ranked fifth when it lost on the road to Navy by six points, plummeted out of the national rankings after also getting upset by SMU in Dallas.

"I think there's a double standard at work here. I respect the committee, but I truly believe there is a double standard," Aresco said. "I think the P5 is treated differently than we are. I don't think there's an appreciation for how good our league is, how tough it is from top to bottom."

As evidence, Aresco points to the case of Houston, which opened the season by soundly defeating third-ranked Oklahoma, 33-23.

"If Houston was in a P5 league, with the two big-time wins it has and the overall record, it would be Top 5 right now. The Cougars would be fighting for a playoff berth. Nobody has two wins like that. That has to count for something," Aresco said.