2016 National Leaders First Downs - Games in December/January Only through 01/09/2017
| Name | G | Rush | Pass | Penalty | Total | Total/G | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Clemson | 3 | 31 | 45 | 9 | 85 | 28.3 |
| 2 | Louisiana Tech | 2 | 12 | 39 | 6 | 57 | 28.5 |
| 3 | Baylor | 2 | 19 | 28 | 1 | 48 | 24.0 |
| 3 | Penn State | 2 | 11 | 28 | 5 | 44 | 22.0 |
| 5 | Troy | 2 | 9 | 27 | 1 | 37 | 18.5 |
| 6 | Western Kentucky | 2 | 27 | 26 | 6 | 59 | 29.5 |
| 6 | Oklahoma | 2 | 22 | 26 | 5 | 53 | 26.5 |
| 6 | Virginia Tech | 2 | 14 | 26 | 4 | 44 | 22.0 |
| 9 | USC | 1 | 6 | 23 | 4 | 33 | 33.0 |
| 9 | Idaho | 2 | 21 | 23 | 2 | 46 | 23.0 |
| 11 | Temple | 2 | 15 | 22 | 2 | 39 | 19.5 |
| 12 | Oklahoma State | 2 | 18 | 21 | 2 | 41 | 20.5 |
| 12 | Ohio | 2 | 9 | 21 | 7 | 37 | 18.5 |
| 14 | South Carolina | 1 | 4 | 20 | 3 | 27 | 27.0 |
| 15 | Western Michigan | 2 | 19 | 19 | 0 | 38 | 19.0 |
| 15 | Wyoming | 2 | 13 | 19 | 3 | 35 | 17.5 |
| 17 | Middle Tennessee | 1 | 6 | 18 | 5 | 29 | 29.0 |
| 17 | Memphis | 1 | 5 | 18 | 4 | 27 | 27.0 |
| 17 | Wisconsin | 2 | 20 | 18 | 2 | 40 | 20.0 |
| 17 | Florida | 2 | 8 | 18 | 1 | 27 | 13.5 |
| 21 | Eastern Michigan | 1 | 8 | 16 | 4 | 28 | 28.0 |
| 21 | Boise State | 1 | 8 | 16 | 1 | 25 | 25.0 |
| 21 | Texas A&M | 1 | 7 | 16 | 2 | 25 | 25.0 |
| 21 | South Alabama | 2 | 19 | 16 | 0 | 35 | 17.5 |
| 25 | Northwestern | 1 | 10 | 15 | 2 | 27 | 27.0 |
| 25 | North Carolina | 1 | 8 | 15 | 3 | 26 | 26.0 |
| 25 | Navy | 3 | 27 | 15 | 4 | 46 | 15.3 |
| 28 | Tulsa | 1 | 20 | 14 | 0 | 34 | 34.0 |
| 28 | Colorado State | 1 | 7 | 14 | 4 | 25 | 25.0 |
| 28 | North Carolina State | 1 | 5 | 14 | 2 | 21 | 21.0 |
| 28 | Miami (Florida) | 1 | 4 | 14 | 2 | 20 | 20.0 |
| 28 | Central Michigan | 1 | 4 | 14 | 1 | 19 | 19.0 |
| 28 | Colorado | 2 | 10 | 14 | 3 | 27 | 13.5 |
| 34 | South Florida | 1 | 10 | 13 | 1 | 24 | 24.0 |
| 35 | Tennessee | 1 | 12 | 12 | 1 | 25 | 25.0 |
| 35 | Southern Mississippi | 1 | 8 | 12 | 2 | 22 | 22.0 |
| 35 | Kansas State | 2 | 24 | 12 | 2 | 38 | 19.0 |
| 35 | Georgia State | 1 | 4 | 12 | 3 | 19 | 19.0 |
| 35 | Washington | 2 | 23 | 12 | 1 | 36 | 18.0 |
| 35 | Nebraska | 1 | 5 | 12 | 1 | 18 | 18.0 |
| 35 | TCU | 2 | 16 | 12 | 4 | 32 | 16.0 |
| 35 | Arkansas State | 2 | 12 | 12 | 2 | 26 | 13.0 |
| 43 | Miami (Ohio) | 1 | 12 | 11 | 1 | 24 | 24.0 |
| 43 | Wake Forest | 1 | 10 | 11 | 1 | 22 | 22.0 |
| 43 | Indiana | 1 | 8 | 11 | 3 | 22 | 22.0 |
| 43 | LSU | 1 | 5 | 11 | 4 | 20 | 20.0 |
| 43 | North Texas | 1 | 7 | 11 | 1 | 19 | 19.0 |
| 43 | West Virginia | 2 | 17 | 11 | 8 | 36 | 18.0 |
| 43 | Vanderbilt | 1 | 7 | 11 | 0 | 18 | 18.0 |
| 43 | Alabama | 3 | 35 | 11 | 4 | 50 | 16.7 |
| 43 | Washington State | 1 | 4 | 11 | 1 | 16 | 16.0 |
| 43 | Arkansas | 1 | 1 | 11 | 2 | 14 | 14.0 |
| 53 | Kentucky | 1 | 9 | 10 | 1 | 20 | 20.0 |
| 53 | Hawai'i | 1 | 8 | 10 | 0 | 18 | 18.0 |
| 53 | Michigan | 1 | 5 | 10 | 1 | 16 | 16.0 |
| 53 | San Diego State | 2 | 17 | 10 | 2 | 29 | 14.5 |
| 57 | Appalachian State | 1 | 14 | 9 | 2 | 25 | 25.0 |
| 57 | Maryland | 1 | 7 | 9 | 1 | 17 | 17.0 |
| 57 | UCF | 1 | 1 | 9 | 7 | 17 | 17.0 |
| 57 | Houston | 1 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 16 | 16.0 |
| 57 | Toledo | 1 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 14 | 14.0 |
| 62 | Utah | 1 | 12 | 8 | 1 | 21 | 21.0 |
| 62 | Pittsburgh | 1 | 9 | 8 | 1 | 18 | 18.0 |
| 62 | Minnesota | 1 | 8 | 8 | 1 | 17 | 17.0 |
| 65 | Auburn | 1 | 14 | 7 | 1 | 22 | 22.0 |
| 65 | New Mexico State | 1 | 12 | 7 | 2 | 21 | 21.0 |
| 65 | Old Dominion | 1 | 13 | 7 | 0 | 20 | 20.0 |
| 65 | Mississippi State | 1 | 9 | 7 | 2 | 18 | 18.0 |
| 65 | Boston College | 1 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 15 | 15.0 |
| 70 | Air Force | 1 | 14 | 6 | 4 | 24 | 24.0 |
| 70 | Georgia Southern | 1 | 13 | 6 | 1 | 20 | 20.0 |
| 70 | Stanford | 1 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 16 | 16.0 |
| 70 | Texas State | 1 | 7 | 6 | 2 | 15 | 15.0 |
| 70 | Louisville | 1 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 11 | 11.0 |
| 75 | UTSA | 1 | 13 | 5 | 2 | 20 | 20.0 |
| 75 | Louisiana-Lafayette | 2 | 29 | 5 | 4 | 38 | 19.0 |
| 75 | Georgia | 1 | 11 | 5 | 1 | 17 | 17.0 |
| 75 | Florida State | 1 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 15 | 15.0 |
| 75 | BYU | 1 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 13 | 13.0 |
| 80 | Georgia Tech | 1 | 15 | 4 | 2 | 21 | 21.0 |
| 80 | Ohio State | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 9 | 9.0 |
| 82 | Army | 2 | 42 | 3 | 0 | 45 | 22.5 |
| 82 | New Mexico | 1 | 13 | 3 | 1 | 17 | 17.0 |
| 82 | Iowa | 1 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 14 | 14.0 |
| 85 | Louisiana-Monroe | 1 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 8.0 |