2012 National Leaders Opponent First Downs - Games on the Road/Neutral Site Only through 01/07/2013
| Name | G | Rush | Pass | Penalty | Total | Total/G | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michigan State | 6 | 20 | 48 | 11 | 79 | 13.2 |
| 2 | BYU | 7 | 36 | 51 | 8 | 95 | 13.6 |
| 3 | Stanford | 7 | 43 | 43 | 14 | 100 | 14.3 |
| 4 | Alabama | 7 | 35 | 60 | 7 | 102 | 14.6 |
| 5 | Rutgers | 7 | 29 | 72 | 10 | 111 | 15.9 |
| 5 | Florida State | 7 | 40 | 61 | 10 | 111 | 15.9 |
| 7 | San Jose State | 7 | 55 | 45 | 12 | 112 | 16.0 |
| 8 | Louisville | 6 | 50 | 46 | 5 | 101 | 16.8 |
| 9 | Bowling Green | 8 | 53 | 69 | 13 | 135 | 16.9 |
| 10 | South Carolina | 6 | 59 | 38 | 8 | 105 | 17.5 |
| 11 | Penn State | 5 | 26 | 53 | 9 | 88 | 17.6 |
| 12 | Tulsa | 7 | 52 | 63 | 13 | 128 | 18.3 |
| 12 | Wisconsin | 7 | 53 | 65 | 10 | 128 | 18.3 |
| 14 | Michigan | 7 | 58 | 59 | 12 | 129 | 18.4 |
| 15 | Clemson | 6 | 38 | 62 | 11 | 111 | 18.5 |
| 16 | Iowa | 5 | 46 | 42 | 5 | 93 | 18.6 |
| 16 | TCU | 7 | 41 | 75 | 14 | 130 | 18.6 |
| 18 | Connecticut | 6 | 40 | 63 | 10 | 113 | 18.8 |
| 19 | Buffalo | 6 | 39 | 66 | 9 | 114 | 19.0 |
| 20 | Mississippi | 6 | 41 | 65 | 10 | 116 | 19.3 |
| 20 | Louisiana-Monroe | 8 | 67 | 73 | 14 | 154 | 19.3 |
| 22 | Notre Dame | 7 | 42 | 84 | 10 | 136 | 19.4 |
| 22 | Oklahoma | 7 | 53 | 69 | 14 | 136 | 19.4 |
| 24 | Syracuse | 8 | 73 | 71 | 12 | 156 | 19.5 |
| 25 | Georgia | 7 | 71 | 53 | 13 | 137 | 19.6 |
| 26 | Minnesota | 6 | 56 | 51 | 11 | 118 | 19.7 |
| 26 | South Alabama | 7 | 59 | 64 | 15 | 138 | 19.7 |
| 26 | Nebraska | 7 | 73 | 55 | 10 | 138 | 19.7 |
| 29 | Maryland | 6 | 36 | 76 | 7 | 119 | 19.8 |
| 30 | Fresno State | 7 | 70 | 55 | 14 | 139 | 19.9 |
| 31 | Virginia | 5 | 48 | 41 | 11 | 100 | 20.0 |
| 31 | Florida | 6 | 37 | 66 | 17 | 120 | 20.0 |
| 31 | Georgia Tech | 7 | 64 | 67 | 9 | 140 | 20.0 |
| 34 | Utah | 6 | 40 | 68 | 13 | 121 | 20.2 |
| 34 | SMU | 6 | 40 | 76 | 5 | 121 | 20.2 |
| 34 | Kansas State | 6 | 54 | 60 | 7 | 121 | 20.2 |
| 37 | Purdue | 6 | 55 | 53 | 14 | 122 | 20.3 |
| 37 | Virginia Tech | 7 | 60 | 64 | 18 | 142 | 20.3 |
| 37 | Rice | 8 | 77 | 74 | 11 | 162 | 20.3 |
| 37 | Kent State | 9 | 67 | 105 | 11 | 183 | 20.3 |
| 41 | Ohio State | 4 | 19 | 52 | 11 | 82 | 20.5 |
| 42 | Wake Forest | 5 | 37 | 62 | 4 | 103 | 20.6 |
| 42 | Boise State | 7 | 71 | 66 | 7 | 144 | 20.6 |
| 44 | Oregon State | 6 | 40 | 73 | 11 | 124 | 20.7 |
| 44 | Duke | 6 | 70 | 49 | 5 | 124 | 20.7 |
| 44 | Utah State | 7 | 48 | 81 | 16 | 145 | 20.7 |
| 47 | Hawai'i | 6 | 62 | 49 | 14 | 125 | 20.8 |
| 48 | Army | 5 | 58 | 43 | 4 | 105 | 21.0 |
| 48 | Florida International | 6 | 47 | 70 | 9 | 126 | 21.0 |
| 48 | Central Michigan | 6 | 65 | 57 | 4 | 126 | 21.0 |
| 48 | Pittsburgh | 7 | 63 | 73 | 11 | 147 | 21.0 |
| 48 | Arizona State | 7 | 81 | 51 | 15 | 147 | 21.0 |
| 53 | Cincinnati | 6 | 49 | 73 | 6 | 128 | 21.3 |
| 53 | Troy | 6 | 51 | 68 | 9 | 128 | 21.3 |
| 53 | Vanderbilt | 7 | 61 | 79 | 9 | 149 | 21.3 |
| 56 | Western Michigan | 6 | 54 | 63 | 12 | 129 | 21.5 |
| 56 | UTEP | 6 | 75 | 48 | 6 | 129 | 21.5 |
| 58 | Tennessee | 5 | 41 | 62 | 5 | 108 | 21.6 |
| 58 | Florida Atlantic | 7 | 79 | 57 | 15 | 151 | 21.6 |
| 60 | Texas | 7 | 76 | 67 | 9 | 152 | 21.7 |
| 61 | UTSA | 6 | 44 | 73 | 14 | 131 | 21.8 |
| 62 | USC | 7 | 66 | 73 | 14 | 153 | 21.9 |
| 63 | East Carolina | 7 | 54 | 91 | 9 | 154 | 22.0 |
| 63 | Air Force | 7 | 76 | 74 | 4 | 154 | 22.0 |
| 65 | Texas A&M | 7 | 54 | 87 | 14 | 155 | 22.1 |
| 66 | Mississippi State | 6 | 67 | 60 | 7 | 134 | 22.3 |
| 67 | North Carolina State | 7 | 61 | 80 | 16 | 157 | 22.4 |
| 68 | UNLV | 6 | 61 | 68 | 6 | 135 | 22.5 |
| 69 | LSU | 5 | 38 | 58 | 17 | 113 | 22.6 |
| 69 | Northern Illinois | 8 | 90 | 77 | 14 | 181 | 22.6 |
| 71 | Texas State | 6 | 83 | 48 | 5 | 136 | 22.7 |
| 71 | Western Kentucky | 7 | 58 | 80 | 21 | 159 | 22.7 |
| 73 | UAB | 6 | 55 | 73 | 9 | 137 | 22.8 |
| 73 | New Mexico State | 6 | 70 | 58 | 9 | 137 | 22.8 |
| 73 | UCF | 8 | 91 | 78 | 13 | 182 | 22.8 |
| 76 | Washington | 7 | 65 | 72 | 23 | 160 | 22.9 |
| 76 | UCLA | 7 | 66 | 70 | 24 | 160 | 22.9 |
| 78 | Kentucky | 5 | 56 | 53 | 6 | 115 | 23.0 |
| 78 | Colorado | 6 | 62 | 68 | 8 | 138 | 23.0 |
| 80 | Ohio | 7 | 51 | 102 | 9 | 162 | 23.1 |
| 80 | North Texas | 7 | 68 | 78 | 16 | 162 | 23.1 |
| 82 | Oregon | 6 | 48 | 77 | 14 | 139 | 23.2 |
| 82 | West Virginia | 6 | 69 | 60 | 10 | 139 | 23.2 |
| 84 | San Diego State | 6 | 44 | 82 | 14 | 140 | 23.3 |
| 84 | Arkansas State | 7 | 63 | 89 | 11 | 163 | 23.3 |
| 86 | Auburn | 5 | 59 | 49 | 9 | 117 | 23.4 |
| 86 | New Mexico | 7 | 66 | 91 | 7 | 164 | 23.4 |
| 86 | Middle Tennessee | 7 | 73 | 85 | 6 | 164 | 23.4 |
| 89 | South Florida | 6 | 61 | 70 | 10 | 141 | 23.5 |
| 90 | Temple | 5 | 52 | 59 | 7 | 118 | 23.6 |
| 90 | Texas Tech | 7 | 84 | 68 | 13 | 165 | 23.6 |
| 92 | Washington State | 7 | 73 | 83 | 10 | 166 | 23.7 |
| 92 | Nevada | 7 | 79 | 71 | 16 | 166 | 23.7 |
| 94 | Iowa State | 6 | 61 | 68 | 15 | 144 | 24.0 |
| 95 | Indiana | 6 | 68 | 72 | 5 | 145 | 24.2 |
| 95 | Eastern Michigan | 6 | 79 | 60 | 6 | 145 | 24.2 |
| 95 | Southern Mississippi | 6 | 79 | 62 | 4 | 145 | 24.2 |
| 98 | Memphis | 6 | 47 | 82 | 17 | 146 | 24.3 |
| 98 | Northwestern | 6 | 50 | 83 | 13 | 146 | 24.3 |
| 100 | Missouri | 5 | 44 | 72 | 6 | 122 | 24.4 |
| 100 | North Carolina | 5 | 48 | 64 | 10 | 122 | 24.4 |
| 100 | Navy | 8 | 120 | 67 | 8 | 195 | 24.4 |
| 103 | California | 5 | 46 | 58 | 19 | 123 | 24.6 |
| 103 | Toledo | 7 | 65 | 90 | 17 | 172 | 24.6 |
| 103 | Massachusetts | 7 | 79 | 86 | 7 | 172 | 24.6 |
| 106 | Akron | 6 | 73 | 62 | 13 | 148 | 24.7 |
| 107 | Colorado State | 6 | 73 | 65 | 12 | 150 | 25.0 |
| 107 | Ball State | 8 | 81 | 103 | 16 | 200 | 25.0 |
| 109 | Idaho | 7 | 79 | 81 | 16 | 176 | 25.1 |
| 110 | Illinois | 5 | 82 | 41 | 3 | 126 | 25.2 |
| 110 | Wyoming | 6 | 67 | 77 | 7 | 151 | 25.2 |
| 112 | Tulane | 5 | 63 | 54 | 10 | 127 | 25.4 |
| 112 | Louisiana-Lafayette | 7 | 64 | 99 | 15 | 178 | 25.4 |
| 114 | Arkansas | 5 | 35 | 85 | 8 | 128 | 25.6 |
| 114 | Miami (Ohio) | 7 | 81 | 87 | 11 | 179 | 25.6 |
| 116 | Kansas | 6 | 68 | 83 | 4 | 155 | 25.8 |
| 117 | Houston | 5 | 57 | 69 | 8 | 134 | 26.8 |
| 118 | Boston College | 6 | 98 | 62 | 4 | 164 | 27.3 |
| 119 | Louisiana Tech | 6 | 51 | 96 | 18 | 165 | 27.5 |
| 119 | Miami (Florida) | 6 | 72 | 73 | 20 | 165 | 27.5 |
| 121 | Baylor | 7 | 73 | 110 | 12 | 195 | 27.9 |
| 122 | Marshall | 6 | 66 | 89 | 17 | 172 | 28.7 |
| 123 | Oklahoma State | 6 | 69 | 85 | 19 | 173 | 28.8 |
| 124 | Arizona | 5 | 74 | 66 | 8 | 148 | 29.6 |