2012 National Leaders First Downs - Games in December/January Only through 01/07/2013
| Name | G | Rush | Pass | Penalty | Total | Total/G | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arizona State | 1 | 21 | 12 | 3 | 36 | 36.0 |
| 1 | Duke | 1 | 14 | 20 | 2 | 36 | 36.0 |
| 3 | Clemson | 1 | 6 | 20 | 6 | 32 | 32.0 |
| 4 | Oregon State | 2 | 23 | 35 | 5 | 63 | 31.5 |
| 5 | Nevada | 2 | 42 | 18 | 2 | 62 | 31.0 |
| 5 | Arizona | 1 | 10 | 19 | 2 | 31 | 31.0 |
| 7 | Oklahoma State | 2 | 21 | 34 | 5 | 60 | 30.0 |
| 8 | Baylor | 2 | 32 | 20 | 5 | 57 | 28.5 |
| 9 | Syracuse | 1 | 18 | 7 | 3 | 28 | 28.0 |
| 9 | Texas A&M | 1 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 28 | 28.0 |
| 11 | Alabama | 2 | 31 | 19 | 4 | 54 | 27.0 |
| 12 | Army | 1 | 22 | 3 | 1 | 26 | 26.0 |
| 13 | UCF | 2 | 25 | 21 | 4 | 50 | 25.0 |
| 14 | Tulsa | 2 | 30 | 11 | 8 | 49 | 24.5 |
| 14 | Nebraska | 2 | 26 | 17 | 6 | 49 | 24.5 |
| 14 | Oklahoma | 2 | 17 | 29 | 3 | 49 | 24.5 |
| 17 | Michigan | 1 | 12 | 10 | 2 | 24 | 24.0 |
| 17 | Rice | 1 | 9 | 13 | 2 | 24 | 24.0 |
| 17 | Florida Atlantic | 1 | 9 | 13 | 2 | 24 | 24.0 |
| 17 | East Carolina | 1 | 9 | 13 | 2 | 24 | 24.0 |
| 17 | Louisiana-Monroe | 1 | 6 | 15 | 3 | 24 | 24.0 |
| 17 | North Carolina State | 1 | 3 | 21 | 0 | 24 | 24.0 |
| 23 | West Virginia | 2 | 19 | 22 | 6 | 47 | 23.5 |
| 24 | Louisiana-Lafayette | 2 | 22 | 23 | 1 | 46 | 23.0 |
| 24 | Texas State | 1 | 17 | 5 | 1 | 23 | 23.0 |
| 24 | Minnesota | 1 | 16 | 5 | 2 | 23 | 23.0 |
| 24 | Mississippi | 1 | 11 | 10 | 2 | 23 | 23.0 |
| 24 | Texas Tech | 1 | 9 | 11 | 3 | 23 | 23.0 |
| 24 | Central Michigan | 1 | 9 | 10 | 4 | 23 | 23.0 |
| 24 | Louisville | 1 | 6 | 15 | 2 | 23 | 23.0 |
| 24 | Ball State | 1 | 3 | 16 | 4 | 23 | 23.0 |
| 32 | Florida State | 2 | 21 | 22 | 2 | 45 | 22.5 |
| 32 | Arkansas State | 2 | 20 | 23 | 2 | 45 | 22.5 |
| 34 | Oregon | 1 | 14 | 7 | 1 | 22 | 22.0 |
| 34 | Utah State | 1 | 10 | 10 | 2 | 22 | 22.0 |
| 36 | Boise State | 2 | 20 | 22 | 1 | 43 | 21.5 |
| 37 | Ohio | 1 | 10 | 9 | 2 | 21 | 21.0 |
| 37 | New Mexico State | 1 | 8 | 12 | 1 | 21 | 21.0 |
| 37 | Fresno State | 1 | 3 | 18 | 0 | 21 | 21.0 |
| 40 | Wisconsin | 2 | 30 | 8 | 3 | 41 | 20.5 |
| 40 | Georgia | 2 | 14 | 26 | 1 | 41 | 20.5 |
| 42 | Hawai'i | 1 | 12 | 8 | 0 | 20 | 20.0 |
| 42 | Washington | 1 | 9 | 11 | 0 | 20 | 20.0 |
| 44 | Northwestern | 1 | 8 | 10 | 1 | 19 | 19.0 |
| 44 | Kent State | 1 | 8 | 9 | 2 | 19 | 19.0 |
| 44 | Connecticut | 1 | 2 | 15 | 2 | 19 | 19.0 |
| 44 | San Jose State | 1 | 1 | 17 | 1 | 19 | 19.0 |
| 48 | Georgia Tech | 2 | 31 | 6 | 0 | 37 | 18.5 |
| 48 | Texas | 2 | 10 | 24 | 3 | 37 | 18.5 |
| 50 | Navy | 2 | 27 | 8 | 1 | 36 | 18.0 |
| 50 | Cincinnati | 2 | 12 | 20 | 4 | 36 | 18.0 |
| 50 | Mississippi State | 1 | 10 | 7 | 1 | 18 | 18.0 |
| 50 | Purdue | 1 | 10 | 6 | 2 | 18 | 18.0 |
| 50 | Toledo | 1 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 18 | 18.0 |
| 55 | Kansas State | 2 | 17 | 17 | 1 | 35 | 17.5 |
| 55 | Pittsburgh | 2 | 13 | 19 | 3 | 35 | 17.5 |
| 57 | Stanford | 1 | 11 | 4 | 2 | 17 | 17.0 |
| 57 | Florida | 1 | 9 | 8 | 0 | 17 | 17.0 |
| 57 | Vanderbilt | 1 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 17 | 17.0 |
| 57 | South Alabama | 1 | 8 | 4 | 5 | 17 | 17.0 |
| 57 | UCLA | 1 | 6 | 11 | 0 | 17 | 17.0 |
| 57 | Northern Illinois | 1 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 17 | 17.0 |
| 57 | South Carolina | 1 | 4 | 11 | 2 | 17 | 17.0 |
| 57 | BYU | 1 | 3 | 14 | 0 | 17 | 17.0 |
| 65 | Notre Dame | 1 | 3 | 12 | 1 | 16 | 16.0 |
| 66 | SMU | 1 | 9 | 6 | 0 | 15 | 15.0 |
| 67 | Rutgers | 1 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 14 | 14.0 |
| 68 | Kansas | 1 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 13 | 13.0 |
| 68 | Michigan State | 1 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 13 | 13.0 |
| 68 | Western Kentucky | 1 | 5 | 8 | 0 | 13 | 13.0 |
| 68 | San Diego State | 1 | 5 | 7 | 1 | 13 | 13.0 |
| 72 | TCU | 2 | 7 | 13 | 4 | 24 | 12.0 |
| 72 | Air Force | 1 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 12.0 |
| 72 | Middle Tennessee | 1 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 12 | 12.0 |
| 72 | Bowling Green | 1 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 12 | 12.0 |
| 72 | Virginia Tech | 1 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 12 | 12.0 |
| 77 | USC | 1 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 10 | 10.0 |
| 77 | South Florida | 1 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 10 | 10.0 |
| 79 | Iowa State | 1 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 9 | 9.0 |
| 79 | LSU | 1 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 9 | 9.0 |