2021 National Leaders First Downs - Games in October Only through 01/10/2022
| Name | G | Rush | Pass | Penalty | Total | Total/G | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Western Kentucky | 5 | 36 | 105 | 14 | 155 | 31.0 |
| 2 | Buffalo | 5 | 64 | 57 | 16 | 137 | 27.4 |
| 3 | Nevada | 5 | 21 | 90 | 14 | 125 | 25.0 |
| 4 | BYU | 5 | 54 | 62 | 4 | 120 | 24.0 |
| 5 | Ole Miss | 5 | 59 | 54 | 6 | 119 | 23.8 |
| 5 | UCLA | 5 | 58 | 51 | 10 | 119 | 23.8 |
| 7 | Oklahoma | 5 | 44 | 66 | 7 | 117 | 23.4 |
| 8 | Virginia | 4 | 31 | 76 | 8 | 115 | 28.8 |
| 9 | Liberty | 5 | 50 | 54 | 10 | 114 | 22.8 |
| 10 | Syracuse | 5 | 68 | 38 | 4 | 110 | 22.0 |
| 11 | Mississippi State | 4 | 23 | 73 | 13 | 109 | 27.3 |
| 12 | Georgia State | 4 | 61 | 42 | 5 | 108 | 27.0 |
| 13 | Utah | 4 | 46 | 49 | 12 | 107 | 26.8 |
| 13 | USC | 4 | 36 | 63 | 8 | 107 | 26.8 |
| 13 | Ohio State | 4 | 34 | 67 | 6 | 107 | 26.8 |
| 16 | Kent State | 4 | 53 | 45 | 8 | 106 | 26.5 |
| 16 | Alabama | 4 | 39 | 60 | 7 | 106 | 26.5 |
| 18 | Western Michigan | 4 | 47 | 46 | 12 | 105 | 26.3 |
| 18 | Utah State | 4 | 36 | 56 | 13 | 105 | 26.3 |
| 18 | Pittsburgh | 4 | 35 | 64 | 6 | 105 | 26.3 |
| 21 | Texas Tech | 5 | 45 | 53 | 6 | 104 | 20.8 |
| 21 | Washington State | 5 | 37 | 62 | 5 | 104 | 20.8 |
| 23 | Arkansas | 4 | 54 | 40 | 7 | 101 | 25.3 |
| 23 | Marshall | 4 | 41 | 52 | 8 | 101 | 25.3 |
| 23 | SMU | 4 | 30 | 63 | 8 | 101 | 25.3 |
| 26 | South Alabama | 5 | 35 | 59 | 6 | 100 | 20.0 |
| 27 | North Carolina | 4 | 51 | 38 | 10 | 99 | 24.8 |
| 27 | UTSA | 4 | 46 | 43 | 10 | 99 | 24.8 |
| 29 | Tennessee | 4 | 55 | 36 | 7 | 98 | 24.5 |
| 29 | Oregon | 4 | 47 | 47 | 4 | 98 | 24.5 |
| 29 | West Virginia | 4 | 36 | 52 | 10 | 98 | 24.5 |
| 29 | Wake Forest | 4 | 31 | 58 | 9 | 98 | 24.5 |
| 29 | TCU | 5 | 47 | 45 | 6 | 98 | 19.6 |
| 34 | Memphis | 4 | 34 | 53 | 10 | 97 | 24.3 |
| 35 | Northern Illinois | 4 | 64 | 22 | 10 | 96 | 24.0 |
| 35 | Oklahoma State | 4 | 43 | 43 | 10 | 96 | 24.0 |
| 35 | Michigan | 4 | 42 | 48 | 6 | 96 | 24.0 |
| 38 | Louisiana-Monroe | 5 | 37 | 46 | 12 | 95 | 19.0 |
| 39 | Texas A&M | 4 | 43 | 40 | 11 | 94 | 23.5 |
| 39 | East Carolina | 4 | 42 | 43 | 9 | 94 | 23.5 |
| 39 | Notre Dame | 4 | 36 | 47 | 11 | 94 | 23.5 |
| 39 | Fresno State | 4 | 31 | 52 | 11 | 94 | 23.5 |
| 39 | Navy | 5 | 74 | 10 | 10 | 94 | 18.8 |
| 39 | Cincinnati | 5 | 49 | 43 | 2 | 94 | 18.8 |
| 45 | Boise State | 4 | 36 | 48 | 9 | 93 | 23.3 |
| 45 | Purdue | 4 | 17 | 68 | 8 | 93 | 23.3 |
| 47 | Colorado State | 4 | 33 | 52 | 6 | 91 | 22.8 |
| 48 | Louisiana | 4 | 56 | 29 | 5 | 90 | 22.5 |
| 48 | Ohio | 4 | 53 | 27 | 10 | 90 | 22.5 |
| 48 | Auburn | 4 | 30 | 52 | 8 | 90 | 22.5 |
| 48 | Wisconsin | 5 | 58 | 29 | 3 | 90 | 18.0 |
| 52 | North Texas | 4 | 54 | 26 | 9 | 89 | 22.3 |
| 52 | UCF | 5 | 42 | 38 | 9 | 89 | 17.8 |
| 54 | Arkansas State | 4 | 20 | 52 | 16 | 88 | 22.0 |
| 55 | Minnesota | 4 | 53 | 27 | 7 | 87 | 21.8 |
| 56 | Miami (OH) | 4 | 34 | 47 | 5 | 86 | 21.5 |
| 56 | Central Michigan | 4 | 29 | 54 | 3 | 86 | 21.5 |
| 56 | Eastern Michigan | 4 | 16 | 63 | 7 | 86 | 21.5 |
| 56 | San Jose State | 5 | 44 | 38 | 4 | 86 | 17.2 |
| 60 | USF | 4 | 45 | 35 | 5 | 85 | 21.3 |
| 60 | California | 4 | 42 | 41 | 2 | 85 | 21.3 |
| 60 | Missouri | 4 | 36 | 42 | 7 | 85 | 21.3 |
| 60 | Arizona | 4 | 36 | 35 | 14 | 85 | 21.3 |
| 60 | Nebraska | 4 | 35 | 44 | 6 | 85 | 21.3 |
| 60 | Florida | 4 | 32 | 48 | 5 | 85 | 21.3 |
| 60 | Appalachian State | 4 | 32 | 46 | 7 | 85 | 21.3 |
| 67 | Oregon State | 4 | 56 | 25 | 3 | 84 | 21.0 |
| 67 | Louisville | 4 | 40 | 35 | 9 | 84 | 21.0 |
| 69 | Coastal Carolina | 4 | 36 | 45 | 2 | 83 | 20.8 |
| 69 | LSU | 4 | 32 | 43 | 8 | 83 | 20.8 |
| 69 | Bowling Green | 5 | 33 | 48 | 2 | 83 | 16.6 |
| 72 | Georgia | 4 | 44 | 31 | 7 | 82 | 20.5 |
| 72 | Hawaii | 4 | 33 | 43 | 6 | 82 | 20.5 |
| 72 | Georgia Tech | 4 | 30 | 43 | 9 | 82 | 20.5 |
| 75 | Old Dominion | 4 | 41 | 34 | 6 | 81 | 20.3 |
| 75 | Florida State | 4 | 41 | 32 | 8 | 81 | 20.3 |
| 77 | Troy | 4 | 35 | 37 | 8 | 80 | 20.0 |
| 77 | Texas State | 4 | 31 | 38 | 11 | 80 | 20.0 |
| 77 | Maryland | 4 | 25 | 47 | 8 | 80 | 20.0 |
| 77 | Stanford | 4 | 19 | 50 | 11 | 80 | 20.0 |
| 77 | Vanderbilt | 5 | 32 | 39 | 9 | 80 | 16.0 |
| 82 | Arizona State | 4 | 37 | 39 | 3 | 79 | 19.8 |
| 82 | Toledo | 4 | 37 | 30 | 12 | 79 | 19.8 |
| 82 | Michigan State | 4 | 32 | 40 | 7 | 79 | 19.8 |
| 82 | Clemson | 4 | 31 | 40 | 8 | 79 | 19.8 |
| 82 | Penn State | 4 | 25 | 48 | 6 | 79 | 19.8 |
| 82 | Houston | 4 | 21 | 52 | 6 | 79 | 19.8 |
| 88 | Virginia Tech | 4 | 37 | 34 | 7 | 78 | 19.5 |
| 88 | Texas | 4 | 34 | 39 | 5 | 78 | 19.5 |
| 88 | Iowa State | 4 | 32 | 42 | 4 | 78 | 19.5 |
| 88 | Charlotte | 4 | 28 | 38 | 12 | 78 | 19.5 |
| 88 | Louisiana Tech | 4 | 22 | 47 | 9 | 78 | 19.5 |
| 93 | New Mexico State | 3 | 25 | 45 | 7 | 77 | 25.7 |
| 93 | Air Force | 4 | 60 | 11 | 6 | 77 | 19.3 |
| 93 | Akron | 4 | 35 | 38 | 4 | 77 | 19.3 |
| 93 | Tulsa | 4 | 34 | 37 | 6 | 77 | 19.3 |
| 93 | Kansas State | 4 | 29 | 44 | 4 | 77 | 19.3 |
| 93 | Ball State | 4 | 27 | 46 | 4 | 77 | 19.3 |
| 99 | Florida Atlantic | 4 | 33 | 33 | 10 | 76 | 19.0 |
| 99 | NC State | 4 | 24 | 47 | 5 | 76 | 19.0 |
| 101 | Miami (FL) | 3 | 20 | 40 | 15 | 75 | 25.0 |
| 101 | Baylor | 4 | 34 | 38 | 3 | 75 | 18.8 |
| 101 | Middle Tennessee State | 4 | 28 | 35 | 12 | 75 | 18.8 |
| 104 | Rutgers | 4 | 36 | 32 | 5 | 73 | 18.3 |
| 105 | Georgia Southern | 4 | 43 | 23 | 6 | 72 | 18.0 |
| 105 | Duke | 4 | 31 | 36 | 5 | 72 | 18.0 |
| 105 | South Carolina | 4 | 26 | 40 | 6 | 72 | 18.0 |
| 105 | UTEP | 4 | 25 | 38 | 9 | 72 | 18.0 |
| 109 | Washington | 4 | 40 | 25 | 6 | 71 | 17.8 |
| 109 | Tulane | 4 | 33 | 33 | 5 | 71 | 17.8 |
| 109 | UNLV | 4 | 22 | 44 | 5 | 71 | 17.8 |
| 112 | Southern Miss | 4 | 25 | 34 | 11 | 70 | 17.5 |
| 113 | Connecticut | 4 | 30 | 32 | 7 | 69 | 17.3 |
| 113 | San Diego State | 4 | 29 | 29 | 11 | 69 | 17.3 |
| 113 | Iowa | 4 | 26 | 36 | 7 | 69 | 17.3 |
| 116 | Boston College | 4 | 27 | 34 | 7 | 68 | 17.0 |
| 117 | Illinois | 4 | 41 | 17 | 9 | 67 | 16.8 |
| 117 | Kentucky | 4 | 32 | 31 | 4 | 67 | 16.8 |
| 117 | Rice | 4 | 22 | 35 | 10 | 67 | 16.8 |
| 117 | FIU | 4 | 20 | 44 | 3 | 67 | 16.8 |
| 121 | UAB | 4 | 34 | 27 | 4 | 65 | 16.3 |
| 121 | Wyoming | 4 | 32 | 30 | 3 | 65 | 16.3 |
| 121 | Kansas | 4 | 30 | 33 | 2 | 65 | 16.3 |
| 124 | Army | 3 | 44 | 10 | 8 | 62 | 20.7 |
| 124 | Indiana | 4 | 25 | 29 | 8 | 62 | 15.5 |
| 126 | Northwestern | 4 | 26 | 28 | 7 | 61 | 15.3 |
| 126 | Temple | 4 | 22 | 36 | 3 | 61 | 15.3 |
| 128 | Massachusetts | 4 | 30 | 23 | 5 | 58 | 14.5 |
| 129 | Colorado | 4 | 22 | 26 | 7 | 55 | 13.8 |
| 130 | New Mexico | 4 | 24 | 15 | 9 | 48 | 12.0 |