2020 National Leaders First Downs - Games in August/September Only through 01/11/2021
| Name | G | Rush | Pass | Penalty | Total | Total/G | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Florida | 1 | 9 | 21 | 2 | 32 | 32.0 |
| 2 | BYU | 2 | 28 | 29 | 3 | 60 | 30.0 |
| 2 | UCF | 2 | 24 | 33 | 3 | 60 | 30.0 |
| 4 | Texas Tech | 2 | 17 | 38 | 4 | 59 | 29.5 |
| 5 | Liberty | 2 | 33 | 19 | 6 | 58 | 29.0 |
| 5 | North Texas | 2 | 28 | 27 | 3 | 58 | 29.0 |
| 5 | Louisiana Tech | 2 | 23 | 27 | 8 | 58 | 29.0 |
| 5 | Memphis | 1 | 13 | 15 | 1 | 29 | 29.0 |
| 5 | Ole Miss | 1 | 13 | 15 | 1 | 29 | 29.0 |
| 10 | Appalachian State | 3 | 44 | 28 | 14 | 86 | 28.7 |
| 11 | Marshall | 2 | 32 | 19 | 5 | 56 | 28.0 |
| 12 | SMU | 3 | 39 | 36 | 8 | 83 | 27.7 |
| 13 | Texas | 2 | 20 | 34 | 1 | 55 | 27.5 |
| 13 | Oklahoma | 2 | 15 | 36 | 4 | 55 | 27.5 |
| 15 | TCU | 1 | 10 | 16 | 1 | 27 | 27.0 |
| 16 | West Virginia | 2 | 24 | 23 | 6 | 53 | 26.5 |
| 17 | Georgia State | 1 | 13 | 11 | 2 | 26 | 26.0 |
| 18 | Miami (FL) | 3 | 29 | 36 | 12 | 77 | 25.7 |
| 19 | Arkansas State | 2 | 14 | 30 | 7 | 51 | 25.5 |
| 20 | East Carolina | 1 | 11 | 11 | 3 | 25 | 25.0 |
| 20 | Virginia | 1 | 10 | 14 | 1 | 25 | 25.0 |
| 20 | LSU | 1 | 8 | 16 | 1 | 25 | 25.0 |
| 23 | Baylor | 1 | 14 | 7 | 3 | 24 | 24.0 |
| 23 | Mississippi State | 1 | 2 | 22 | 0 | 24 | 24.0 |
| 25 | Wake Forest | 2 | 18 | 22 | 7 | 47 | 23.5 |
| 26 | Georgia Tech | 3 | 37 | 31 | 2 | 70 | 23.3 |
| 27 | North Carolina | 1 | 7 | 14 | 2 | 23 | 23.0 |
| 28 | Notre Dame | 2 | 27 | 17 | 1 | 45 | 22.5 |
| 29 | Texas State | 4 | 38 | 41 | 10 | 89 | 22.3 |
| 29 | Tulane | 3 | 41 | 22 | 4 | 67 | 22.3 |
| 31 | Army | 3 | 52 | 8 | 6 | 66 | 22.0 |
| 31 | Florida State | 2 | 20 | 22 | 2 | 44 | 22.0 |
| 31 | Virginia Tech | 1 | 13 | 8 | 1 | 22 | 22.0 |
| 31 | Alabama | 1 | 7 | 15 | 0 | 22 | 22.0 |
| 31 | South Carolina | 1 | 5 | 15 | 2 | 22 | 22.0 |
| 36 | UTSA | 3 | 27 | 32 | 6 | 65 | 21.7 |
| 36 | UAB | 3 | 24 | 36 | 5 | 65 | 21.7 |
| 38 | NC State | 2 | 23 | 20 | 0 | 43 | 21.5 |
| 38 | Kansas | 2 | 19 | 18 | 6 | 43 | 21.5 |
| 38 | Clemson | 2 | 16 | 26 | 1 | 43 | 21.5 |
| 38 | Boston College | 2 | 14 | 25 | 4 | 43 | 21.5 |
| 42 | Pittsburgh | 3 | 27 | 31 | 5 | 63 | 21.0 |
| 42 | Kentucky | 1 | 10 | 10 | 1 | 21 | 21.0 |
| 42 | Tennessee | 1 | 6 | 13 | 2 | 21 | 21.0 |
| 45 | South Alabama | 3 | 23 | 32 | 7 | 62 | 20.7 |
| 46 | Georgia Southern | 2 | 27 | 10 | 4 | 41 | 20.5 |
| 47 | Louisville | 3 | 24 | 33 | 4 | 61 | 20.3 |
| 48 | Southern Miss | 3 | 21 | 34 | 5 | 60 | 20.0 |
| 48 | Coastal Carolina | 2 | 23 | 14 | 3 | 40 | 20.0 |
| 48 | Missouri | 1 | 8 | 11 | 1 | 20 | 20.0 |
| 51 | Oklahoma State | 2 | 20 | 13 | 5 | 38 | 19.0 |
| 51 | Cincinnati | 2 | 17 | 19 | 2 | 38 | 19.0 |
| 51 | Troy | 2 | 16 | 21 | 1 | 38 | 19.0 |
| 51 | Georgia | 1 | 8 | 10 | 1 | 19 | 19.0 |
| 55 | Louisiana | 3 | 22 | 31 | 2 | 55 | 18.3 |
| 55 | Middle Tennessee State | 3 | 21 | 27 | 7 | 55 | 18.3 |
| 57 | Duke | 3 | 15 | 35 | 4 | 54 | 18.0 |
| 58 | UTEP | 4 | 28 | 36 | 7 | 71 | 17.8 |
| 59 | Texas A&M | 1 | 7 | 8 | 2 | 17 | 17.0 |
| 59 | Vanderbilt | 1 | 6 | 9 | 2 | 17 | 17.0 |
| 61 | Iowa State | 2 | 16 | 15 | 1 | 32 | 16.0 |
| 61 | FIU | 1 | 7 | 7 | 2 | 16 | 16.0 |
| 61 | Charlotte | 1 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 16 | 16.0 |
| 61 | Auburn | 1 | 4 | 10 | 2 | 16 | 16.0 |
| 65 | USF | 2 | 18 | 12 | 1 | 31 | 15.5 |
| 65 | Western Kentucky | 2 | 15 | 12 | 4 | 31 | 15.5 |
| 65 | Kansas State | 2 | 9 | 18 | 4 | 31 | 15.5 |
| 68 | Tulsa | 1 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 15 | 15.0 |
| 68 | Arkansas | 1 | 4 | 8 | 3 | 15 | 15.0 |
| 70 | Louisiana-Monroe | 3 | 7 | 30 | 3 | 40 | 13.3 |
| 71 | Syracuse | 3 | 16 | 19 | 4 | 39 | 13.0 |
| 72 | Navy | 2 | 17 | 7 | 0 | 24 | 12.0 |