2012 National Leaders First Downs - Games vs. FBS Teams With Non-Winning Record Only through 01/07/2013
| Name | G | Rush | Pass | Penalty | Total | Total/G | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas A&M | 3 | 39 | 55 | 5 | 99 | 33.0 |
| 2 | Tennessee | 4 | 38 | 78 | 7 | 123 | 30.8 |
| 3 | Louisiana Tech | 7 | 86 | 107 | 21 | 214 | 30.6 |
| 4 | Ball State | 6 | 86 | 76 | 14 | 176 | 29.3 |
| 4 | Oregon | 3 | 50 | 34 | 4 | 88 | 29.3 |
| 6 | Clemson | 6 | 78 | 87 | 8 | 173 | 28.8 |
| 7 | Miami (Ohio) | 3 | 32 | 45 | 9 | 86 | 28.7 |
| 8 | Texas Tech | 5 | 48 | 84 | 10 | 142 | 28.4 |
| 8 | Marshall | 5 | 45 | 87 | 10 | 142 | 28.4 |
| 10 | Baylor | 2 | 19 | 36 | 1 | 56 | 28.0 |
| 11 | Nevada | 8 | 109 | 97 | 15 | 221 | 27.6 |
| 12 | Arizona State | 6 | 61 | 86 | 13 | 160 | 26.7 |
| 13 | BYU | 6 | 74 | 72 | 13 | 159 | 26.5 |
| 13 | West Virginia | 4 | 41 | 59 | 6 | 106 | 26.5 |
| 15 | Northwestern | 5 | 86 | 40 | 6 | 132 | 26.4 |
| 16 | Arkansas State | 5 | 57 | 58 | 10 | 125 | 25.0 |
| 17 | Georgia Tech | 4 | 81 | 15 | 3 | 99 | 24.8 |
| 18 | Nebraska | 3 | 35 | 35 | 4 | 74 | 24.7 |
| 19 | Ohio | 7 | 80 | 78 | 14 | 172 | 24.6 |
| 20 | Houston | 6 | 55 | 79 | 12 | 146 | 24.3 |
| 20 | Penn State | 6 | 54 | 80 | 12 | 146 | 24.3 |
| 20 | Notre Dame | 4 | 35 | 58 | 4 | 97 | 24.3 |
| 20 | Oklahoma State | 3 | 29 | 37 | 7 | 73 | 24.3 |
| 24 | Army | 5 | 101 | 17 | 3 | 121 | 24.2 |
| 24 | Toledo | 5 | 56 | 56 | 9 | 121 | 24.2 |
| 24 | UCLA | 5 | 46 | 64 | 11 | 121 | 24.2 |
| 27 | East Carolina | 7 | 62 | 95 | 11 | 168 | 24.0 |
| 27 | Florida State | 6 | 72 | 65 | 7 | 144 | 24.0 |
| 27 | North Carolina | 6 | 55 | 81 | 8 | 144 | 24.0 |
| 27 | Troy | 6 | 55 | 75 | 14 | 144 | 24.0 |
| 27 | San Jose State | 4 | 29 | 62 | 5 | 96 | 24.0 |
| 27 | Arizona | 2 | 31 | 15 | 2 | 48 | 24.0 |
| 33 | Boise State | 7 | 68 | 92 | 7 | 167 | 23.9 |
| 34 | Syracuse | 6 | 60 | 74 | 9 | 143 | 23.8 |
| 34 | Fresno State | 6 | 54 | 79 | 10 | 143 | 23.8 |
| 34 | Wyoming | 5 | 41 | 68 | 10 | 119 | 23.8 |
| 37 | Oklahoma | 3 | 25 | 46 | 0 | 71 | 23.7 |
| 37 | Oregon State | 3 | 21 | 39 | 11 | 71 | 23.7 |
| 39 | Louisiana-Monroe | 7 | 52 | 95 | 18 | 165 | 23.6 |
| 40 | UTEP | 4 | 40 | 47 | 7 | 94 | 23.5 |
| 41 | Mississippi | 5 | 66 | 45 | 6 | 117 | 23.4 |
| 42 | Indiana | 4 | 35 | 47 | 11 | 93 | 23.3 |
| 42 | Tulane | 4 | 25 | 58 | 10 | 93 | 23.3 |
| 44 | San Diego State | 6 | 81 | 50 | 8 | 139 | 23.2 |
| 44 | UAB | 6 | 55 | 72 | 12 | 139 | 23.2 |
| 44 | Wisconsin | 5 | 80 | 32 | 4 | 116 | 23.2 |
| 44 | Alabama | 5 | 65 | 47 | 4 | 116 | 23.2 |
| 44 | Miami (Florida) | 5 | 41 | 65 | 10 | 116 | 23.2 |
| 49 | SMU | 5 | 42 | 67 | 6 | 115 | 23.0 |
| 49 | Akron | 4 | 27 | 61 | 4 | 92 | 23.0 |
| 49 | Iowa State | 2 | 18 | 26 | 2 | 46 | 23.0 |
| 49 | Kansas | 1 | 12 | 9 | 2 | 23 | 23.0 |
| 53 | Tulsa | 8 | 108 | 59 | 15 | 182 | 22.8 |
| 53 | Rice | 8 | 83 | 89 | 10 | 182 | 22.8 |
| 55 | Ohio State | 6 | 80 | 49 | 7 | 136 | 22.7 |
| 55 | Purdue | 6 | 61 | 67 | 8 | 136 | 22.7 |
| 55 | Kansas State | 3 | 36 | 26 | 6 | 68 | 22.7 |
| 55 | Colorado | 3 | 18 | 42 | 8 | 68 | 22.7 |
| 59 | Florida International | 5 | 50 | 54 | 8 | 112 | 22.4 |
| 60 | Texas | 4 | 42 | 44 | 3 | 89 | 22.3 |
| 61 | Middle Tennessee | 7 | 78 | 66 | 11 | 155 | 22.1 |
| 62 | UCF | 8 | 87 | 84 | 5 | 176 | 22.0 |
| 62 | California | 2 | 25 | 19 | 0 | 44 | 22.0 |
| 64 | New Mexico | 7 | 111 | 29 | 13 | 153 | 21.9 |
| 64 | Georgia | 7 | 65 | 84 | 4 | 153 | 21.9 |
| 64 | Louisville | 7 | 62 | 79 | 12 | 153 | 21.9 |
| 67 | Northern Illinois | 8 | 87 | 78 | 9 | 174 | 21.8 |
| 67 | Texas State | 4 | 43 | 36 | 8 | 87 | 21.8 |
| 67 | Florida Atlantic | 4 | 26 | 52 | 9 | 87 | 21.8 |
| 70 | Mississippi State | 6 | 50 | 72 | 8 | 130 | 21.7 |
| 71 | Navy | 6 | 95 | 30 | 4 | 129 | 21.5 |
| 71 | Arkansas | 2 | 17 | 23 | 3 | 43 | 21.5 |
| 73 | Western Michigan | 6 | 45 | 74 | 9 | 128 | 21.3 |
| 73 | Utah | 3 | 34 | 26 | 4 | 64 | 21.3 |
| 75 | Michigan | 6 | 63 | 57 | 7 | 127 | 21.2 |
| 75 | New Mexico State | 5 | 29 | 64 | 13 | 106 | 21.2 |
| 77 | Central Michigan | 6 | 50 | 65 | 11 | 126 | 21.0 |
| 77 | TCU | 3 | 21 | 37 | 5 | 63 | 21.0 |
| 79 | South Carolina | 5 | 42 | 55 | 7 | 104 | 20.8 |
| 79 | UTSA | 4 | 41 | 37 | 5 | 83 | 20.8 |
| 81 | Utah State | 6 | 51 | 60 | 13 | 124 | 20.7 |
| 81 | Eastern Michigan | 3 | 32 | 26 | 4 | 62 | 20.7 |
| 83 | USC | 5 | 34 | 52 | 17 | 103 | 20.6 |
| 84 | Auburn | 2 | 18 | 22 | 1 | 41 | 20.5 |
| 85 | Kent State | 7 | 80 | 51 | 12 | 143 | 20.4 |
| 86 | Colorado State | 6 | 50 | 64 | 8 | 122 | 20.3 |
| 86 | Washington | 4 | 32 | 42 | 7 | 81 | 20.3 |
| 86 | Idaho | 3 | 24 | 35 | 2 | 61 | 20.3 |
| 89 | Air Force | 6 | 92 | 21 | 8 | 121 | 20.2 |
| 89 | Louisiana-Lafayette | 6 | 60 | 52 | 9 | 121 | 20.2 |
| 89 | Vanderbilt | 6 | 56 | 51 | 14 | 121 | 20.2 |
| 89 | Duke | 5 | 37 | 54 | 10 | 101 | 20.2 |
| 93 | Bowling Green | 6 | 59 | 51 | 10 | 120 | 20.0 |
| 93 | South Alabama | 5 | 44 | 40 | 16 | 100 | 20.0 |
| 93 | Michigan State | 4 | 43 | 34 | 3 | 80 | 20.0 |
| 93 | Missouri | 2 | 24 | 16 | 0 | 40 | 20.0 |
| 97 | Stanford | 4 | 32 | 39 | 8 | 79 | 19.8 |
| 98 | Buffalo | 5 | 40 | 48 | 10 | 98 | 19.6 |
| 99 | Western Kentucky | 6 | 53 | 52 | 12 | 117 | 19.5 |
| 99 | LSU | 4 | 40 | 33 | 5 | 78 | 19.5 |
| 99 | Washington State | 4 | 12 | 55 | 11 | 78 | 19.5 |
| 102 | Cincinnati | 6 | 54 | 53 | 8 | 115 | 19.2 |
| 102 | Memphis | 5 | 46 | 41 | 9 | 96 | 19.2 |
| 104 | UNLV | 7 | 46 | 73 | 14 | 133 | 19.0 |
| 104 | North Carolina State | 7 | 43 | 81 | 9 | 133 | 19.0 |
| 104 | Temple | 5 | 53 | 34 | 8 | 95 | 19.0 |
| 104 | Southern Mississippi | 4 | 37 | 28 | 11 | 76 | 19.0 |
| 108 | Minnesota | 5 | 50 | 38 | 6 | 94 | 18.8 |
| 108 | Hawai'i | 5 | 33 | 51 | 10 | 94 | 18.8 |
| 110 | Virginia Tech | 5 | 46 | 44 | 3 | 93 | 18.6 |
| 111 | Illinois | 4 | 39 | 28 | 6 | 73 | 18.3 |
| 111 | Pittsburgh | 4 | 27 | 43 | 3 | 73 | 18.3 |
| 113 | Connecticut | 7 | 33 | 88 | 5 | 126 | 18.0 |
| 113 | Virginia | 4 | 33 | 38 | 1 | 72 | 18.0 |
| 113 | North Texas | 4 | 31 | 31 | 10 | 72 | 18.0 |
| 116 | Boston College | 4 | 13 | 55 | 3 | 71 | 17.8 |
| 117 | Rutgers | 7 | 38 | 71 | 15 | 124 | 17.7 |
| 117 | Florida | 3 | 31 | 19 | 3 | 53 | 17.7 |
| 119 | Wake Forest | 5 | 46 | 39 | 2 | 87 | 17.4 |
| 120 | Massachusetts | 6 | 31 | 60 | 9 | 100 | 16.7 |
| 120 | South Florida | 3 | 16 | 27 | 7 | 50 | 16.7 |
| 122 | Iowa | 4 | 23 | 33 | 7 | 63 | 15.8 |
| 123 | Maryland | 6 | 33 | 46 | 11 | 90 | 15.0 |
| 124 | Kentucky | 3 | 16 | 18 | 4 | 38 | 12.7 |