2021 National Leaders Opponent First Downs - Games in August/September Only through 01/10/2022
| Name | G | Rush | Pass | Penalty | Total | Total/G | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wisconsin | 3 | 3 | 24 | 4 | 31 | 10.3 |
| 2 | Georgia | 4 | 16 | 18 | 8 | 42 | 10.5 |
| 3 | Iowa State | 4 | 22 | 22 | 2 | 46 | 11.5 |
| 4 | NC State | 4 | 14 | 30 | 5 | 49 | 12.3 |
| 4 | Houston | 4 | 25 | 18 | 6 | 49 | 12.3 |
| 6 | Air Force | 4 | 20 | 31 | 3 | 54 | 13.5 |
| 7 | Minnesota | 4 | 19 | 29 | 7 | 55 | 13.8 |
| 7 | Rutgers | 4 | 25 | 23 | 7 | 55 | 13.8 |
| 9 | South Alabama | 3 | 11 | 26 | 5 | 42 | 14.0 |
| 10 | Mississippi State | 4 | 15 | 37 | 5 | 57 | 14.3 |
| 11 | Army | 4 | 12 | 39 | 7 | 58 | 14.5 |
| 12 | Purdue | 4 | 24 | 29 | 6 | 59 | 14.8 |
| 13 | Southern Miss | 4 | 16 | 41 | 4 | 61 | 15.3 |
| 13 | Arkansas | 4 | 18 | 29 | 14 | 61 | 15.3 |
| 13 | UTSA | 4 | 22 | 32 | 7 | 61 | 15.3 |
| 13 | Iowa | 4 | 23 | 33 | 5 | 61 | 15.3 |
| 17 | Troy | 4 | 30 | 24 | 8 | 62 | 15.5 |
| 17 | Western Michigan | 4 | 31 | 23 | 8 | 62 | 15.5 |
| 17 | Texas A&M | 4 | 39 | 18 | 5 | 62 | 15.5 |
| 20 | Fresno State | 5 | 31 | 36 | 11 | 78 | 15.6 |
| 21 | San Diego State | 4 | 11 | 43 | 9 | 63 | 15.8 |
| 22 | Kentucky | 4 | 20 | 38 | 7 | 65 | 16.3 |
| 22 | Auburn | 4 | 22 | 39 | 4 | 65 | 16.3 |
| 22 | Georgia Tech | 4 | 32 | 28 | 5 | 65 | 16.3 |
| 22 | Coastal Carolina | 4 | 39 | 23 | 3 | 65 | 16.3 |
| 26 | Nebraska | 5 | 34 | 42 | 6 | 82 | 16.4 |
| 27 | Pittsburgh | 4 | 17 | 38 | 11 | 66 | 16.5 |
| 27 | Syracuse | 4 | 34 | 23 | 9 | 66 | 16.5 |
| 29 | New Mexico | 4 | 21 | 38 | 8 | 67 | 16.8 |
| 29 | Colorado State | 4 | 22 | 36 | 9 | 67 | 16.8 |
| 29 | Boston College | 4 | 23 | 36 | 8 | 67 | 16.8 |
| 29 | Arizona State | 4 | 31 | 24 | 12 | 67 | 16.8 |
| 29 | Liberty | 4 | 33 | 25 | 9 | 67 | 16.8 |
| 29 | Washington | 4 | 34 | 28 | 5 | 67 | 16.8 |
| 35 | TCU | 3 | 27 | 21 | 3 | 51 | 17.0 |
| 35 | Alabama | 4 | 25 | 33 | 10 | 68 | 17.0 |
| 35 | Michigan | 4 | 30 | 30 | 8 | 68 | 17.0 |
| 38 | Cincinnati | 3 | 23 | 25 | 4 | 52 | 17.3 |
| 38 | UTEP | 4 | 22 | 31 | 16 | 69 | 17.3 |
| 38 | West Virginia | 4 | 25 | 36 | 8 | 69 | 17.3 |
| 38 | South Carolina | 4 | 30 | 32 | 7 | 69 | 17.3 |
| 38 | Utah | 4 | 34 | 30 | 5 | 69 | 17.3 |
| 38 | Temple | 4 | 38 | 25 | 6 | 69 | 17.3 |
| 44 | Central Michigan | 4 | 21 | 44 | 5 | 70 | 17.5 |
| 44 | Notre Dame | 4 | 22 | 42 | 6 | 70 | 17.5 |
| 44 | Kansas State | 4 | 23 | 41 | 6 | 70 | 17.5 |
| 44 | Baylor | 4 | 28 | 32 | 10 | 70 | 17.5 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | 4 | 22 | 43 | 6 | 71 | 17.8 |
| 48 | Tennessee | 4 | 25 | 41 | 5 | 71 | 17.8 |
| 48 | Virginia Tech | 4 | 35 | 32 | 4 | 71 | 17.8 |
| 48 | Arizona | 4 | 39 | 24 | 8 | 71 | 17.8 |
| 52 | Oklahoma State | 4 | 25 | 40 | 7 | 72 | 18.0 |
| 52 | Maryland | 4 | 27 | 34 | 11 | 72 | 18.0 |
| 54 | Old Dominion | 4 | 28 | 36 | 9 | 73 | 18.3 |
| 54 | UAB | 4 | 29 | 29 | 15 | 73 | 18.3 |
| 56 | Buffalo | 4 | 34 | 31 | 9 | 74 | 18.5 |
| 57 | Nevada | 3 | 30 | 22 | 4 | 56 | 18.7 |
| 58 | San Jose State | 4 | 25 | 41 | 9 | 75 | 18.8 |
| 58 | Clemson | 4 | 26 | 38 | 11 | 75 | 18.8 |
| 58 | LSU | 4 | 30 | 41 | 4 | 75 | 18.8 |
| 58 | Miami (OH) | 4 | 41 | 26 | 8 | 75 | 18.8 |
| 62 | Navy | 3 | 25 | 29 | 3 | 57 | 19.0 |
| 62 | Indiana | 4 | 29 | 42 | 5 | 76 | 19.0 |
| 62 | Texas Tech | 4 | 30 | 39 | 7 | 76 | 19.0 |
| 62 | Colorado | 4 | 31 | 37 | 8 | 76 | 19.0 |
| 62 | Florida Atlantic | 4 | 47 | 26 | 3 | 76 | 19.0 |
| 67 | Louisiana-Monroe | 3 | 12 | 42 | 4 | 58 | 19.3 |
| 67 | Toledo | 4 | 30 | 37 | 10 | 77 | 19.3 |
| 67 | Wyoming | 4 | 34 | 32 | 11 | 77 | 19.3 |
| 67 | Texas | 4 | 37 | 38 | 2 | 77 | 19.3 |
| 71 | Northwestern | 4 | 31 | 44 | 3 | 78 | 19.5 |
| 71 | North Texas | 4 | 32 | 37 | 9 | 78 | 19.5 |
| 73 | UCF | 3 | 13 | 43 | 3 | 59 | 19.7 |
| 74 | Appalachian State | 4 | 29 | 42 | 8 | 79 | 19.8 |
| 74 | North Carolina | 4 | 33 | 41 | 5 | 79 | 19.8 |
| 76 | Vanderbilt | 4 | 36 | 39 | 6 | 81 | 20.3 |
| 77 | SMU | 4 | 24 | 51 | 7 | 82 | 20.5 |
| 77 | Florida | 4 | 29 | 40 | 13 | 82 | 20.5 |
| 77 | USC | 4 | 30 | 41 | 11 | 82 | 20.5 |
| 77 | Duke | 4 | 32 | 42 | 8 | 82 | 20.5 |
| 77 | Charlotte | 4 | 42 | 35 | 5 | 82 | 20.5 |
| 82 | Ole Miss | 3 | 23 | 28 | 11 | 62 | 20.7 |
| 83 | UCLA | 4 | 20 | 54 | 9 | 83 | 20.8 |
| 83 | Wake Forest | 4 | 26 | 50 | 7 | 83 | 20.8 |
| 83 | Boise State | 4 | 40 | 35 | 8 | 83 | 20.8 |
| 83 | Bowling Green | 4 | 45 | 26 | 12 | 83 | 20.8 |
| 83 | Miami (FL) | 5 | 43 | 54 | 7 | 104 | 20.8 |
| 88 | BYU | 4 | 38 | 40 | 6 | 84 | 21.0 |
| 89 | Louisiana | 4 | 37 | 43 | 5 | 85 | 21.3 |
| 90 | Florida State | 4 | 25 | 51 | 10 | 86 | 21.5 |
| 90 | Eastern Michigan | 4 | 44 | 38 | 4 | 86 | 21.5 |
| 90 | Stanford | 4 | 47 | 36 | 3 | 86 | 21.5 |
| 93 | Ball State | 4 | 37 | 45 | 5 | 87 | 21.8 |
| 93 | Georgia State | 4 | 39 | 41 | 7 | 87 | 21.8 |
| 93 | Akron | 4 | 40 | 43 | 4 | 87 | 21.8 |
| 93 | Hawaii | 5 | 43 | 61 | 5 | 109 | 21.8 |
| 93 | Virginia | 5 | 48 | 44 | 17 | 109 | 21.8 |
| 98 | Tulsa | 4 | 28 | 50 | 10 | 88 | 22.0 |
| 98 | Rice | 4 | 41 | 38 | 9 | 88 | 22.0 |
| 98 | New Mexico State | 5 | 48 | 54 | 8 | 110 | 22.0 |
| 101 | Penn State | 4 | 36 | 43 | 10 | 89 | 22.3 |
| 102 | Louisville | 4 | 39 | 41 | 10 | 90 | 22.5 |
| 102 | Northern Illinois | 4 | 53 | 33 | 4 | 90 | 22.5 |
| 104 | California | 4 | 28 | 52 | 12 | 92 | 23.0 |
| 104 | Georgia Southern | 4 | 34 | 50 | 8 | 92 | 23.0 |
| 104 | Utah State | 4 | 40 | 41 | 11 | 92 | 23.0 |
| 107 | Ohio State | 4 | 31 | 50 | 12 | 93 | 23.3 |
| 107 | Washington State | 4 | 34 | 53 | 6 | 93 | 23.3 |
| 109 | Illinois | 5 | 37 | 72 | 8 | 117 | 23.4 |
| 110 | USF | 4 | 38 | 50 | 6 | 94 | 23.5 |
| 110 | Michigan State | 4 | 38 | 51 | 5 | 94 | 23.5 |
| 110 | Kent State | 4 | 40 | 47 | 7 | 94 | 23.5 |
| 110 | Middle Tennessee State | 4 | 43 | 45 | 6 | 94 | 23.5 |
| 114 | Arkansas State | 4 | 36 | 51 | 8 | 95 | 23.8 |
| 114 | Missouri | 4 | 56 | 33 | 6 | 95 | 23.8 |
| 114 | Connecticut | 5 | 71 | 45 | 3 | 119 | 23.8 |
| 117 | Oregon State | 4 | 31 | 51 | 14 | 96 | 24.0 |
| 117 | FIU | 4 | 39 | 51 | 6 | 96 | 24.0 |
| 119 | Kansas | 4 | 49 | 43 | 5 | 97 | 24.3 |
| 120 | East Carolina | 4 | 39 | 50 | 10 | 99 | 24.8 |
| 120 | Marshall | 4 | 47 | 41 | 11 | 99 | 24.8 |
| 122 | Oregon | 4 | 33 | 56 | 11 | 100 | 25.0 |
| 123 | UNLV | 4 | 40 | 56 | 5 | 101 | 25.3 |
| 124 | Ohio | 4 | 54 | 38 | 10 | 102 | 25.5 |
| 125 | Memphis | 4 | 30 | 64 | 9 | 103 | 25.8 |
| 125 | Texas State | 4 | 40 | 54 | 9 | 103 | 25.8 |
| 127 | Tulane | 4 | 42 | 49 | 13 | 104 | 26.0 |
| 128 | Western Kentucky | 3 | 37 | 36 | 7 | 80 | 26.7 |
| 129 | Louisiana Tech | 4 | 40 | 64 | 6 | 110 | 27.5 |
| 130 | Massachusetts | 4 | 56 | 50 | 9 | 115 | 28.8 |