2017 National Leaders First Downs - Games in August/September Only through 01/08/2018
| Name | G | Rush | Pass | Penalty | Total | Total/G | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Louisville | 5 | 55 | 77 | 12 | 144 | 28.8 |
| 2 | West Virginia | 4 | 49 | 57 | 7 | 113 | 28.3 |
| 3 | Oklahoma State | 5 | 47 | 83 | 9 | 139 | 27.8 |
| 4 | TCU | 4 | 55 | 47 | 8 | 110 | 27.5 |
| 5 | UCLA | 5 | 33 | 95 | 8 | 136 | 27.2 |
| 6 | USF | 5 | 81 | 42 | 12 | 135 | 27.0 |
| 6 | Ohio State | 5 | 69 | 60 | 6 | 135 | 27.0 |
| 6 | Oregon | 5 | 69 | 53 | 13 | 135 | 27.0 |
| 9 | Texas Tech | 4 | 26 | 70 | 11 | 107 | 26.8 |
| 10 | Washington State | 5 | 29 | 96 | 8 | 133 | 26.6 |
| 11 | Oklahoma | 4 | 37 | 63 | 6 | 106 | 26.5 |
| 12 | Duke | 5 | 69 | 52 | 11 | 132 | 26.4 |
| 13 | Toledo | 4 | 38 | 56 | 11 | 105 | 26.3 |
| 14 | Colorado State | 5 | 54 | 68 | 9 | 131 | 26.2 |
| 15 | Arkansas State | 3 | 20 | 55 | 3 | 78 | 26.0 |
| 16 | Alabama | 5 | 75 | 48 | 5 | 128 | 25.6 |
| 17 | NC State | 5 | 48 | 69 | 10 | 127 | 25.4 |
| 18 | UCF | 3 | 33 | 32 | 11 | 76 | 25.3 |
| 19 | Miami (FL) | 3 | 35 | 33 | 6 | 74 | 24.7 |
| 20 | SMU | 5 | 50 | 59 | 14 | 123 | 24.6 |
| 21 | North Texas | 5 | 52 | 60 | 10 | 122 | 24.4 |
| 22 | Georgia Tech | 4 | 76 | 14 | 7 | 97 | 24.3 |
| 22 | Arizona | 4 | 52 | 32 | 13 | 97 | 24.3 |
| 24 | Syracuse | 5 | 38 | 69 | 14 | 121 | 24.2 |
| 25 | Virginia Tech | 5 | 51 | 60 | 8 | 119 | 23.8 |
| 25 | Wisconsin | 4 | 53 | 37 | 5 | 95 | 23.8 |
| 25 | Utah | 4 | 42 | 44 | 9 | 95 | 23.8 |
| 28 | Clemson | 5 | 61 | 49 | 8 | 118 | 23.6 |
| 29 | Texas | 4 | 41 | 49 | 4 | 94 | 23.5 |
| 30 | Texas A&M | 5 | 63 | 45 | 9 | 117 | 23.4 |
| 31 | Navy | 4 | 80 | 9 | 4 | 93 | 23.3 |
| 31 | Kansas | 4 | 29 | 57 | 7 | 93 | 23.3 |
| 31 | UTSA | 3 | 31 | 35 | 4 | 70 | 23.3 |
| 34 | Tulsa | 5 | 68 | 35 | 12 | 115 | 23.0 |
| 34 | USC | 5 | 46 | 68 | 1 | 115 | 23.0 |
| 34 | Washington | 5 | 43 | 62 | 10 | 115 | 23.0 |
| 34 | Northwestern | 4 | 31 | 53 | 8 | 92 | 23.0 |
| 38 | Colorado | 5 | 45 | 58 | 11 | 114 | 22.8 |
| 38 | East Carolina | 5 | 29 | 68 | 17 | 114 | 22.8 |
| 38 | Louisiana | 4 | 41 | 47 | 3 | 91 | 22.8 |
| 38 | Michigan State | 4 | 35 | 49 | 7 | 91 | 22.8 |
| 38 | Memphis | 4 | 29 | 48 | 14 | 91 | 22.8 |
| 43 | UNLV | 4 | 55 | 27 | 7 | 89 | 22.3 |
| 43 | Arkansas | 4 | 46 | 36 | 7 | 89 | 22.3 |
| 43 | Virginia | 4 | 30 | 55 | 4 | 89 | 22.3 |
| 46 | Ohio | 5 | 54 | 46 | 11 | 111 | 22.2 |
| 46 | Hawaii | 5 | 45 | 59 | 7 | 111 | 22.2 |
| 48 | Massachusetts | 6 | 40 | 82 | 10 | 132 | 22.0 |
| 48 | Houston | 4 | 29 | 51 | 8 | 88 | 22.0 |
| 50 | Troy | 5 | 40 | 58 | 11 | 109 | 21.8 |
| 50 | Central Michigan | 5 | 37 | 58 | 14 | 109 | 21.8 |
| 50 | Air Force | 4 | 64 | 16 | 7 | 87 | 21.8 |
| 50 | Missouri | 4 | 37 | 46 | 4 | 87 | 21.8 |
| 50 | Southern Miss | 4 | 35 | 43 | 9 | 87 | 21.8 |
| 50 | Iowa State | 4 | 21 | 57 | 9 | 87 | 21.8 |
| 56 | Mississippi State | 5 | 66 | 36 | 6 | 108 | 21.6 |
| 56 | Florida Atlantic | 5 | 66 | 35 | 7 | 108 | 21.6 |
| 58 | Connecticut | 4 | 27 | 48 | 11 | 86 | 21.5 |
| 59 | New Mexico State | 5 | 27 | 76 | 4 | 107 | 21.4 |
| 60 | Purdue | 4 | 33 | 46 | 6 | 85 | 21.3 |
| 60 | Appalachian State | 4 | 33 | 44 | 8 | 85 | 21.3 |
| 62 | Nebraska | 5 | 42 | 57 | 7 | 106 | 21.2 |
| 62 | Penn State | 5 | 40 | 61 | 5 | 106 | 21.2 |
| 62 | Arizona State | 5 | 39 | 57 | 10 | 106 | 21.2 |
| 65 | Notre Dame | 5 | 50 | 37 | 18 | 105 | 21.0 |
| 65 | Louisiana Tech | 5 | 41 | 56 | 8 | 105 | 21.0 |
| 65 | Fresno State | 4 | 33 | 45 | 6 | 84 | 21.0 |
| 68 | Wake Forest | 5 | 48 | 50 | 6 | 104 | 20.8 |
| 68 | Louisiana-Monroe | 4 | 40 | 37 | 6 | 83 | 20.8 |
| 68 | Indiana | 4 | 29 | 46 | 8 | 83 | 20.8 |
| 71 | Maryland | 4 | 41 | 30 | 11 | 82 | 20.5 |
| 72 | California | 5 | 35 | 54 | 13 | 102 | 20.4 |
| 73 | UAB | 4 | 46 | 30 | 5 | 81 | 20.3 |
| 74 | Army | 5 | 90 | 5 | 6 | 101 | 20.2 |
| 74 | New Mexico | 5 | 54 | 35 | 12 | 101 | 20.2 |
| 76 | LSU | 5 | 55 | 40 | 5 | 100 | 20.0 |
| 76 | Auburn | 5 | 52 | 40 | 8 | 100 | 20.0 |
| 76 | Pittsburgh | 5 | 42 | 55 | 3 | 100 | 20.0 |
| 76 | Akron | 5 | 40 | 48 | 12 | 100 | 20.0 |
| 76 | Utah State | 5 | 38 | 57 | 5 | 100 | 20.0 |
| 81 | Western Michigan | 5 | 57 | 37 | 5 | 99 | 19.8 |
| 81 | North Carolina | 5 | 33 | 60 | 6 | 99 | 19.8 |
| 81 | Coastal Carolina | 4 | 46 | 26 | 7 | 79 | 19.8 |
| 81 | Northern Illinois | 4 | 33 | 36 | 10 | 79 | 19.8 |
| 81 | Western Kentucky | 4 | 24 | 47 | 8 | 79 | 19.8 |
| 86 | Minnesota | 4 | 40 | 30 | 8 | 78 | 19.5 |
| 86 | Marshall | 4 | 25 | 44 | 9 | 78 | 19.5 |
| 88 | Ball State | 5 | 36 | 56 | 5 | 97 | 19.4 |
| 89 | FIU | 4 | 31 | 43 | 3 | 77 | 19.3 |
| 89 | Ole Miss | 4 | 18 | 52 | 7 | 77 | 19.3 |
| 91 | Buffalo | 5 | 38 | 46 | 12 | 96 | 19.2 |
| 91 | Miami (OH) | 5 | 37 | 50 | 9 | 96 | 19.2 |
| 93 | Iowa | 5 | 41 | 46 | 8 | 95 | 19.0 |
| 93 | Nevada | 5 | 35 | 45 | 15 | 95 | 19.0 |
| 93 | Middle Tennessee State | 5 | 27 | 60 | 8 | 95 | 19.0 |
| 93 | Kansas State | 4 | 46 | 29 | 1 | 76 | 19.0 |
| 93 | Michigan | 4 | 36 | 35 | 5 | 76 | 19.0 |
| 93 | Georgia State | 3 | 21 | 30 | 6 | 57 | 19.0 |
| 99 | Stanford | 5 | 45 | 36 | 12 | 93 | 18.6 |
| 100 | Cincinnati | 5 | 28 | 51 | 13 | 92 | 18.4 |
| 101 | Eastern Michigan | 4 | 17 | 52 | 4 | 73 | 18.3 |
| 102 | Georgia | 5 | 55 | 26 | 10 | 91 | 18.2 |
| 102 | Boston College | 5 | 46 | 38 | 7 | 91 | 18.2 |
| 102 | San Diego State | 5 | 44 | 37 | 10 | 91 | 18.2 |
| 102 | Kentucky | 5 | 32 | 46 | 13 | 91 | 18.2 |
| 106 | Tennessee | 5 | 37 | 44 | 9 | 90 | 18.0 |
| 106 | Tulane | 4 | 49 | 18 | 5 | 72 | 18.0 |
| 106 | Idaho | 4 | 30 | 33 | 9 | 72 | 18.0 |
| 106 | Boise State | 4 | 24 | 44 | 4 | 72 | 18.0 |
| 110 | South Alabama | 5 | 35 | 48 | 5 | 88 | 17.6 |
| 111 | San Jose State | 6 | 42 | 56 | 7 | 105 | 17.5 |
| 112 | Charlotte | 5 | 48 | 33 | 6 | 87 | 17.4 |
| 113 | Baylor | 5 | 26 | 52 | 7 | 85 | 17.0 |
| 114 | Rutgers | 5 | 37 | 36 | 11 | 84 | 16.8 |
| 114 | Texas State | 5 | 36 | 34 | 14 | 84 | 16.8 |
| 114 | Oregon State | 5 | 33 | 45 | 6 | 84 | 16.8 |
| 114 | Bowling Green | 5 | 30 | 50 | 4 | 84 | 16.8 |
| 118 | Rice | 5 | 41 | 38 | 4 | 83 | 16.6 |
| 118 | South Carolina | 5 | 29 | 51 | 3 | 83 | 16.6 |
| 118 | Temple | 5 | 27 | 50 | 6 | 83 | 16.6 |
| 121 | Florida | 4 | 28 | 33 | 5 | 66 | 16.5 |
| 122 | Illinois | 4 | 26 | 28 | 9 | 63 | 15.8 |
| 123 | Florida State | 3 | 18 | 23 | 4 | 45 | 15.0 |
| 124 | Wyoming | 5 | 26 | 42 | 5 | 73 | 14.6 |
| 125 | Georgia Southern | 3 | 30 | 7 | 6 | 43 | 14.3 |
| 126 | Kent State | 5 | 43 | 22 | 6 | 71 | 14.2 |
| 127 | Old Dominion | 4 | 22 | 24 | 9 | 55 | 13.8 |
| 128 | UTEP | 5 | 28 | 31 | 7 | 66 | 13.2 |
| 129 | Vanderbilt | 5 | 19 | 43 | 2 | 64 | 12.8 |
| 130 | BYU | 5 | 23 | 36 | 4 | 63 | 12.6 |