2011 National Leaders First Downs - Games vs. Non-Conference Teams Only through 01/09/2012
| Name | G | Rush | Pass | Penalty | Total | Total/G | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Baylor | 4 | 56 | 55 | 5 | 116 | 29.0 |
| 2 | Houston | 5 | 42 | 92 | 7 | 141 | 28.2 |
| 3 | Texas Tech | 3 | 29 | 51 | 2 | 82 | 27.3 |
| 4 | Texas A&M | 4 | 42 | 57 | 9 | 108 | 27.0 |
| 4 | USC | 3 | 36 | 38 | 7 | 81 | 27.0 |
| 6 | West Virginia | 6 | 46 | 96 | 19 | 161 | 26.8 |
| 7 | South Florida | 5 | 59 | 65 | 9 | 133 | 26.6 |
| 8 | Washington State | 3 | 24 | 48 | 7 | 79 | 26.3 |
| 9 | Oklahoma State | 4 | 33 | 70 | 1 | 104 | 26.0 |
| 10 | Tennessee | 4 | 39 | 59 | 4 | 102 | 25.5 |
| 11 | Boise State | 6 | 45 | 92 | 13 | 150 | 25.0 |
| 11 | Arkansas | 5 | 44 | 72 | 9 | 125 | 25.0 |
| 13 | Kansas | 3 | 40 | 27 | 7 | 74 | 24.7 |
| 14 | Oklahoma | 4 | 37 | 56 | 5 | 98 | 24.5 |
| 15 | Wisconsin | 5 | 60 | 57 | 5 | 122 | 24.4 |
| 16 | Air Force | 6 | 94 | 42 | 9 | 145 | 24.2 |
| 16 | Virginia | 5 | 46 | 69 | 6 | 121 | 24.2 |
| 18 | Nevada | 6 | 74 | 63 | 7 | 144 | 24.0 |
| 18 | Missouri | 4 | 55 | 34 | 7 | 96 | 24.0 |
| 18 | Alabama | 4 | 44 | 48 | 4 | 96 | 24.0 |
| 21 | Notre Dame | 12 | 105 | 153 | 27 | 285 | 23.8 |
| 21 | Stanford | 4 | 38 | 52 | 5 | 95 | 23.8 |
| 23 | BYU | 13 | 123 | 159 | 24 | 306 | 23.5 |
| 24 | Arizona | 3 | 14 | 51 | 5 | 70 | 23.3 |
| 25 | Ohio | 5 | 59 | 52 | 5 | 116 | 23.2 |
| 26 | Purdue | 5 | 61 | 48 | 6 | 115 | 23.0 |
| 26 | Iowa | 5 | 40 | 65 | 10 | 115 | 23.0 |
| 26 | Western Michigan | 5 | 30 | 72 | 13 | 115 | 23.0 |
| 26 | Arizona State | 4 | 29 | 54 | 9 | 92 | 23.0 |
| 30 | Northern Illinois | 5 | 50 | 56 | 8 | 114 | 22.8 |
| 30 | East Carolina | 4 | 27 | 60 | 4 | 91 | 22.8 |
| 32 | Georgia Tech | 5 | 84 | 27 | 2 | 113 | 22.6 |
| 33 | Utah State | 6 | 82 | 46 | 7 | 135 | 22.5 |
| 33 | San Diego State | 6 | 48 | 77 | 10 | 135 | 22.5 |
| 33 | Oregon | 4 | 45 | 42 | 3 | 90 | 22.5 |
| 33 | Bowling Green | 4 | 33 | 55 | 2 | 90 | 22.5 |
| 37 | Southern Mississippi | 5 | 52 | 47 | 13 | 112 | 22.4 |
| 38 | Indiana | 4 | 35 | 48 | 6 | 89 | 22.3 |
| 39 | Cincinnati | 6 | 68 | 52 | 13 | 133 | 22.2 |
| 39 | Wake Forest | 5 | 42 | 62 | 7 | 111 | 22.2 |
| 41 | Arkansas State | 5 | 43 | 64 | 3 | 110 | 22.0 |
| 42 | Navy | 10 | 171 | 36 | 11 | 218 | 21.8 |
| 42 | Troy | 4 | 26 | 57 | 4 | 87 | 21.8 |
| 44 | Northwestern | 5 | 52 | 52 | 4 | 108 | 21.6 |
| 44 | Michigan State | 5 | 35 | 66 | 7 | 108 | 21.6 |
| 46 | Hawai'i | 6 | 29 | 90 | 10 | 129 | 21.5 |
| 47 | Army | 11 | 203 | 23 | 9 | 235 | 21.4 |
| 48 | Virginia Tech | 5 | 58 | 45 | 3 | 106 | 21.2 |
| 48 | Mississippi State | 5 | 58 | 41 | 7 | 106 | 21.2 |
| 48 | Toledo | 5 | 43 | 60 | 3 | 106 | 21.2 |
| 51 | New Mexico State | 6 | 39 | 77 | 10 | 126 | 21.0 |
| 51 | Illinois | 5 | 61 | 38 | 6 | 105 | 21.0 |
| 51 | Duke | 4 | 25 | 54 | 5 | 84 | 21.0 |
| 54 | TCU | 6 | 57 | 55 | 13 | 125 | 20.8 |
| 54 | Clemson | 5 | 43 | 57 | 4 | 104 | 20.8 |
| 54 | LSU | 4 | 43 | 33 | 7 | 83 | 20.8 |
| 54 | Maryland | 4 | 32 | 45 | 6 | 83 | 20.8 |
| 58 | Wyoming | 6 | 48 | 65 | 10 | 123 | 20.5 |
| 58 | Washington | 4 | 34 | 43 | 5 | 82 | 20.5 |
| 60 | Florida | 5 | 48 | 48 | 6 | 102 | 20.4 |
| 60 | SMU | 5 | 27 | 68 | 7 | 102 | 20.4 |
| 62 | UCF | 4 | 40 | 38 | 3 | 81 | 20.3 |
| 62 | Middle Tennessee | 4 | 36 | 43 | 2 | 81 | 20.3 |
| 64 | Rutgers | 6 | 41 | 69 | 11 | 121 | 20.2 |
| 65 | South Carolina | 5 | 59 | 40 | 1 | 100 | 20.0 |
| 65 | Temple | 5 | 58 | 32 | 10 | 100 | 20.0 |
| 65 | Kansas State | 4 | 42 | 29 | 9 | 80 | 20.0 |
| 65 | Oregon State | 3 | 19 | 36 | 5 | 60 | 20.0 |
| 65 | California | 3 | 19 | 33 | 8 | 60 | 20.0 |
| 70 | Louisiana Tech | 6 | 48 | 61 | 10 | 119 | 19.8 |
| 70 | Ohio State | 5 | 49 | 41 | 9 | 99 | 19.8 |
| 72 | Georgia | 5 | 34 | 59 | 5 | 98 | 19.6 |
| 73 | Minnesota | 4 | 40 | 33 | 5 | 78 | 19.5 |
| 74 | Nebraska | 5 | 54 | 34 | 9 | 97 | 19.4 |
| 74 | Auburn | 5 | 53 | 40 | 4 | 97 | 19.4 |
| 74 | Colorado State | 5 | 40 | 47 | 10 | 97 | 19.4 |
| 74 | San Jose State | 5 | 26 | 65 | 6 | 97 | 19.4 |
| 78 | Iowa State | 4 | 33 | 37 | 7 | 77 | 19.3 |
| 78 | Miami (Ohio) | 4 | 24 | 49 | 4 | 77 | 19.3 |
| 80 | Rice | 4 | 34 | 31 | 11 | 76 | 19.0 |
| 81 | Florida International | 5 | 36 | 51 | 7 | 94 | 18.8 |
| 81 | New Mexico | 5 | 35 | 51 | 8 | 94 | 18.8 |
| 81 | UCLA | 4 | 31 | 36 | 8 | 75 | 18.8 |
| 81 | Louisiana-Monroe | 4 | 23 | 46 | 6 | 75 | 18.8 |
| 85 | North Carolina State | 5 | 29 | 56 | 8 | 93 | 18.6 |
| 86 | Louisville | 6 | 49 | 59 | 3 | 111 | 18.5 |
| 86 | UTEP | 4 | 28 | 39 | 7 | 74 | 18.5 |
| 88 | Pittsburgh | 6 | 41 | 60 | 9 | 110 | 18.3 |
| 88 | Memphis | 4 | 31 | 39 | 3 | 73 | 18.3 |
| 90 | Penn State | 5 | 40 | 45 | 6 | 91 | 18.2 |
| 90 | Syracuse | 5 | 33 | 52 | 6 | 91 | 18.2 |
| 90 | North Carolina | 5 | 30 | 55 | 6 | 91 | 18.2 |
| 93 | Tulsa | 5 | 42 | 40 | 8 | 90 | 18.0 |
| 93 | Texas | 4 | 43 | 27 | 2 | 72 | 18.0 |
| 93 | UAB | 4 | 32 | 35 | 5 | 72 | 18.0 |
| 93 | Ball State | 4 | 31 | 37 | 4 | 72 | 18.0 |
| 97 | Vanderbilt | 5 | 55 | 26 | 8 | 89 | 17.8 |
| 98 | Connecticut | 5 | 30 | 48 | 10 | 88 | 17.6 |
| 99 | North Texas | 4 | 34 | 32 | 4 | 70 | 17.5 |
| 99 | Miami (Florida) | 4 | 26 | 39 | 5 | 70 | 17.5 |
| 101 | Michigan | 5 | 50 | 30 | 7 | 87 | 17.4 |
| 102 | Utah | 4 | 35 | 28 | 6 | 69 | 17.3 |
| 102 | Mississippi | 4 | 33 | 30 | 6 | 69 | 17.3 |
| 102 | Buffalo | 4 | 27 | 34 | 8 | 69 | 17.3 |
| 105 | Florida State | 5 | 27 | 50 | 9 | 86 | 17.2 |
| 106 | Louisiana-Lafayette | 5 | 26 | 50 | 9 | 85 | 17.0 |
| 106 | Eastern Michigan | 4 | 46 | 19 | 3 | 68 | 17.0 |
| 106 | Kentucky | 4 | 33 | 25 | 10 | 68 | 17.0 |
| 106 | Colorado | 3 | 18 | 30 | 3 | 51 | 17.0 |
| 110 | Akron | 4 | 28 | 30 | 7 | 65 | 16.3 |
| 111 | Fresno State | 6 | 44 | 45 | 6 | 95 | 15.8 |
| 111 | Boston College | 4 | 19 | 41 | 3 | 63 | 15.8 |
| 113 | UNLV | 5 | 36 | 34 | 8 | 78 | 15.6 |
| 113 | Tulane | 5 | 30 | 44 | 4 | 78 | 15.6 |
| 115 | Western Kentucky | 4 | 27 | 28 | 4 | 59 | 14.8 |
| 115 | Central Michigan | 4 | 24 | 32 | 3 | 59 | 14.8 |
| 117 | Idaho | 5 | 22 | 43 | 8 | 73 | 14.6 |
| 118 | Marshall | 5 | 22 | 43 | 5 | 70 | 14.0 |
| 118 | Florida Atlantic | 4 | 24 | 29 | 3 | 56 | 14.0 |
| 120 | Kent State | 4 | 20 | 17 | 8 | 45 | 11.3 |