A college football program wants its head coach to do a lot of things, but none are bigger than the ability to consistently win close games—the ones that can define a season and a championship push.

Those who aren't able to do that usually don't stick around for too long. Those who do become known as "clutch" coaches and some of the absolute best in the business.

A clutch head coach finds ways to get his team on the right side of the scoreboard in high-pressure situations. He knows when to make the big gamble or the safe call in order to leave the field with his head held high when the clock hits all zeroes.

In order to determine the most clutch head coaches in college football heading into the 2016 season, I added up the career records in one-score games for the game's established head men. While some of these decisions could include late touchdowns to make the games seem closer, total wins and winning percentage in games decided by eight or fewer points are good overall benchmarks for success in the clutch.

Here are a dozen of the best head coaches in those clutch situations, and they are listed with several of their most notable clutch wins, from close victories against ranked opponents and rivals to high-pressure championship games. 

Alabama HC Nick Saban

Career record in one-score games: 45-27-1 (.616)

Notable clutch wins: vs. Georgia in 2003, vs. Oklahoma in 2004 Sugar Bowl, at LSU in 2008, at Auburn in 2009, at Arkansas in 2010, at LSU in 2012, vs. Georgia in 2012 SEC Championship Game, at Texas A&M in 2013, at LSU in 2014, vs. Clemson in 2016 CFP National Championship Game

You don't become the best coach in college football without a reputation for being clutch. Alabama head coach Nick Saban has built a dynasty in Tuscaloosa that knows how to come up on top when the pressure is at its highest.

But Saban's knack for coming up in the clutch was one of the best in college football before he got to Alabama. At LSU, Death Valley was a fortress, as his Tiger teams were an incredible 14-3 in one-score games. LSU's 2003 national championship team won three of those games, including a 21-14 Sugar Bowl win over Oklahoma.

At Alabama, he's won three one-score games on the road against his former employer, along with four more national championships and four more SEC titles. His most recent victory, a 45-40 thriller in the CFP National Championship Game against Clemson, included a gutsy onside kick call in the fourth quarter that changed all the momentum.

"He showcased in one decision his magnificent ability to adapt and cemented his status as the greatest coach ever—a living, breathing—and now gamblin'—legend," Bleacher Report's Adam Kramer wrote. 

Although Alabama hasn't had the same level of one-score dominance that Saban enjoyed at LSU, the Crimson Tide have had plenty of clutch wins under him. When things get tight away from Tuscaloosa, Saban's teams find a way to come out on top time and time again.

Clemson HC Dabo Swinney

Career record in one-score games: 16-11 (.593)

Notable clutch wins: at Miami in 2009, vs. Florida State in 2011, vs. LSU in 2012 Chick-fil-A Bowl, vs. Georgia in 2013, vs. Ohio State in 2014 Orange Bowl, vs. Notre Dame in 2015, vs. North Carolina in 2015 ACC Championship Game

His overall career record in one-score games might not be as good as others on this list, but Dabo Swinney deserves his spot on here. After all, he killed the concept of "Clemsoning" with his team's clutch performances over the last several seasons.

After starting his career with a 4-9 record in one-score games, Swinney is a stunning 11-2 in those contests over the last four seasons. In that time, he's turned Clemson from a big-game punch line into a real force. The Tigers' only two close-game losses during that span came against Florida State in 2014 and Alabama in last season's national title game.

As Scott Bordow of the Arizona Republic noted after the national championship game, Clemson "has beaten Auburn, LSU, Georgia, Ohio State, South Carolina, Oklahoma and Notre Dame" in the last several seasons—with the majority of those games decided by a touchdown or less.

"People aren't doing their homework," Swinney said, per Bordow. "We're not supposed to win any of those games. We won them all. In 2011, we won the [ACC] for the first time in 20 years. That was a big deal, and since that time, we've been as consistent as any team in the world."

A few seasons ago, Swinney wouldn't come close to a countdown like this one. But the way he has made Clemson in to a national power—and one that doesn't fade when the pressure is on—makes him one of the most clutch coaches in the country.

Florida State HC Jimbo Fisher

Career record in one-score games: 14-7 (.667)

Notable clutch wins: 2012 ACC Championship Game vs. Georgia Tech, 2014 BCS National Championship Game vs. Auburn, six one-score wins in undefeated 2014 regular season, 2014 ACC Championship Game vs. Georgia Tech

In his six seasons as head coach of Florida State, Jimbo Fisher has enjoyed more than a few lopsided victories. But when his Seminoles need to perform under pressure, they can rely on a head coach who has one of the best records in close games.

During Florida State's first ACC championship season under Fisher, the Seminoles held off an upset bid from option-running Georgia Tech—something they would do two years later in the same title game. And while Florida State breezed through the 2013 regular season, it needed a last-minute touchdown drive from quarterback Jameis Winston to beat Auburn in the final BCS National Championship Game.

The combination of Fisher and Winston came through in the clutch time and time again in 2014 as Florida State pulled off another undefeated regular season with six one-score victories. Five of their last six regular-season contests, including wins over rivals Miami and Florida, came by less than a touchdown apiece.

The Seminoles showcased more of that clutch factor after Winston's departure in 2015, beating Wake Forest and Miami by slim margins in back-to-back weeks. Their only close loss of the season came on a play against Georgia Tech that started as a potential game-winning field goal.

While the former Heisman-winning quarterback received a lot of due credit for his clutch play, the fact is that the Seminoles pulled off clutch performances before Winston—and they'll keep doing it with Fisher at the helm.

Kansas State HC Bill Snyder

Career record in one-score games: 36-34-1 (.514), 21-10 (.677) in second stint

Notable clutch wins: Eight one-score wins in 2011, at Oklahoma in 2012, at Oklahoma in 2014

Although his overall career record in one-score games isn't too impressive, Bill Snyder has been able to pull out that famous "Snyder Magic" time and time again in his second stint as the Wildcats head coach.

Opponents simply don't want to get into close games against Snyder's Kansas State squad this time around. He is 21-10 in one-score games over the last seven seasons, which makes for one of the best winning percentages in the entire country.

In 2011, the first of back-to-back 10-win seasons in Manhattan, Kansas State won eight games by a single possession. That included a stretch of four straight games that took the Wildcats from virtual unknown to a menace in the AP Top 20 poll. The next season, K-State knocked off then-No. 6 Oklahoma away from home en route to a Big 12 championship.

While the Wildcats haven't reached that 10-win threshold in the last three seasons, they have claimed more victims in tight games. In 2014, they defeated then-No. 11 Oklahoma in Norman and catapulted their way into the Top 10.

Kansas State doesn't recruit like a powerhouse program, but it plays like one when the games are at their tightest. Snyder's legendary career gives the Wildcats a lot of confidence in clutch situations, especially inside the stadium that bears their head coach's name.

LSU HC Les Miles

Career record in one-score games: 45-22 (.672)

Notable clutch wins: at Arkansas in 2006, four one-score wins over ranked teams in 2007 national title season, at Auburn in 2008, at Georgia in 2009, vs. Alabama in 2010, at Alabama in 2011, vs. South Carolina in 2012, vs. Ole Miss in 2014, vs. Florida in 2015

As Jon Solomon of CBS Sports wrote last year, "if you're judging by one-possession games, no one is better with a large body of work than Les Miles." In the moments that garnered Miles the Mad Hatter nickname, he's come through on top time and time again.

It wasn't always this way, though, for Miles. At Oklahoma State, he was 6-7 in one-score games. But when he arrived at LSU, all that changed. His first three teams finished their respective seasons in the Top Five nationally and notched big-time wins in the clutch.

Miles' best year for clutch performances came in 2007, when the Tigers won the BCS National Championship.

In the span of four weeks, LSU knocked off No. 9 Florida, No. 18 Auburn and No. 17 Alabama—all by single possessions. The Tigers overcame a pair of triple-overtime losses that season to make it to the SEC title game, which was a 21-14 win over Tennessee, and the pulled off a two-touchdown victory over Ohio State to win it all.

Since that season, LSU has racked up even more close wins over highly ranked opponents. Bitter rival Alabama felt the wrath of LSU in close games in back-to-back campaigns, and it seems like every contending team in the SEC over the last several seasons suffered at least one tough loss to the Bayou Bengals.

The immensely quotable, grass-eating and riverboat-gambling Miles has taken some justified heat for his play-calling in high-pressure situations over the last several seasons. But when the game is on the line, few head coaches can even come close to what the LSU head coach has done.

Michigan State HC Mark Dantonio

Career record in one-score games: 31-21 (.596)

Notable clutch wins: vs. Wisconsin in 2011, vs. Ohio State in 2013 Big Ten Championship Game, vs. Stanford in 2014 Rose Bowl, vs. Baylor in 2015 Cotton Bowl, vs. Oregon in 2015, at Michigan in 2015, at Ohio State in 2015, vs. Iowa in 2015 Big Ten Championship Game

It took a little while for him to get things going, but Mark Dantonio has definitely turned Michigan State into a consistent, close-game powerhouse. In the 2015 calendar year, no other college football team emerged on top of high-pressure situations more than the Spartans.

Dantonio first got the reputation for being a clutch head coach at Cincinnati, where his Bearcats went 6-2 in one-score games. His first few seasons in East Lansing came with some brutally close losses, but things have turned around in a big way this decade.

Since 2010, Michigan State is an impressive 20-7 in one-score games. His first Big Ten title season included an overtime win over Notre Dame and a tight victory over Penn State. In the 2013 season, MSU defeated Stanford in a Rose Bowl classic. Last season, the Spartans defeated Oregon, Michigan, Ohio State and Iowa by a single score on a number of now-legendary plays.

"Championship football teams do that," Dantonio said after the Big Ten title game victory over Iowa, per Bleacher Report's Ben Axelrod. "They just know how to do it."

Under Dantonio, Michigan State has definitely become a championship football team because of its ability to pull off clutch wins. The Spartans have all the confidence in the world late in the fourth quarter.

Navy HC Ken Niumatalolo

Career record in one-score games: 26-14 (.650)

Notable clutch wins: at Wake Forest in 2008, at Notre Dame in 2009, at Air Force in 2012, vs. Pittsburgh in 2013, four one-score wins over Army in the last five seasons

Opponents can be sure of two things when they line up against Ken Niumatalolo's Navy teams—the Midshipmen are going to ram the ball right at them on the ground, and they're going to be incredibly tough in close-game situations.

Under Niumatalolo, Navy has become one of the best mid-majors in college football in clutch situations. Since taking over as head coach in 2008, the Mids have been difficult opponents for teams big and small. His first two seasons included close road-game victories over a ranked Wake Forest team and powerhouse Notre Dame.

When things get tight in the battle for the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy among the service academies, Navy is a safe bet. Navy rallied from behind in 2012 to knock off Air Force in overtime in one of Keenan Reynolds' first breakout performances. And while Army has come close to ending Navy's long rivalry winning streak several times in the last years, Niumatalolo's team doesn't crack under the pressure.

Niumatalolo is quite experienced in one-possession games for a head coach who has only been in charge for less than 10 seasons. In those games, the discipline and the strength of the Midshipmen's head man shines through on the field.

Power Five teams who have escaped upset bids from Navy know how tough it is to come out with close wins against Niumatalolo. And when the Midshipmen are lined up against their fellow Group of Five competitors, they have a great advantage in the clutch.

Notre Dame HC Brian Kelly

Career record in one-score games: 36-21 (.632)

Notable clutch wins: Six one-score wins in 2008, at Pittsburgh in 2009, five one-score wins in 2012 undefeated regular season, vs. Stanford in 2014

Brian Kelly doesn't get all the national recognition he deserves for his impressive coaching jobs at Notre Dame and his ability to come up big in close games. Tight wins were the norm for him before arriving at South Bend, and he's continued that with the Irish.

During his stops as head coach of both Central Michigan and Cincinnati, Kelly went 17-8 in one-score games. In 2008 alone, more than half of his wins came by one possession as the Bearcats claimed the first of back-to-back Big East championships. In 2009, he capped an undefeated regular season with a thrilling 45-44 win over a ranked Pittsburgh team away from home.

In his third season at Notre Dame, the Irish won five one-score games—including a triple-overtime contest against Pittsburgh—en route to an undefeated regular season and berth in the national championship game. Over the last few seasons, Kelly and Notre Dame have continued to take down a handful of ranked teams in high-pressure contests.

"Notre Dame now has 13 fourth-quarter comeback victories under Brian Kelly," Keith Arnold of NBC Sports wrote last year after Notre Dame's victory over Temple. "That's a long way from the finding-a-way-to-lose program that cost Charlie Weis his job during a heart-breaking 2009 season and had many actually sane Irish fans wondering if Notre Dame was cursed."

Under Kelly, you can never count out Notre Dame, and his teams come out on top in late-game situations more often than not. He might not be as respected nationally as others on this countdown, but he's just as good in the clutch.

Ohio State HC Urban Meyer

Career record in one-score games: 32-13 (.711)

Notable clutch wins: vs. Tennessee in 2006, at Florida State in 2006, vs. Alabama in 2008 SEC Championship Game, vs. Oklahoma in 2009 BCS National Championship Game, five one-score wins in undefeated 2012 season, at Michigan in 2013, at Penn State in 2014, vs. Alabama in 2015 Sugar Bowl

Whether one looks at total one-score victories or winning percentage in those contests, Urban Meyer has a legitimate claim as the most clutch head coach in college football. At every stop, his teams have been known to come out on the right side of close contests.

At Bowling Green and Utah, Meyer went a combined 9-2 in one-score games. In his first national championship season at Florida in 2006, Meyer went 5-0 in those situations, which included a three-week streak of narrow victories. And while they weren't one-score wins, 2008 Florida's championship wins over Alabama and Oklahoma were mighty close.

Meyer's record in one-score games at Ohio State has been particularly outstanding. The Buckeyes have a dozen of those wins to just two losses—an Orange Bowl loss to Clemson and last season's three-point heartbreaker against Michigan State. In Ohio State's undefeated 2012 campaign, Meyer won five one-score games.

"Meyer isn't afraid to be bold in big games," Jon Solomon of CBS Sports wrote. "[In 2014], he called a double-reverse touchdown pass by wide receiver Evan Spencer at the end of the first half in the semifinal win over Alabama."

Meyer's championship-caliber experience in close games has helped make Ohio State one of the most feared programs in college football year in and year out. The Buckeyes head coach has seen it all in his incredible coaching career, and that confidence radidates throughout his team.

Stanford HC David Shaw

Career record in one-score games: 17-10 (.630)

Notable clutch wins: at USC in 2011, eight one-score wins in 2012 (including vs. USC, at Oregon and vs. Wisconsin), vs. Washington in 2013, vs. Oregon in 2013, vs. Notre Dame in 2013, vs. Notre Dame in 2015

If David Shaw lost some of his "clutch" factor in a disappointing 2014 season that featured three close losses, he got it back last season with the Cardinal in their Pac-12 championship campaign. Since replacing Jim Harbaugh, Shaw has taken Stanford to new heights thanks to his ability to win the big game.

Shaw's first season as Stanford's head coach featured a memorable triple-overtime victory on the road at USC. The following year, Shaw won an absurd eight games by a single possession en route to his first Pac-12 championship, including a win over No. 2 USC and No. 1 Oregon.

In the following season, the Cardinal repeated as conference champions with close wins over three more ranked teams—Washington, Oregon and Notre Dame. 

Last season, the Cardinal climbed right back up in the college football landscape with another Pac-12 title. They edged Washington State in a wild contest away from home and nailed a last-second field goal to end Notre Dame's hopes of a College Football Playoff berth. 

With Shaw in charge, Stanford has been a tough team to kill off for opponents, as the Cardinal find ways to win time and time again. Shaw might not have the resume size of a Meyer or a Saban, but his teams are winning big like them in tight games.

TCU HC Gary Patterson

Career record in one-score games: 40-21 (.656)

Notable clutch wins: at Oklahoma in 2005, 2011 Rose Bowl vs. Wisconsin, at Boise State in 2011, vs. Oklahoma in 2014, at West Virginia in 2014, back-to-back multi-overtime wins vs. Baylor and Oregon in 2015

As the longtime head coach of the TCU Horned Frogs, Gary Patterson has led his team through several conferences and its transition from mid-major force to power-conference contender. And all along the way, Patterson has been clutch.

In TCU's mid-major days, Patterson was an impressive 27-15 in one-score games. During that time, the Horned Frogs knocked off a Top 10 Oklahoma team away from home, beat Clemson in Death Valley, took home the Rose Bowl over Wisconsin and upset a Top Five Boise State squad on the Smurf Turf.

Once Patterson got things rolling for TCU in the Big 12, the clutch wins kept coming. The 2014 campaign that ended with a New Year's Six bowl berth included a 37-33 win over No. 4 Oklahoma and a one-point victory at West Virginia.

Last year, the Horned Frogs battled through injuries to beat Baylor in double overtime and rally from a 31-0 halftime deficit to stun Oregon in triple overtime. They also edged Texas Tech on a last-second touchdown pass and pulled out tight wins over both Kansas and Kansas State.

Patterson has been on the wrong end on a few notable heartbreakers in recent seasons with the Horned Frogs, but he usually pulls off the W when the pressure is high. It's what has made him one of the best coaches in college football at a program that was under the radar for so long. 

Utah HC Kyle Whittingham

Career record in one-score games: 32-18 (.640)

Notable clutch wins: Five one-score wins in undefeated 2008 regular season, vs. Alabama in 2009 Sugar Bowl, at UCLA in 2014, vs. USC in 2014

Kyle Whittingham made sure the clutch reputation stayed in Utah after Meyer's departure to Florida in 2005. Whittingham has been in charge of the Utes since then, and they have become known as a power-minded team that plays hard all the way to the final whistle.

In Whittingham's undefeated 2008 campaign, Utah came up big in clutch situations over and over again. The Utes beat Michigan away from home by two points, defeated Air Force by a touchdown, knocked off Oregon State by three and had back-to-back 13-10 wins over New Mexico and TCU. At the end of the season, they pulled off a memorable two-touchdown victory over Alabama in the Sugar Bowl.

After a few lean years in the Pac-12, Utah maintained its rep in close games with a pair of impressive seasons in the South Division. In 2014, Utah beat both Los Angeles powers by one possession and defeated Stanford in double overtime away from home. 

Last year, Whittingham's Utah team overcame a couple of heartbreakers by beating upstart Cal by six in a highly anticipated showdown, edging Colorado at the end of the regular season and holding off a second-half charge by hated rival BYU in the Las Vegas Bowl.

Utah's style of play under Whittingham has been consistent, and it includes good football in high-pressure situations. No matter the conference affiliation, the Utes have been tough to take down thanks to the clutch performances from its veteran coaching staff.

Justin Ferguson is a National College Football Analyst at Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @JFergusonBR.