2021 National Leaders Opponent First Downs - Games vs. FBS (I-A) Teams Only through 01/10/2022
| Name | G | Rush | Pass | Penalty | Total | Total/G | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wisconsin | 13 | 53 | 98 | 18 | 169 | 13.0 |
| 2 | Air Force | 12 | 77 | 95 | 14 | 186 | 15.5 |
| 3 | Southern Miss | 11 | 79 | 94 | 15 | 188 | 17.1 |
| 4 | Oklahoma State | 13 | 60 | 114 | 23 | 197 | 15.2 |
| 5 | East Carolina | 11 | 91 | 94 | 14 | 199 | 18.1 |
| 6 | NC State | 11 | 67 | 102 | 32 | 201 | 18.3 |
| 7 | Minnesota | 13 | 83 | 101 | 18 | 202 | 15.5 |
| 8 | Iowa State | 12 | 91 | 99 | 13 | 203 | 16.9 |
| 9 | Army | 12 | 75 | 116 | 14 | 205 | 17.1 |
| 9 | Mississippi State | 12 | 80 | 113 | 12 | 205 | 17.1 |
| 9 | Navy | 12 | 86 | 105 | 14 | 205 | 17.1 |
| 9 | South Alabama | 11 | 95 | 92 | 18 | 205 | 18.6 |
| 13 | New Mexico | 11 | 95 | 91 | 23 | 209 | 19.0 |
| 14 | Syracuse | 11 | 95 | 98 | 17 | 210 | 19.1 |
| 14 | Washington | 11 | 123 | 73 | 14 | 210 | 19.1 |
| 16 | Boston College | 11 | 98 | 91 | 22 | 211 | 19.2 |
| 17 | Georgia | 14 | 77 | 115 | 21 | 213 | 15.2 |
| 18 | Houston | 13 | 78 | 109 | 28 | 215 | 16.5 |
| 18 | Clemson | 12 | 70 | 123 | 22 | 215 | 17.9 |
| 18 | Coastal Carolina | 12 | 90 | 108 | 17 | 215 | 17.9 |
| 18 | Troy | 11 | 99 | 94 | 22 | 215 | 19.5 |
| 22 | Kansas State | 12 | 86 | 115 | 15 | 216 | 18.0 |
| 22 | West Virginia | 12 | 94 | 111 | 11 | 216 | 18.0 |
| 22 | Arizona | 11 | 101 | 90 | 25 | 216 | 19.6 |
| 25 | Colorado State | 11 | 104 | 86 | 27 | 217 | 19.7 |
| 26 | Nebraska | 11 | 86 | 116 | 16 | 218 | 19.8 |
| 27 | Western Michigan | 12 | 101 | 96 | 22 | 219 | 18.3 |
| 28 | Texas A&M | 11 | 90 | 108 | 22 | 220 | 20.0 |
| 29 | Fresno State | 12 | 82 | 110 | 31 | 223 | 18.6 |
| 29 | Liberty | 12 | 109 | 90 | 24 | 223 | 18.6 |
| 31 | Kentucky | 12 | 76 | 128 | 21 | 225 | 18.8 |
| 31 | Florida State | 11 | 87 | 114 | 24 | 225 | 20.5 |
| 33 | Boise State | 12 | 101 | 104 | 21 | 226 | 18.8 |
| 33 | SMU | 11 | 75 | 131 | 20 | 226 | 20.5 |
| 35 | UAB | 12 | 80 | 108 | 39 | 227 | 18.9 |
| 36 | Tulsa | 12 | 88 | 119 | 21 | 228 | 19.0 |
| 37 | North Texas | 12 | 88 | 113 | 29 | 230 | 19.2 |
| 37 | San Jose State | 11 | 82 | 125 | 23 | 230 | 20.9 |
| 39 | South Carolina | 12 | 120 | 98 | 13 | 231 | 19.3 |
| 39 | Florida Atlantic | 11 | 90 | 120 | 21 | 231 | 21.0 |
| 39 | California | 11 | 106 | 106 | 19 | 231 | 21.0 |
| 42 | Florida | 12 | 104 | 98 | 30 | 232 | 19.3 |
| 43 | San Diego State | 13 | 69 | 133 | 31 | 233 | 17.9 |
| 43 | Louisiana | 13 | 100 | 109 | 24 | 233 | 17.9 |
| 45 | UTEP | 12 | 91 | 108 | 36 | 235 | 19.6 |
| 46 | Miami (FL) | 11 | 96 | 118 | 22 | 236 | 21.5 |
| 46 | Bowling Green | 11 | 129 | 88 | 19 | 236 | 21.5 |
| 48 | Indiana | 11 | 96 | 123 | 18 | 237 | 21.5 |
| 48 | UNLV | 11 | 113 | 113 | 11 | 237 | 21.5 |
| 50 | Arkansas | 12 | 97 | 114 | 27 | 238 | 19.8 |
| 50 | Rutgers | 12 | 103 | 113 | 22 | 238 | 19.8 |
| 50 | Buffalo | 11 | 123 | 93 | 22 | 238 | 21.6 |
| 53 | Michigan | 14 | 96 | 127 | 16 | 239 | 17.1 |
| 53 | Purdue | 13 | 108 | 110 | 21 | 239 | 18.4 |
| 53 | Arizona State | 12 | 96 | 112 | 31 | 239 | 19.9 |
| 56 | Appalachian State | 13 | 98 | 122 | 21 | 241 | 18.5 |
| 56 | Toledo | 12 | 96 | 115 | 30 | 241 | 20.1 |
| 58 | Rice | 11 | 107 | 113 | 22 | 242 | 22.0 |
| 59 | Washington State | 12 | 114 | 112 | 17 | 243 | 20.3 |
| 59 | Louisiana Tech | 11 | 105 | 117 | 21 | 243 | 22.1 |
| 61 | Notre Dame | 13 | 105 | 126 | 13 | 244 | 18.8 |
| 61 | Connecticut | 10 | 117 | 114 | 13 | 244 | 24.4 |
| 63 | Utah | 13 | 99 | 126 | 20 | 245 | 18.8 |
| 63 | Northwestern | 11 | 119 | 114 | 12 | 245 | 22.3 |
| 65 | Miami (OH) | 12 | 98 | 125 | 23 | 246 | 20.5 |
| 65 | Wyoming | 12 | 117 | 107 | 22 | 246 | 20.5 |
| 67 | LSU | 12 | 99 | 137 | 11 | 247 | 20.6 |
| 67 | Middle Tennessee State | 12 | 101 | 128 | 18 | 247 | 20.6 |
| 69 | Vanderbilt | 11 | 107 | 127 | 14 | 248 | 22.5 |
| 70 | Georgia Southern | 11 | 100 | 126 | 23 | 249 | 22.6 |
| 71 | Iowa | 14 | 96 | 134 | 20 | 250 | 17.9 |
| 71 | Auburn | 12 | 84 | 147 | 19 | 250 | 20.8 |
| 71 | Virginia Tech | 12 | 112 | 119 | 19 | 250 | 20.8 |
| 74 | Louisiana-Monroe | 11 | 104 | 137 | 10 | 251 | 22.8 |
| 75 | Central Michigan | 12 | 102 | 127 | 23 | 252 | 21.0 |
| 75 | Illinois | 12 | 117 | 118 | 17 | 252 | 21.0 |
| 75 | Colorado | 11 | 121 | 114 | 17 | 252 | 22.9 |
| 75 | Massachusetts | 10 | 127 | 103 | 22 | 252 | 25.2 |
| 79 | Alabama | 14 | 83 | 134 | 36 | 253 | 18.1 |
| 79 | Baylor | 13 | 90 | 134 | 29 | 253 | 19.5 |
| 79 | Cincinnati | 13 | 119 | 111 | 23 | 253 | 19.5 |
| 79 | New Mexico State | 11 | 106 | 126 | 21 | 253 | 23.0 |
| 79 | Charlotte | 11 | 111 | 128 | 14 | 253 | 23.0 |
| 84 | Texas Tech | 12 | 96 | 143 | 16 | 255 | 21.3 |
| 84 | USC | 12 | 98 | 127 | 30 | 255 | 21.3 |
| 84 | Georgia Tech | 11 | 110 | 127 | 18 | 255 | 23.2 |
| 84 | Arkansas State | 11 | 136 | 104 | 15 | 255 | 23.2 |
| 88 | UCF | 12 | 109 | 125 | 22 | 256 | 21.3 |
| 88 | TCU | 11 | 122 | 114 | 20 | 256 | 23.3 |
| 90 | Nevada | 12 | 123 | 120 | 14 | 257 | 21.4 |
| 91 | UCLA | 12 | 99 | 132 | 27 | 258 | 21.5 |
| 91 | Tulane | 11 | 104 | 136 | 18 | 258 | 23.5 |
| 93 | Penn State | 12 | 120 | 111 | 28 | 259 | 21.6 |
| 94 | Temple | 11 | 138 | 106 | 16 | 260 | 23.6 |
| 95 | Texas | 12 | 117 | 127 | 17 | 261 | 21.8 |
| 96 | Utah State | 13 | 111 | 129 | 22 | 262 | 20.2 |
| 96 | Memphis | 11 | 120 | 127 | 15 | 262 | 23.8 |
| 98 | Oklahoma | 12 | 98 | 146 | 19 | 263 | 21.9 |
| 98 | Ohio | 11 | 112 | 133 | 18 | 263 | 23.9 |
| 100 | USF | 11 | 113 | 136 | 15 | 264 | 24.0 |
| 101 | Maryland | 12 | 109 | 127 | 29 | 265 | 22.1 |
| 102 | Old Dominion | 12 | 95 | 143 | 28 | 266 | 22.2 |
| 103 | Marshall | 12 | 136 | 110 | 22 | 268 | 22.3 |
| 104 | UTSA | 13 | 97 | 147 | 25 | 269 | 20.7 |
| 105 | Pittsburgh | 13 | 78 | 158 | 34 | 270 | 20.8 |
| 105 | BYU | 12 | 115 | 138 | 17 | 270 | 22.5 |
| 105 | Virginia | 11 | 115 | 127 | 28 | 270 | 24.5 |
| 108 | Ball State | 12 | 128 | 126 | 17 | 271 | 22.6 |
| 108 | Texas State | 11 | 125 | 128 | 18 | 271 | 24.6 |
| 110 | Akron | 11 | 156 | 104 | 12 | 272 | 24.7 |
| 111 | Kansas | 11 | 145 | 116 | 12 | 273 | 24.8 |
| 112 | Louisville | 12 | 113 | 139 | 22 | 274 | 22.8 |
| 112 | Duke | 11 | 106 | 149 | 19 | 274 | 24.9 |
| 114 | Oregon State | 12 | 110 | 138 | 28 | 276 | 23.0 |
| 115 | Ohio State | 13 | 97 | 151 | 29 | 277 | 21.3 |
| 116 | Missouri | 12 | 143 | 111 | 24 | 278 | 23.2 |
| 116 | Stanford | 12 | 152 | 111 | 15 | 278 | 23.2 |
| 118 | Hawaii | 12 | 106 | 151 | 22 | 279 | 23.3 |
| 119 | North Carolina | 12 | 122 | 127 | 33 | 282 | 23.5 |
| 120 | Tennessee | 12 | 113 | 150 | 20 | 283 | 23.6 |
| 121 | Georgia State | 13 | 115 | 139 | 30 | 284 | 21.8 |
| 121 | Eastern Michigan | 12 | 140 | 125 | 19 | 284 | 23.7 |
| 121 | FIU | 11 | 142 | 128 | 14 | 284 | 25.8 |
| 124 | Wake Forest | 13 | 141 | 128 | 25 | 294 | 22.6 |
| 125 | Northern Illinois | 13 | 153 | 129 | 14 | 296 | 22.8 |
| 126 | Michigan State | 12 | 91 | 182 | 24 | 297 | 24.8 |
| 127 | Ole Miss | 12 | 135 | 132 | 31 | 298 | 24.8 |
| 128 | Oregon | 13 | 114 | 158 | 28 | 300 | 23.1 |
| 129 | Western Kentucky | 13 | 130 | 160 | 18 | 308 | 23.7 |
| 130 | Kent State | 13 | 148 | 169 | 28 | 345 | 26.5 |