2017 National Leaders First Downs - Games vs. Non-Conference Teams Only through 01/08/2018
| Name | G | Rush | Pass | Penalty | Total | Total/G | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | USF | 4 | 62 | 42 | 11 | 115 | 28.8 |
| 2 | Louisville | 5 | 56 | 66 | 18 | 140 | 28.0 |
| 3 | Oklahoma | 4 | 36 | 66 | 8 | 110 | 27.5 |
| 4 | Duke | 5 | 64 | 62 | 11 | 137 | 27.4 |
| 4 | Wake Forest | 5 | 59 | 68 | 10 | 137 | 27.4 |
| 6 | Arkansas State | 4 | 29 | 72 | 7 | 108 | 27.0 |
| 6 | Texas Tech | 4 | 28 | 74 | 6 | 108 | 27.0 |
| 8 | Texas A&M | 5 | 50 | 74 | 10 | 134 | 26.8 |
| 9 | Virginia Tech | 5 | 63 | 61 | 9 | 133 | 26.6 |
| 10 | Wisconsin | 4 | 53 | 46 | 7 | 106 | 26.5 |
| 11 | Colorado State | 5 | 49 | 70 | 13 | 132 | 26.4 |
| 12 | Oregon | 4 | 52 | 46 | 7 | 105 | 26.3 |
| 12 | Oklahoma State | 4 | 37 | 62 | 6 | 105 | 26.3 |
| 14 | Mississippi State | 5 | 82 | 42 | 5 | 129 | 25.8 |
| 14 | Tulsa | 4 | 62 | 31 | 10 | 103 | 25.8 |
| 14 | Purdue | 4 | 42 | 55 | 6 | 103 | 25.8 |
| 17 | Syracuse | 4 | 33 | 56 | 12 | 101 | 25.3 |
| 18 | Washington State | 4 | 22 | 73 | 5 | 100 | 25.0 |
| 19 | TCU | 4 | 49 | 48 | 2 | 99 | 24.8 |
| 20 | Ohio State | 4 | 51 | 43 | 4 | 98 | 24.5 |
| 20 | UCLA | 4 | 23 | 69 | 6 | 98 | 24.5 |
| 22 | North Carolina | 4 | 47 | 44 | 6 | 97 | 24.3 |
| 22 | Michigan State | 4 | 46 | 46 | 5 | 97 | 24.3 |
| 24 | Missouri | 5 | 43 | 70 | 8 | 121 | 24.2 |
| 25 | Clemson | 5 | 46 | 63 | 11 | 120 | 24.0 |
| 25 | UCF | 4 | 34 | 49 | 13 | 96 | 24.0 |
| 25 | Ole Miss | 4 | 24 | 65 | 7 | 96 | 24.0 |
| 28 | Auburn | 5 | 55 | 55 | 7 | 117 | 23.4 |
| 28 | North Texas | 5 | 39 | 67 | 11 | 117 | 23.4 |
| 30 | Utah | 4 | 43 | 43 | 7 | 93 | 23.3 |
| 30 | UTSA | 3 | 31 | 35 | 4 | 70 | 23.3 |
| 30 | Colorado | 3 | 25 | 39 | 6 | 70 | 23.3 |
| 33 | Ohio | 5 | 56 | 47 | 13 | 116 | 23.2 |
| 34 | SMU | 5 | 52 | 52 | 11 | 115 | 23.0 |
| 34 | Arizona | 4 | 47 | 35 | 10 | 92 | 23.0 |
| 34 | Northwestern | 4 | 40 | 44 | 8 | 92 | 23.0 |
| 34 | Texas | 4 | 37 | 49 | 6 | 92 | 23.0 |
| 34 | Kansas | 3 | 16 | 49 | 4 | 69 | 23.0 |
| 39 | NC State | 5 | 40 | 69 | 5 | 114 | 22.8 |
| 39 | USC | 4 | 28 | 61 | 2 | 91 | 22.8 |
| 39 | Iowa State | 4 | 24 | 57 | 10 | 91 | 22.8 |
| 42 | Toledo | 5 | 40 | 62 | 11 | 113 | 22.6 |
| 43 | Miami (FL) | 4 | 46 | 38 | 6 | 90 | 22.5 |
| 44 | Arkansas | 4 | 47 | 36 | 6 | 89 | 22.3 |
| 44 | Pittsburgh | 4 | 40 | 46 | 3 | 89 | 22.3 |
| 46 | Massachusetts | 11 | 78 | 140 | 24 | 242 | 22.0 |
| 46 | West Virginia | 4 | 36 | 47 | 5 | 88 | 22.0 |
| 48 | Florida Atlantic | 5 | 68 | 33 | 7 | 108 | 21.6 |
| 48 | LSU | 5 | 60 | 45 | 3 | 108 | 21.6 |
| 48 | FIU | 5 | 41 | 57 | 10 | 108 | 21.6 |
| 48 | Central Michigan | 5 | 34 | 60 | 14 | 108 | 21.6 |
| 52 | Air Force | 4 | 62 | 19 | 5 | 86 | 21.5 |
| 52 | Iowa | 4 | 42 | 36 | 8 | 86 | 21.5 |
| 54 | Boise State | 5 | 37 | 61 | 9 | 107 | 21.4 |
| 55 | UNLV | 4 | 49 | 30 | 6 | 85 | 21.3 |
| 55 | Arizona State | 4 | 27 | 51 | 7 | 85 | 21.3 |
| 55 | Indiana | 3 | 27 | 31 | 6 | 64 | 21.3 |
| 55 | California | 3 | 23 | 34 | 7 | 64 | 21.3 |
| 59 | Notre Dame | 13 | 145 | 103 | 25 | 273 | 21.0 |
| 59 | New Mexico State | 5 | 29 | 71 | 5 | 105 | 21.0 |
| 61 | Army | 13 | 241 | 16 | 13 | 270 | 20.8 |
| 61 | Navy | 5 | 92 | 8 | 4 | 104 | 20.8 |
| 61 | Appalachian State | 5 | 51 | 45 | 8 | 104 | 20.8 |
| 61 | Fresno State | 5 | 40 | 55 | 9 | 104 | 20.8 |
| 61 | Troy | 5 | 36 | 58 | 10 | 104 | 20.8 |
| 61 | Memphis | 4 | 25 | 48 | 10 | 83 | 20.8 |
| 61 | East Carolina | 4 | 20 | 48 | 15 | 83 | 20.8 |
| 68 | Georgia Tech | 3 | 48 | 10 | 4 | 62 | 20.7 |
| 68 | Nebraska | 3 | 22 | 37 | 3 | 62 | 20.7 |
| 70 | Louisiana Tech | 5 | 44 | 50 | 9 | 103 | 20.6 |
| 71 | Ball State | 4 | 30 | 48 | 4 | 82 | 20.5 |
| 71 | Penn State | 4 | 27 | 50 | 5 | 82 | 20.5 |
| 71 | Houston | 4 | 23 | 54 | 5 | 82 | 20.5 |
| 74 | Alabama | 5 | 58 | 40 | 4 | 102 | 20.4 |
| 75 | Florida State | 5 | 49 | 48 | 4 | 101 | 20.2 |
| 76 | Georgia | 5 | 56 | 35 | 9 | 100 | 20.0 |
| 76 | Virginia | 5 | 34 | 62 | 4 | 100 | 20.0 |
| 76 | Louisiana | 4 | 37 | 42 | 1 | 80 | 20.0 |
| 76 | Minnesota | 3 | 36 | 19 | 5 | 60 | 20.0 |
| 80 | Southern Miss | 5 | 40 | 47 | 12 | 99 | 19.8 |
| 80 | Temple | 5 | 31 | 61 | 7 | 99 | 19.8 |
| 80 | Tulane | 4 | 53 | 18 | 8 | 79 | 19.8 |
| 80 | Coastal Carolina | 4 | 46 | 25 | 8 | 79 | 19.8 |
| 80 | Connecticut | 4 | 34 | 37 | 8 | 79 | 19.8 |
| 80 | Hawaii | 4 | 32 | 42 | 5 | 79 | 19.8 |
| 80 | Nevada | 4 | 32 | 33 | 14 | 79 | 19.8 |
| 80 | Eastern Michigan | 4 | 21 | 53 | 5 | 79 | 19.8 |
| 88 | Rutgers | 3 | 29 | 22 | 8 | 59 | 19.7 |
| 88 | Maryland | 3 | 28 | 21 | 10 | 59 | 19.7 |
| 90 | Western Michigan | 4 | 48 | 25 | 5 | 78 | 19.5 |
| 90 | Kansas State | 4 | 47 | 27 | 4 | 78 | 19.5 |
| 90 | New Mexico | 4 | 40 | 26 | 12 | 78 | 19.5 |
| 90 | Buffalo | 4 | 31 | 40 | 7 | 78 | 19.5 |
| 90 | Georgia State | 4 | 31 | 39 | 8 | 78 | 19.5 |
| 95 | Washington | 4 | 24 | 49 | 4 | 77 | 19.3 |
| 96 | Marshall | 5 | 33 | 54 | 9 | 96 | 19.2 |
| 97 | Western Kentucky | 5 | 22 | 63 | 10 | 95 | 19.0 |
| 97 | Miami (OH) | 4 | 30 | 41 | 5 | 76 | 19.0 |
| 99 | UAB | 5 | 47 | 38 | 8 | 93 | 18.6 |
| 99 | Utah State | 5 | 34 | 53 | 6 | 93 | 18.6 |
| 101 | Tennessee | 4 | 28 | 37 | 9 | 74 | 18.5 |
| 102 | Northern Illinois | 5 | 38 | 42 | 12 | 92 | 18.4 |
| 102 | Akron | 5 | 35 | 44 | 13 | 92 | 18.4 |
| 104 | Louisiana-Monroe | 4 | 25 | 43 | 5 | 73 | 18.3 |
| 104 | Oregon State | 3 | 17 | 34 | 4 | 55 | 18.3 |
| 106 | Boston College | 5 | 47 | 37 | 6 | 90 | 18.0 |
| 106 | Stanford | 4 | 34 | 31 | 7 | 72 | 18.0 |
| 108 | Middle Tennessee State | 5 | 29 | 52 | 8 | 89 | 17.8 |
| 108 | South Alabama | 4 | 25 | 43 | 3 | 71 | 17.8 |
| 110 | San Jose State | 5 | 36 | 46 | 6 | 88 | 17.6 |
| 111 | Cincinnati | 4 | 25 | 32 | 13 | 70 | 17.5 |
| 112 | Kentucky | 5 | 34 | 42 | 11 | 87 | 17.4 |
| 113 | Michigan | 4 | 33 | 32 | 4 | 69 | 17.3 |
| 114 | Florida | 3 | 23 | 27 | 1 | 51 | 17.0 |
| 115 | Bowling Green | 4 | 19 | 44 | 4 | 67 | 16.8 |
| 116 | San Diego State | 5 | 44 | 32 | 7 | 83 | 16.6 |
| 117 | BYU | 12 | 80 | 106 | 12 | 198 | 16.5 |
| 118 | South Carolina | 5 | 34 | 45 | 2 | 81 | 16.2 |
| 119 | Charlotte | 4 | 35 | 25 | 4 | 64 | 16.0 |
| 119 | Illinois | 3 | 20 | 21 | 7 | 48 | 16.0 |
| 121 | Idaho | 4 | 31 | 28 | 4 | 63 | 15.8 |
| 121 | Texas State | 4 | 27 | 24 | 12 | 63 | 15.8 |
| 121 | Vanderbilt | 4 | 22 | 41 | 0 | 63 | 15.8 |
| 124 | Wyoming | 5 | 24 | 47 | 6 | 77 | 15.4 |
| 125 | Baylor | 3 | 20 | 20 | 5 | 45 | 15.0 |
| 126 | Rice | 4 | 31 | 26 | 2 | 59 | 14.8 |
| 127 | Georgia Southern | 4 | 38 | 10 | 7 | 55 | 13.8 |
| 127 | Old Dominion | 4 | 22 | 24 | 9 | 55 | 13.8 |
| 129 | UTEP | 4 | 25 | 22 | 7 | 54 | 13.5 |
| 130 | Kent State | 4 | 34 | 10 | 3 | 47 | 11.8 |