2018 National Leaders First Downs - Games in December/January Only through 01/07/2019
| Name | G | Rush | Pass | Penalty | Total | Total/G | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alabama | 3 | 33 | 37 | 2 | 72 | 24.0 |
| 2 | Clemson | 3 | 25 | 31 | 4 | 60 | 20.0 |
| 3 | Oklahoma | 2 | 17 | 31 | 7 | 55 | 27.5 |
| 4 | Ohio State | 2 | 13 | 39 | 1 | 53 | 26.5 |
| 5 | UCF | 2 | 25 | 18 | 8 | 51 | 25.5 |
| 6 | NC State | 2 | 17 | 27 | 3 | 47 | 23.5 |
| 7 | Memphis | 2 | 26 | 17 | 2 | 45 | 22.5 |
| 7 | Virginia Tech | 2 | 19 | 18 | 8 | 45 | 22.5 |
| 9 | Marshall | 2 | 19 | 23 | 1 | 43 | 21.5 |
| 9 | Texas | 2 | 17 | 24 | 2 | 43 | 21.5 |
| 9 | Georgia | 2 | 14 | 26 | 3 | 43 | 21.5 |
| 12 | Middle Tennessee State | 2 | 11 | 29 | 2 | 42 | 21.0 |
| 13 | UAB | 2 | 21 | 18 | 2 | 41 | 20.5 |
| 14 | Army | 2 | 33 | 5 | 1 | 39 | 19.5 |
| 14 | Iowa State | 2 | 19 | 18 | 2 | 39 | 19.5 |
| 16 | Northwestern | 2 | 11 | 23 | 4 | 38 | 19.0 |
| 17 | Appalachian State | 2 | 17 | 15 | 4 | 36 | 18.0 |
| 18 | LSU | 1 | 12 | 16 | 4 | 32 | 32.0 |
| 18 | Fresno State | 2 | 15 | 15 | 2 | 32 | 16.0 |
| 18 | California | 2 | 14 | 17 | 1 | 32 | 16.0 |
| 21 | Baylor | 1 | 19 | 11 | 0 | 30 | 30.0 |
| 22 | Liberty | 1 | 17 | 11 | 1 | 29 | 29.0 |
| 22 | Pittsburgh | 2 | 21 | 6 | 2 | 29 | 14.5 |
| 24 | Tulane | 1 | 19 | 8 | 1 | 28 | 28.0 |
| 24 | Virginia | 1 | 14 | 13 | 1 | 28 | 28.0 |
| 24 | Stanford | 2 | 12 | 14 | 2 | 28 | 14.0 |
| 24 | South Carolina | 2 | 8 | 19 | 1 | 28 | 14.0 |
| 28 | Oklahoma State | 1 | 10 | 15 | 2 | 27 | 27.0 |
| 28 | Washington | 1 | 10 | 14 | 3 | 27 | 27.0 |
| 28 | Missouri | 1 | 9 | 14 | 4 | 27 | 27.0 |
| 28 | Louisiana | 2 | 15 | 11 | 1 | 27 | 13.5 |
| 32 | Wake Forest | 1 | 12 | 13 | 1 | 26 | 26.0 |
| 32 | FIU | 1 | 10 | 13 | 3 | 26 | 26.0 |
| 34 | Utah State | 1 | 11 | 13 | 1 | 25 | 25.0 |
| 34 | Arkansas State | 1 | 9 | 13 | 3 | 25 | 25.0 |
| 36 | Auburn | 1 | 13 | 9 | 2 | 24 | 24.0 |
| 37 | Cincinnati | 1 | 13 | 8 | 2 | 23 | 23.0 |
| 37 | Houston | 1 | 10 | 11 | 2 | 23 | 23.0 |
| 39 | Boise State | 1 | 14 | 6 | 2 | 22 | 22.0 |
| 39 | Vanderbilt | 1 | 11 | 9 | 2 | 22 | 22.0 |
| 39 | Duke | 1 | 7 | 15 | 0 | 22 | 22.0 |
| 39 | BYU | 1 | 7 | 12 | 3 | 22 | 22.0 |
| 43 | Ohio | 1 | 10 | 10 | 1 | 21 | 21.0 |
| 43 | Syracuse | 1 | 9 | 10 | 2 | 21 | 21.0 |
| 43 | Toledo | 1 | 8 | 12 | 1 | 21 | 21.0 |
| 43 | Louisiana Tech | 1 | 8 | 11 | 2 | 21 | 21.0 |
| 43 | Northern Illinois | 1 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 21 | 21.0 |
| 43 | Troy | 1 | 7 | 14 | 0 | 21 | 21.0 |
| 49 | Wisconsin | 1 | 17 | 3 | 0 | 20 | 20.0 |
| 49 | Penn State | 1 | 11 | 9 | 0 | 20 | 20.0 |
| 49 | Buffalo | 1 | 5 | 11 | 4 | 20 | 20.0 |
| 52 | Minnesota | 1 | 13 | 5 | 1 | 19 | 19.0 |
| 52 | North Texas | 1 | 11 | 6 | 2 | 19 | 19.0 |
| 52 | Michigan State | 1 | 10 | 9 | 0 | 19 | 19.0 |
| 52 | USF | 1 | 7 | 10 | 2 | 19 | 19.0 |
| 52 | Utah | 1 | 5 | 13 | 1 | 19 | 19.0 |
| 52 | Temple | 1 | 3 | 15 | 1 | 19 | 19.0 |
| 52 | Washington State | 1 | 2 | 15 | 2 | 19 | 19.0 |
| 59 | Georgia Southern | 1 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 18 | 18.0 |
| 59 | Texas A&M | 1 | 14 | 4 | 0 | 18 | 18.0 |
| 59 | Arizona State | 1 | 11 | 7 | 0 | 18 | 18.0 |
| 59 | San Diego State | 1 | 10 | 8 | 0 | 18 | 18.0 |
| 59 | Akron | 1 | 7 | 10 | 1 | 18 | 18.0 |
| 59 | Michigan | 1 | 5 | 12 | 1 | 18 | 18.0 |
| 65 | Notre Dame | 1 | 7 | 8 | 2 | 17 | 17.0 |
| 65 | West Virginia | 1 | 6 | 10 | 1 | 17 | 17.0 |
| 65 | Hawaii | 1 | 6 | 8 | 3 | 17 | 17.0 |
| 65 | Purdue | 1 | 5 | 10 | 2 | 17 | 17.0 |
| 69 | TCU | 1 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 16 | 16.0 |
| 69 | Kentucky | 1 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 16 | 16.0 |
| 69 | Western Michigan | 1 | 6 | 8 | 2 | 16 | 16.0 |
| 72 | Mississippi State | 1 | 11 | 4 | 0 | 15 | 15.0 |
| 72 | Florida | 1 | 10 | 5 | 0 | 15 | 15.0 |
| 72 | Nevada | 1 | 7 | 7 | 1 | 15 | 15.0 |
| 75 | Georgia Tech | 1 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 14 | 14.0 |
| 75 | Eastern Michigan | 1 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 14 | 14.0 |
| 77 | Navy | 1 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 11 | 11.0 |
| 77 | Oregon | 1 | 2 | 8 | 1 | 11 | 11.0 |
| 77 | Iowa | 1 | 1 | 7 | 3 | 11 | 11.0 |
| 80 | Miami (FL) | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 6.0 |
| 81 | East Carolina | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 4.0 |