2011 National Leaders Opponent First Downs - Games in December/January Only through 01/09/2012
| Name | G | Rush | Pass | Penalty | Total | Total/G | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alabama | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 5.0 |
| 2 | Louisiana-Monroe | 1 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 10 | 10.0 |
| 3 | SMU | 1 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 12 | 12.0 |
| 3 | Marshall | 1 | 3 | 9 | 0 | 12 | 12.0 |
| 5 | TCU | 2 | 8 | 15 | 2 | 25 | 12.5 |
| 6 | Notre Dame | 1 | 4 | 8 | 1 | 13 | 13.0 |
| 6 | California | 1 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 13 | 13.0 |
| 6 | North Texas | 1 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 13 | 13.0 |
| 9 | Illinois | 1 | 2 | 10 | 2 | 14 | 14.0 |
| 9 | Florida International | 1 | 2 | 12 | 0 | 14 | 14.0 |
| 9 | Georgia Tech | 1 | 6 | 8 | 0 | 14 | 14.0 |
| 9 | Ohio State | 1 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 14 | 14.0 |
| 9 | Wake Forest | 1 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 14 | 14.0 |
| 9 | Georgia | 2 | 13 | 14 | 1 | 28 | 14.0 |
| 15 | Cincinnati | 2 | 10 | 15 | 4 | 29 | 14.5 |
| 16 | Boise State | 2 | 7 | 19 | 4 | 30 | 15.0 |
| 17 | BYU | 2 | 3 | 22 | 6 | 31 | 15.5 |
| 17 | Michigan State | 2 | 8 | 18 | 5 | 31 | 15.5 |
| 19 | Stanford | 1 | 2 | 14 | 0 | 16 | 16.0 |
| 19 | Iowa | 1 | 5 | 9 | 2 | 16 | 16.0 |
| 19 | Nebraska | 1 | 7 | 8 | 1 | 16 | 16.0 |
| 19 | Nevada | 2 | 12 | 18 | 2 | 32 | 16.0 |
| 23 | Pittsburgh | 2 | 8 | 23 | 2 | 33 | 16.5 |
| 24 | South Florida | 1 | 5 | 11 | 1 | 17 | 17.0 |
| 24 | South Carolina | 1 | 8 | 7 | 2 | 17 | 17.0 |
| 24 | Air Force | 1 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 17 | 17.0 |
| 24 | Temple | 1 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 17 | 17.0 |
| 28 | Houston | 2 | 20 | 14 | 1 | 35 | 17.5 |
| 29 | Connecticut | 1 | 7 | 10 | 1 | 18 | 18.0 |
| 29 | Tulsa | 1 | 7 | 11 | 0 | 18 | 18.0 |
| 29 | North Carolina State | 1 | 8 | 9 | 1 | 18 | 18.0 |
| 29 | Colorado State | 1 | 11 | 6 | 1 | 18 | 18.0 |
| 33 | Virginia Tech | 2 | 15 | 19 | 3 | 37 | 18.5 |
| 33 | Kansas State | 2 | 21 | 14 | 2 | 37 | 18.5 |
| 33 | Ohio | 2 | 21 | 14 | 2 | 37 | 18.5 |
| 33 | Iowa State | 2 | 22 | 14 | 1 | 37 | 18.5 |
| 37 | Louisville | 1 | 4 | 12 | 3 | 19 | 19.0 |
| 37 | Rutgers | 1 | 7 | 10 | 2 | 19 | 19.0 |
| 37 | Arkansas | 1 | 7 | 11 | 1 | 19 | 19.0 |
| 37 | UNLV | 1 | 9 | 8 | 2 | 19 | 19.0 |
| 37 | Florida State | 1 | 9 | 9 | 1 | 19 | 19.0 |
| 37 | Utah | 1 | 14 | 4 | 1 | 19 | 19.0 |
| 37 | Navy | 1 | 15 | 4 | 0 | 19 | 19.0 |
| 37 | San Diego State | 2 | 9 | 27 | 2 | 38 | 19.0 |
| 37 | UCLA | 2 | 22 | 16 | 0 | 38 | 19.0 |
| 46 | Texas | 2 | 11 | 25 | 3 | 39 | 19.5 |
| 46 | Utah State | 2 | 16 | 18 | 5 | 39 | 19.5 |
| 48 | Missouri | 1 | 2 | 16 | 2 | 20 | 20.0 |
| 48 | Syracuse | 1 | 4 | 12 | 4 | 20 | 20.0 |
| 48 | Florida | 1 | 9 | 8 | 3 | 20 | 20.0 |
| 48 | Toledo | 1 | 11 | 7 | 2 | 20 | 20.0 |
| 48 | Florida Atlantic | 1 | 12 | 8 | 0 | 20 | 20.0 |
| 48 | Vanderbilt | 1 | 13 | 4 | 3 | 20 | 20.0 |
| 48 | Middle Tennessee | 1 | 17 | 1 | 2 | 20 | 20.0 |
| 48 | Arkansas State | 2 | 9 | 27 | 4 | 40 | 20.0 |
| 48 | LSU | 2 | 14 | 23 | 3 | 40 | 20.0 |
| 57 | Northern Illinois | 2 | 11 | 27 | 3 | 41 | 20.5 |
| 58 | Mississippi State | 1 | 7 | 12 | 2 | 21 | 21.0 |
| 58 | Army | 1 | 19 | 1 | 1 | 21 | 21.0 |
| 58 | Southern Mississippi | 2 | 16 | 24 | 2 | 42 | 21.0 |
| 61 | Oklahoma | 2 | 15 | 24 | 4 | 43 | 21.5 |
| 61 | Oregon | 2 | 19 | 19 | 5 | 43 | 21.5 |
| 63 | Northwestern | 1 | 5 | 15 | 2 | 22 | 22.0 |
| 63 | Louisiana Tech | 1 | 12 | 8 | 2 | 22 | 22.0 |
| 63 | Michigan | 1 | 12 | 9 | 1 | 22 | 22.0 |
| 63 | Virginia | 1 | 15 | 6 | 1 | 22 | 22.0 |
| 67 | Wisconsin | 2 | 21 | 24 | 0 | 45 | 22.5 |
| 68 | Fresno State | 1 | 9 | 13 | 1 | 23 | 23.0 |
| 68 | Western Michigan | 1 | 14 | 7 | 2 | 23 | 23.0 |
| 70 | Texas A&M | 1 | 7 | 14 | 3 | 24 | 24.0 |
| 70 | West Virginia | 2 | 18 | 25 | 5 | 48 | 24.0 |
| 70 | Baylor | 2 | 19 | 26 | 3 | 48 | 24.0 |
| 70 | Wyoming | 2 | 32 | 11 | 5 | 48 | 24.0 |
| 74 | Penn State | 1 | 5 | 19 | 1 | 25 | 25.0 |
| 74 | Auburn | 1 | 7 | 16 | 2 | 25 | 25.0 |
| 74 | Clemson | 2 | 16 | 30 | 4 | 50 | 25.0 |
| 77 | Oklahoma State | 2 | 16 | 34 | 1 | 51 | 25.5 |
| 78 | Troy | 1 | 10 | 15 | 2 | 27 | 27.0 |
| 78 | Arizona State | 1 | 10 | 16 | 1 | 27 | 27.0 |
| 78 | North Carolina | 1 | 18 | 8 | 1 | 27 | 27.0 |
| 81 | Hawai'i | 1 | 8 | 18 | 2 | 28 | 28.0 |
| 81 | New Mexico State | 1 | 23 | 5 | 0 | 28 | 28.0 |
| 83 | Louisiana-Lafayette | 1 | 4 | 21 | 4 | 29 | 29.0 |
| 84 | Purdue | 1 | 5 | 20 | 5 | 30 | 30.0 |
| 85 | New Mexico | 1 | 8 | 21 | 2 | 31 | 31.0 |
| 86 | Washington | 1 | 18 | 14 | 1 | 33 | 33.0 |
| 87 | Idaho | 1 | 17 | 15 | 3 | 35 | 35.0 |