When the 10 FBS commissioners and Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick established the protocol for the College Football Playoff selection committee, they allowed for the group to have a great deal of flexibility. They also instructed them to consider four criteria when evaluating comparable teams: conference championships, strength of schedule, head-to-head results, and outcomes against common opponents.
It's important to remember as the committee meets to select this season's playoff participants. Should the fourth spot boil down to two or more comparable teams on Selection Day, this criteria would essentially be used as tiebreakers by the committee.