2017 National Leaders Opponent First Downs - Games vs. FBS (I-A) Teams Only through 01/08/2018
| Name | G | Rush | Pass | Penalty | Total | Total/G | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mississippi State | 12 | 78 | 72 | 23 | 173 | 14.4 |
| 2 | UTSA | 10 | 68 | 74 | 14 | 156 | 15.6 |
| 3 | Michigan | 13 | 79 | 75 | 25 | 179 | 13.8 |
| 3 | San Diego State | 12 | 94 | 75 | 14 | 183 | 15.3 |
| 5 | Air Force | 11 | 112 | 79 | 15 | 206 | 18.7 |
| 6 | Duke | 12 | 101 | 83 | 20 | 204 | 17.0 |
| 7 | Indiana | 11 | 93 | 84 | 27 | 204 | 18.5 |
| 8 | Tennessee | 11 | 148 | 86 | 15 | 249 | 22.6 |
| 9 | Clemson | 13 | 91 | 88 | 18 | 197 | 15.2 |
| 10 | Kent State | 11 | 104 | 90 | 28 | 222 | 20.2 |
| 11 | Massachusetts | 11 | 106 | 91 | 14 | 211 | 19.2 |
| 12 | Georgia | 14 | 104 | 92 | 22 | 218 | 15.6 |
| 12 | Washington State | 12 | 96 | 92 | 18 | 206 | 17.2 |
| 12 | Florida | 11 | 82 | 92 | 18 | 192 | 17.5 |
| 12 | Army | 12 | 110 | 92 | 14 | 216 | 18.0 |
| 16 | Miami (OH) | 11 | 90 | 94 | 29 | 213 | 19.4 |
| 17 | Virginia Tech | 12 | 77 | 95 | 16 | 188 | 15.7 |
| 17 | Minnesota | 12 | 101 | 95 | 12 | 208 | 17.3 |
| 17 | Georgia Tech | 10 | 84 | 95 | 8 | 187 | 18.7 |
| 20 | Wyoming | 12 | 118 | 96 | 18 | 232 | 19.3 |
| 21 | Wisconsin | 14 | 79 | 97 | 20 | 196 | 14.0 |
| 22 | Virginia | 12 | 116 | 98 | 19 | 233 | 19.4 |
| 22 | Vanderbilt | 11 | 121 | 98 | 24 | 243 | 22.1 |
| 24 | Central Michigan | 12 | 113 | 100 | 21 | 234 | 19.5 |
| 24 | Utah State | 12 | 141 | 100 | 20 | 261 | 21.8 |
| 26 | LSU | 12 | 80 | 101 | 18 | 199 | 16.6 |
| 26 | Georgia Southern | 11 | 89 | 101 | 22 | 212 | 19.3 |
| 26 | Temple | 12 | 116 | 101 | 31 | 248 | 20.7 |
| 26 | Buffalo | 11 | 124 | 101 | 15 | 240 | 21.8 |
| 30 | Western Michigan | 11 | 92 | 102 | 19 | 213 | 19.4 |
| 30 | North Carolina | 11 | 122 | 102 | 24 | 248 | 22.5 |
| 32 | Tulane | 11 | 117 | 103 | 12 | 232 | 21.1 |
| 33 | Southern Miss | 12 | 91 | 104 | 27 | 222 | 18.5 |
| 33 | Eastern Michigan | 12 | 96 | 104 | 23 | 223 | 18.6 |
| 33 | Baylor | 11 | 115 | 104 | 14 | 233 | 21.2 |
| 36 | Auburn | 13 | 95 | 106 | 20 | 221 | 17.0 |
| 37 | Appalachian State | 12 | 91 | 108 | 17 | 216 | 18.0 |
| 37 | UAB | 12 | 108 | 108 | 29 | 245 | 20.4 |
| 39 | Alabama | 13 | 72 | 109 | 25 | 206 | 15.8 |
| 39 | Western Kentucky | 12 | 106 | 109 | 13 | 228 | 19.0 |
| 39 | Illinois | 12 | 137 | 109 | 23 | 269 | 22.4 |
| 42 | Northern Illinois | 12 | 81 | 110 | 14 | 205 | 17.1 |
| 42 | Utah | 12 | 84 | 110 | 21 | 215 | 17.9 |
| 42 | Ball State | 11 | 98 | 110 | 14 | 222 | 20.2 |
| 42 | Louisiana Tech | 12 | 132 | 110 | 10 | 252 | 21.0 |
| 42 | UNLV | 11 | 144 | 110 | 13 | 267 | 24.3 |
| 47 | Washington | 12 | 89 | 111 | 9 | 209 | 17.4 |
| 48 | Arkansas | 11 | 122 | 112 | 14 | 248 | 22.5 |
| 48 | UCLA | 13 | 165 | 112 | 43 | 320 | 24.6 |
| 50 | Arkansas State | 11 | 83 | 113 | 25 | 221 | 20.1 |
| 50 | USF | 11 | 82 | 113 | 27 | 222 | 20.2 |
| 52 | Coastal Carolina | 11 | 108 | 114 | 18 | 240 | 21.8 |
| 53 | Navy | 13 | 101 | 115 | 17 | 233 | 17.9 |
| 53 | Boston College | 13 | 111 | 115 | 9 | 235 | 18.1 |
| 53 | Florida State | 12 | 89 | 115 | 16 | 220 | 18.3 |
| 56 | Ole Miss | 11 | 125 | 116 | 23 | 264 | 24.0 |
| 57 | New Mexico | 11 | 82 | 117 | 16 | 215 | 19.5 |
| 57 | Idaho | 11 | 108 | 117 | 12 | 237 | 21.5 |
| 57 | Syracuse | 11 | 108 | 117 | 15 | 240 | 21.8 |
| 57 | UTEP | 12 | 148 | 117 | 20 | 285 | 23.8 |
| 61 | Texas A&M | 12 | 105 | 118 | 20 | 243 | 20.3 |
| 61 | Hawaii | 11 | 108 | 118 | 18 | 244 | 22.2 |
| 61 | Oregon State | 11 | 138 | 118 | 30 | 286 | 26.0 |
| 64 | Middle Tennessee State | 13 | 110 | 119 | 26 | 255 | 19.6 |
| 64 | Oregon | 12 | 88 | 119 | 38 | 245 | 20.4 |
| 64 | Miami (FL) | 12 | 112 | 119 | 19 | 250 | 20.8 |
| 64 | Old Dominion | 11 | 121 | 119 | 14 | 254 | 23.1 |
| 64 | Cincinnati | 11 | 107 | 119 | 29 | 255 | 23.2 |
| 69 | Georgia State | 11 | 72 | 120 | 9 | 201 | 18.3 |
| 69 | North Texas | 13 | 132 | 120 | 22 | 274 | 21.1 |
| 71 | Pittsburgh | 11 | 81 | 121 | 17 | 219 | 19.9 |
| 72 | Michigan State | 13 | 63 | 122 | 21 | 206 | 15.8 |
| 72 | Penn State | 13 | 87 | 122 | 17 | 226 | 17.4 |
| 72 | Missouri | 12 | 101 | 122 | 23 | 246 | 20.5 |
| 72 | California | 11 | 106 | 122 | 17 | 245 | 22.3 |
| 72 | Nebraska | 12 | 131 | 122 | 26 | 279 | 23.3 |
| 72 | Colorado | 11 | 126 | 122 | 13 | 261 | 23.7 |
| 72 | San Jose State | 12 | 162 | 122 | 16 | 300 | 25.0 |
| 79 | Colorado State | 12 | 115 | 123 | 21 | 259 | 21.6 |
| 79 | West Virginia | 12 | 114 | 123 | 30 | 267 | 22.3 |
| 81 | Maryland | 11 | 115 | 124 | 28 | 267 | 24.3 |
| 81 | Nevada | 11 | 136 | 124 | 21 | 281 | 25.5 |
| 81 | Bowling Green | 11 | 142 | 124 | 19 | 285 | 25.9 |
| 84 | Fresno State | 13 | 91 | 125 | 15 | 231 | 17.8 |
| 84 | BYU | 12 | 116 | 125 | 12 | 253 | 21.1 |
| 84 | Rutgers | 11 | 97 | 125 | 15 | 237 | 21.5 |
| 84 | East Carolina | 11 | 128 | 125 | 20 | 273 | 24.8 |
| 84 | Louisiana | 11 | 134 | 125 | 19 | 278 | 25.3 |
| 89 | TCU | 13 | 76 | 126 | 24 | 226 | 17.4 |
| 89 | Charlotte | 11 | 121 | 126 | 16 | 263 | 23.9 |
| 91 | Ohio State | 14 | 77 | 127 | 31 | 235 | 16.8 |
| 91 | Toledo | 13 | 116 | 127 | 34 | 277 | 21.3 |
| 93 | NC State | 12 | 92 | 128 | 18 | 238 | 19.8 |
| 93 | Tulsa | 12 | 142 | 128 | 23 | 293 | 24.4 |
| 95 | Louisville | 12 | 118 | 129 | 14 | 261 | 21.8 |
| 96 | Texas | 13 | 81 | 130 | 18 | 229 | 17.6 |
| 96 | Iowa | 13 | 96 | 130 | 18 | 244 | 18.8 |
| 96 | USC | 14 | 122 | 130 | 30 | 282 | 20.1 |
| 96 | Rice | 12 | 121 | 130 | 11 | 262 | 21.8 |
| 100 | Notre Dame | 13 | 110 | 131 | 19 | 260 | 20.0 |
| 101 | Troy | 12 | 86 | 133 | 15 | 234 | 19.5 |
| 101 | Oklahoma | 14 | 118 | 133 | 35 | 286 | 20.4 |
| 101 | Kansas | 11 | 101 | 133 | 18 | 252 | 22.9 |
| 104 | Boise State | 14 | 98 | 134 | 18 | 250 | 17.9 |
| 104 | UCF | 12 | 101 | 134 | 27 | 262 | 21.8 |
| 104 | Kentucky | 12 | 119 | 134 | 19 | 272 | 22.7 |
| 107 | Marshall | 13 | 88 | 135 | 27 | 250 | 19.2 |
| 107 | South Alabama | 11 | 94 | 135 | 18 | 247 | 22.5 |
| 109 | Iowa State | 12 | 90 | 136 | 12 | 238 | 19.8 |
| 110 | South Carolina | 12 | 93 | 137 | 21 | 251 | 20.9 |
| 110 | FIU | 12 | 112 | 137 | 32 | 281 | 23.4 |
| 112 | Purdue | 13 | 88 | 138 | 24 | 250 | 19.2 |
| 112 | Texas State | 11 | 82 | 138 | 9 | 229 | 20.8 |
| 112 | SMU | 12 | 128 | 138 | 23 | 289 | 24.1 |
| 115 | Ohio | 12 | 71 | 139 | 19 | 229 | 19.1 |
| 116 | Akron | 13 | 148 | 141 | 27 | 316 | 24.3 |
| 117 | Stanford | 14 | 128 | 143 | 22 | 293 | 20.9 |
| 118 | Oklahoma State | 13 | 112 | 144 | 30 | 286 | 22.0 |
| 119 | New Mexico State | 13 | 114 | 145 | 26 | 285 | 21.9 |
| 120 | Memphis | 12 | 120 | 146 | 29 | 295 | 24.6 |
| 121 | Houston | 12 | 107 | 147 | 20 | 274 | 22.8 |
| 121 | Louisiana-Monroe | 12 | 137 | 147 | 17 | 301 | 25.1 |
| 123 | Northwestern | 13 | 83 | 149 | 17 | 249 | 19.2 |
| 124 | Arizona | 12 | 115 | 152 | 25 | 292 | 24.3 |
| 125 | Arizona State | 13 | 112 | 155 | 23 | 290 | 22.3 |
| 125 | Connecticut | 11 | 110 | 155 | 19 | 284 | 25.8 |
| 127 | Florida Atlantic | 13 | 112 | 160 | 26 | 298 | 22.9 |
| 127 | Texas Tech | 12 | 102 | 160 | 35 | 297 | 24.8 |
| 129 | Kansas State | 12 | 73 | 162 | 9 | 244 | 20.3 |
| 130 | Wake Forest | 12 | 120 | 164 | 17 | 301 | 25.1 |