2021 National Leaders Opponent First Downs - Games in August/September Only through 01/10/2022
| Name | G | Rush | Pass | Penalty | Total | Total/G | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iowa State | 4 | 22 | 22 | 2 | 46 | 11.5 |
| 1 | Texas | 4 | 37 | 38 | 2 | 77 | 19.3 |
| 3 | Air Force | 4 | 20 | 31 | 3 | 54 | 13.5 |
| 3 | Coastal Carolina | 4 | 39 | 23 | 3 | 65 | 16.3 |
| 3 | TCU | 3 | 27 | 21 | 3 | 51 | 17.0 |
| 3 | Navy | 3 | 25 | 29 | 3 | 57 | 19.0 |
| 3 | Florida Atlantic | 4 | 47 | 26 | 3 | 76 | 19.0 |
| 3 | Northwestern | 4 | 31 | 44 | 3 | 78 | 19.5 |
| 3 | UCF | 3 | 13 | 43 | 3 | 59 | 19.7 |
| 3 | Stanford | 4 | 47 | 36 | 3 | 86 | 21.5 |
| 3 | Connecticut | 5 | 71 | 45 | 3 | 119 | 23.8 |
| 12 | Wisconsin | 3 | 3 | 24 | 4 | 31 | 10.3 |
| 12 | Southern Miss | 4 | 16 | 41 | 4 | 61 | 15.3 |
| 12 | Auburn | 4 | 22 | 39 | 4 | 65 | 16.3 |
| 12 | Cincinnati | 3 | 23 | 25 | 4 | 52 | 17.3 |
| 12 | Virginia Tech | 4 | 35 | 32 | 4 | 71 | 17.8 |
| 12 | Nevada | 3 | 30 | 22 | 4 | 56 | 18.7 |
| 12 | LSU | 4 | 30 | 41 | 4 | 75 | 18.8 |
| 12 | Louisiana-Monroe | 3 | 12 | 42 | 4 | 58 | 19.3 |
| 12 | Eastern Michigan | 4 | 44 | 38 | 4 | 86 | 21.5 |
| 12 | Akron | 4 | 40 | 43 | 4 | 87 | 21.8 |
| 12 | Northern Illinois | 4 | 53 | 33 | 4 | 90 | 22.5 |
| 23 | NC State | 4 | 14 | 30 | 5 | 49 | 12.3 |
| 23 | South Alabama | 3 | 11 | 26 | 5 | 42 | 14.0 |
| 23 | Mississippi State | 4 | 15 | 37 | 5 | 57 | 14.3 |
| 23 | Iowa | 4 | 23 | 33 | 5 | 61 | 15.3 |
| 23 | Texas A&M | 4 | 39 | 18 | 5 | 62 | 15.5 |
| 23 | Georgia Tech | 4 | 32 | 28 | 5 | 65 | 16.3 |
| 23 | Washington | 4 | 34 | 28 | 5 | 67 | 16.8 |
| 23 | Utah | 4 | 34 | 30 | 5 | 69 | 17.3 |
| 23 | Central Michigan | 4 | 21 | 44 | 5 | 70 | 17.5 |
| 23 | Tennessee | 4 | 25 | 41 | 5 | 71 | 17.8 |
| 23 | Indiana | 4 | 29 | 42 | 5 | 76 | 19.0 |
| 23 | North Carolina | 4 | 33 | 41 | 5 | 79 | 19.8 |
| 23 | Charlotte | 4 | 42 | 35 | 5 | 82 | 20.5 |
| 23 | Louisiana | 4 | 37 | 43 | 5 | 85 | 21.3 |
| 23 | Ball State | 4 | 37 | 45 | 5 | 87 | 21.8 |
| 23 | Hawaii | 5 | 43 | 61 | 5 | 109 | 21.8 |
| 23 | Michigan State | 4 | 38 | 51 | 5 | 94 | 23.5 |
| 23 | Kansas | 4 | 49 | 43 | 5 | 97 | 24.3 |
| 23 | UNLV | 4 | 40 | 56 | 5 | 101 | 25.3 |
| 42 | Houston | 4 | 25 | 18 | 6 | 49 | 12.3 |
| 42 | Purdue | 4 | 24 | 29 | 6 | 59 | 14.8 |
| 42 | Nebraska | 5 | 34 | 42 | 6 | 82 | 16.4 |
| 42 | Temple | 4 | 38 | 25 | 6 | 69 | 17.3 |
| 42 | Notre Dame | 4 | 22 | 42 | 6 | 70 | 17.5 |
| 42 | Kansas State | 4 | 23 | 41 | 6 | 70 | 17.5 |
| 42 | Oklahoma | 4 | 22 | 43 | 6 | 71 | 17.8 |
| 42 | Vanderbilt | 4 | 36 | 39 | 6 | 81 | 20.3 |
| 42 | BYU | 4 | 38 | 40 | 6 | 84 | 21.0 |
| 42 | Washington State | 4 | 34 | 53 | 6 | 93 | 23.3 |
| 42 | USF | 4 | 38 | 50 | 6 | 94 | 23.5 |
| 42 | Middle Tennessee State | 4 | 43 | 45 | 6 | 94 | 23.5 |
| 42 | Missouri | 4 | 56 | 33 | 6 | 95 | 23.8 |
| 42 | FIU | 4 | 39 | 51 | 6 | 96 | 24.0 |
| 42 | Louisiana Tech | 4 | 40 | 64 | 6 | 110 | 27.5 |
| 57 | Minnesota | 4 | 19 | 29 | 7 | 55 | 13.8 |
| 57 | Rutgers | 4 | 25 | 23 | 7 | 55 | 13.8 |
| 57 | Army | 4 | 12 | 39 | 7 | 58 | 14.5 |
| 57 | UTSA | 4 | 22 | 32 | 7 | 61 | 15.3 |
| 57 | Kentucky | 4 | 20 | 38 | 7 | 65 | 16.3 |
| 57 | South Carolina | 4 | 30 | 32 | 7 | 69 | 17.3 |
| 57 | Oklahoma State | 4 | 25 | 40 | 7 | 72 | 18.0 |
| 57 | Texas Tech | 4 | 30 | 39 | 7 | 76 | 19.0 |
| 57 | SMU | 4 | 24 | 51 | 7 | 82 | 20.5 |
| 57 | Wake Forest | 4 | 26 | 50 | 7 | 83 | 20.8 |
| 57 | Miami (FL) | 5 | 43 | 54 | 7 | 104 | 20.8 |
| 57 | Georgia State | 4 | 39 | 41 | 7 | 87 | 21.8 |
| 57 | Kent State | 4 | 40 | 47 | 7 | 94 | 23.5 |
| 57 | Western Kentucky | 3 | 37 | 36 | 7 | 80 | 26.7 |
| 71 | Georgia | 4 | 16 | 18 | 8 | 42 | 10.5 |
| 71 | Troy | 4 | 30 | 24 | 8 | 62 | 15.5 |
| 71 | Western Michigan | 4 | 31 | 23 | 8 | 62 | 15.5 |
| 71 | New Mexico | 4 | 21 | 38 | 8 | 67 | 16.8 |
| 71 | Boston College | 4 | 23 | 36 | 8 | 67 | 16.8 |
| 71 | Michigan | 4 | 30 | 30 | 8 | 68 | 17.0 |
| 71 | West Virginia | 4 | 25 | 36 | 8 | 69 | 17.3 |
| 71 | Arizona | 4 | 39 | 24 | 8 | 71 | 17.8 |
| 71 | Miami (OH) | 4 | 41 | 26 | 8 | 75 | 18.8 |
| 71 | Colorado | 4 | 31 | 37 | 8 | 76 | 19.0 |
| 71 | Appalachian State | 4 | 29 | 42 | 8 | 79 | 19.8 |
| 71 | Duke | 4 | 32 | 42 | 8 | 82 | 20.5 |
| 71 | Boise State | 4 | 40 | 35 | 8 | 83 | 20.8 |
| 71 | New Mexico State | 5 | 48 | 54 | 8 | 110 | 22.0 |
| 71 | Georgia Southern | 4 | 34 | 50 | 8 | 92 | 23.0 |
| 71 | Illinois | 5 | 37 | 72 | 8 | 117 | 23.4 |
| 71 | Arkansas State | 4 | 36 | 51 | 8 | 95 | 23.8 |
| 88 | San Diego State | 4 | 11 | 43 | 9 | 63 | 15.8 |
| 88 | Syracuse | 4 | 34 | 23 | 9 | 66 | 16.5 |
| 88 | Colorado State | 4 | 22 | 36 | 9 | 67 | 16.8 |
| 88 | Liberty | 4 | 33 | 25 | 9 | 67 | 16.8 |
| 88 | Old Dominion | 4 | 28 | 36 | 9 | 73 | 18.3 |
| 88 | Buffalo | 4 | 34 | 31 | 9 | 74 | 18.5 |
| 88 | San Jose State | 4 | 25 | 41 | 9 | 75 | 18.8 |
| 88 | North Texas | 4 | 32 | 37 | 9 | 78 | 19.5 |
| 88 | UCLA | 4 | 20 | 54 | 9 | 83 | 20.8 |
| 88 | Rice | 4 | 41 | 38 | 9 | 88 | 22.0 |
| 88 | Memphis | 4 | 30 | 64 | 9 | 103 | 25.8 |
| 88 | Texas State | 4 | 40 | 54 | 9 | 103 | 25.8 |
| 88 | Massachusetts | 4 | 56 | 50 | 9 | 115 | 28.8 |
| 101 | Alabama | 4 | 25 | 33 | 10 | 68 | 17.0 |
| 101 | Baylor | 4 | 28 | 32 | 10 | 70 | 17.5 |
| 101 | Toledo | 4 | 30 | 37 | 10 | 77 | 19.3 |
| 101 | Florida State | 4 | 25 | 51 | 10 | 86 | 21.5 |
| 101 | Tulsa | 4 | 28 | 50 | 10 | 88 | 22.0 |
| 101 | Penn State | 4 | 36 | 43 | 10 | 89 | 22.3 |
| 101 | Louisville | 4 | 39 | 41 | 10 | 90 | 22.5 |
| 101 | East Carolina | 4 | 39 | 50 | 10 | 99 | 24.8 |
| 101 | Ohio | 4 | 54 | 38 | 10 | 102 | 25.5 |
| 110 | Fresno State | 5 | 31 | 36 | 11 | 78 | 15.6 |
| 110 | Pittsburgh | 4 | 17 | 38 | 11 | 66 | 16.5 |
| 110 | Maryland | 4 | 27 | 34 | 11 | 72 | 18.0 |
| 110 | Clemson | 4 | 26 | 38 | 11 | 75 | 18.8 |
| 110 | Wyoming | 4 | 34 | 32 | 11 | 77 | 19.3 |
| 110 | USC | 4 | 30 | 41 | 11 | 82 | 20.5 |
| 110 | Ole Miss | 3 | 23 | 28 | 11 | 62 | 20.7 |
| 110 | Utah State | 4 | 40 | 41 | 11 | 92 | 23.0 |
| 110 | Marshall | 4 | 47 | 41 | 11 | 99 | 24.8 |
| 110 | Oregon | 4 | 33 | 56 | 11 | 100 | 25.0 |
| 120 | Arizona State | 4 | 31 | 24 | 12 | 67 | 16.8 |
| 120 | Bowling Green | 4 | 45 | 26 | 12 | 83 | 20.8 |
| 120 | California | 4 | 28 | 52 | 12 | 92 | 23.0 |
| 120 | Ohio State | 4 | 31 | 50 | 12 | 93 | 23.3 |
| 124 | Florida | 4 | 29 | 40 | 13 | 82 | 20.5 |
| 124 | Tulane | 4 | 42 | 49 | 13 | 104 | 26.0 |
| 126 | Arkansas | 4 | 18 | 29 | 14 | 61 | 15.3 |
| 126 | Oregon State | 4 | 31 | 51 | 14 | 96 | 24.0 |
| 128 | UAB | 4 | 29 | 29 | 15 | 73 | 18.3 |
| 129 | UTEP | 4 | 22 | 31 | 16 | 69 | 17.3 |
| 130 | Virginia | 5 | 48 | 44 | 17 | 109 | 21.8 |