2021 National Leaders Opponent First Downs - Games in December/January Only through 01/10/2022
| Name | G | Rush | Pass | Penalty | Total | Total/G | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mississippi | 1 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 12.0 |
| 2 | Penn State | 1 | 21 | 3 | 1 | 25 | 25.0 |
| 3 | Kansas State | 1 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 15 | 15.0 |
| 3 | West Virginia | 1 | 13 | 4 | 0 | 17 | 17.0 |
| 5 | Central Michigan | 1 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 11 | 11.0 |
| 5 | Navy | 1 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 11 | 11.0 |
| 5 | Missouri | 1 | 15 | 5 | 1 | 21 | 21.0 |
| 5 | Nevada | 1 | 18 | 5 | 0 | 23 | 23.0 |
| 9 | Tulsa | 1 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 10 | 10.0 |
| 9 | Wisconsin | 1 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 13 | 13.0 |
| 9 | Michigan State | 1 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 14 | 14.0 |
| 9 | Western Michigan | 1 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 16 | 16.0 |
| 9 | UAB | 1 | 9 | 6 | 2 | 17 | 17.0 |
| 14 | Maryland | 1 | 5 | 7 | 1 | 13 | 13.0 |
| 14 | Minnesota | 1 | 7 | 7 | 1 | 15 | 15.0 |
| 14 | Louisville | 1 | 11 | 7 | 0 | 18 | 18.0 |
| 14 | Ball State | 1 | 13 | 7 | 1 | 21 | 21.0 |
| 14 | Middle Tennessee | 1 | 13 | 7 | 1 | 21 | 21.0 |
| 19 | USC | 1 | 5 | 8 | 0 | 13 | 13.0 |
| 19 | Arizona State | 1 | 7 | 8 | 2 | 17 | 17.0 |
| 19 | Arkansas | 1 | 8 | 8 | 1 | 17 | 17.0 |
| 19 | UCF | 1 | 9 | 8 | 2 | 19 | 19.0 |
| 19 | Florida | 1 | 10 | 8 | 2 | 20 | 20.0 |
| 19 | Eastern Michigan | 1 | 10 | 8 | 4 | 22 | 22.0 |
| 19 | Wyoming | 1 | 17 | 8 | 4 | 29 | 29.0 |
| 26 | Clemson | 1 | 4 | 9 | 1 | 14 | 14.0 |
| 26 | South Carolina | 1 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 14 | 14.0 |
| 26 | Washington State | 1 | 5 | 9 | 2 | 16 | 16.0 |
| 26 | Air Force | 1 | 13 | 9 | 1 | 23 | 23.0 |
| 26 | North Carolina | 1 | 17 | 9 | 1 | 27 | 27.0 |
| 26 | Coastal Carolina | 1 | 18 | 9 | 2 | 29 | 29.0 |
| 32 | Fresno State | 1 | 3 | 10 | 3 | 16 | 16.0 |
| 32 | Iowa State | 1 | 8 | 10 | 2 | 20 | 20.0 |
| 34 | Virginia Tech | 1 | 11 | 11 | 0 | 22 | 22.0 |
| 34 | Marshall | 1 | 10 | 11 | 2 | 23 | 23.0 |
| 34 | BYU | 1 | 12 | 11 | 0 | 23 | 23.0 |
| 34 | Mississippi State | 1 | 13 | 11 | 0 | 24 | 24.0 |
| 34 | Ohio State | 1 | 10 | 11 | 4 | 25 | 25.0 |
| 34 | Purdue | 1 | 16 | 11 | 4 | 31 | 31.0 |
| 40 | Louisiana-Lafayette | 2 | 17 | 12 | 2 | 31 | 15.5 |
| 40 | Auburn | 1 | 6 | 12 | 1 | 19 | 19.0 |
| 40 | Kentucky | 1 | 6 | 12 | 2 | 20 | 20.0 |
| 40 | Liberty | 1 | 9 | 12 | 2 | 23 | 23.0 |
| 40 | Kent State | 2 | 31 | 12 | 7 | 50 | 25.0 |
| 40 | Oklahoma | 1 | 13 | 12 | 1 | 26 | 26.0 |
| 40 | Oregon State | 1 | 9 | 12 | 6 | 27 | 27.0 |
| 40 | North Texas | 1 | 11 | 12 | 4 | 27 | 27.0 |
| 48 | Miami (Ohio) | 1 | 5 | 13 | 0 | 18 | 18.0 |
| 48 | LSU | 1 | 8 | 13 | 1 | 22 | 22.0 |
| 48 | California | 1 | 10 | 13 | 2 | 25 | 25.0 |
| 48 | Toledo | 1 | 10 | 13 | 3 | 26 | 26.0 |
| 48 | Rutgers | 1 | 11 | 13 | 4 | 28 | 28.0 |
| 53 | Georgia State | 1 | 4 | 14 | 4 | 22 | 22.0 |
| 54 | Tennessee | 1 | 4 | 15 | 7 | 26 | 26.0 |
| 54 | UTEP | 1 | 10 | 15 | 1 | 26 | 26.0 |
| 54 | Old Dominion | 1 | 17 | 15 | 3 | 35 | 35.0 |
| 57 | Houston | 2 | 11 | 16 | 2 | 29 | 14.5 |
| 58 | Texas Tech | 1 | 4 | 17 | 1 | 22 | 22.0 |
| 59 | Army | 2 | 21 | 18 | 2 | 41 | 20.5 |
| 60 | Michigan | 2 | 14 | 19 | 3 | 36 | 18.0 |
| 60 | Utah State | 2 | 17 | 19 | 4 | 40 | 20.0 |
| 60 | Oregon | 2 | 24 | 19 | 5 | 48 | 24.0 |
| 60 | Notre Dame | 1 | 14 | 19 | 1 | 34 | 34.0 |
| 64 | Wake Forest | 2 | 14 | 20 | 5 | 39 | 19.5 |
| 64 | Iowa | 2 | 20 | 20 | 5 | 45 | 22.5 |
| 66 | Baylor | 2 | 20 | 21 | 5 | 46 | 23.0 |
| 67 | San Diego State | 2 | 12 | 22 | 10 | 44 | 22.0 |
| 68 | Northern Illinois | 2 | 22 | 23 | 1 | 46 | 23.0 |
| 68 | Cincinnati | 2 | 23 | 23 | 3 | 49 | 24.5 |
| 70 | Appalachian State | 2 | 21 | 24 | 2 | 47 | 23.5 |
| 70 | Western Kentucky | 2 | 27 | 24 | 1 | 52 | 26.0 |
| 72 | Utah | 2 | 12 | 26 | 4 | 42 | 21.0 |
| 73 | Pittsburgh | 2 | 14 | 30 | 5 | 49 | 24.5 |
| 74 | Oklahoma State | 2 | 8 | 31 | 3 | 42 | 21.0 |
| 75 | Alabama | 3 | 23 | 32 | 8 | 63 | 21.0 |
| 76 | Georgia | 3 | 19 | 39 | 5 | 63 | 21.0 |
| 76 | UTSA | 2 | 13 | 39 | 5 | 57 | 28.5 |