2021 National Leaders First Downs - Games in December/January Only through 01/10/2022
| Name | G | Rush | Pass | Penalty | Total | Total/G | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tulsa | 1 | 17 | 15 | 3 | 35 | 35.0 |
| 2 | Tennessee | 1 | 16 | 11 | 4 | 31 | 31.0 |
| 3 | Oklahoma State | 2 | 22 | 33 | 5 | 60 | 30.0 |
| 4 | Northern Illinois | 2 | 35 | 16 | 6 | 57 | 28.5 |
| 5 | Missouri | 1 | 11 | 15 | 2 | 28 | 28.0 |
| 5 | Ohio State | 1 | 5 | 21 | 2 | 28 | 28.0 |
| 7 | South Carolina | 1 | 17 | 9 | 1 | 27 | 27.0 |
| 7 | Oklahoma | 1 | 13 | 12 | 2 | 27 | 27.0 |
| 7 | Miami (Ohio) | 1 | 11 | 12 | 4 | 27 | 27.0 |
| 7 | Notre Dame | 1 | 1 | 24 | 2 | 27 | 27.0 |
| 11 | Kent State | 2 | 30 | 18 | 5 | 53 | 26.5 |
| 11 | Western Kentucky | 2 | 14 | 36 | 3 | 53 | 26.5 |
| 13 | Wake Forest | 2 | 18 | 26 | 8 | 52 | 26.0 |
| 13 | Fresno State | 1 | 10 | 15 | 1 | 26 | 26.0 |
| 13 | Middle Tennessee | 1 | 10 | 13 | 3 | 26 | 26.0 |
| 13 | Purdue | 1 | 4 | 15 | 7 | 26 | 26.0 |
| 17 | Utah State | 2 | 15 | 25 | 10 | 50 | 25.0 |
| 17 | Arkansas | 1 | 21 | 3 | 1 | 25 | 25.0 |
| 17 | USC | 1 | 10 | 13 | 2 | 25 | 25.0 |
| 17 | Michigan State | 1 | 7 | 17 | 1 | 25 | 25.0 |
| 21 | Alabama | 3 | 29 | 40 | 5 | 74 | 24.7 |
| 22 | UTSA | 2 | 20 | 22 | 7 | 49 | 24.5 |
| 23 | San Diego State | 2 | 16 | 26 | 6 | 48 | 24.0 |
| 23 | Texas Tech | 1 | 13 | 11 | 0 | 24 | 24.0 |
| 23 | Kentucky | 1 | 11 | 10 | 3 | 24 | 24.0 |
| 26 | Georgia | 3 | 29 | 34 | 8 | 71 | 23.7 |
| 27 | Utah | 2 | 21 | 18 | 7 | 46 | 23.0 |
| 27 | Western Michigan | 1 | 18 | 5 | 0 | 23 | 23.0 |
| 27 | Louisville | 1 | 13 | 9 | 1 | 23 | 23.0 |
| 27 | UAB | 1 | 12 | 11 | 0 | 23 | 23.0 |
| 27 | Oregon State | 1 | 11 | 10 | 2 | 23 | 23.0 |
| 27 | Eastern Michigan | 1 | 9 | 12 | 2 | 23 | 23.0 |
| 33 | Wyoming | 1 | 14 | 5 | 3 | 22 | 22.0 |
| 33 | Maryland | 1 | 11 | 11 | 0 | 22 | 22.0 |
| 33 | Liberty | 1 | 10 | 8 | 4 | 22 | 22.0 |
| 33 | Coastal Carolina | 1 | 9 | 13 | 0 | 22 | 22.0 |
| 33 | Kansas State | 1 | 8 | 13 | 1 | 22 | 22.0 |
| 33 | Mississippi State | 1 | 4 | 17 | 1 | 22 | 22.0 |
| 33 | Ball State | 1 | 4 | 14 | 4 | 22 | 22.0 |
| 40 | Louisiana-Lafayette | 2 | 20 | 21 | 2 | 43 | 21.5 |
| 41 | Appalachian State | 2 | 22 | 18 | 2 | 42 | 21.0 |
| 41 | Georgia State | 1 | 13 | 7 | 1 | 21 | 21.0 |
| 41 | Toledo | 1 | 13 | 7 | 1 | 21 | 21.0 |
| 44 | Houston | 2 | 13 | 25 | 3 | 41 | 20.5 |
| 45 | Oregon | 2 | 20 | 17 | 3 | 40 | 20.0 |
| 45 | Mississippi | 1 | 12 | 7 | 1 | 20 | 20.0 |
| 45 | UCF | 1 | 10 | 8 | 2 | 20 | 20.0 |
| 45 | Clemson | 1 | 8 | 10 | 2 | 20 | 20.0 |
| 49 | Florida | 1 | 9 | 8 | 2 | 19 | 19.0 |
| 50 | Michigan | 2 | 15 | 19 | 3 | 37 | 18.5 |
| 51 | Pittsburgh | 2 | 16 | 17 | 3 | 36 | 18.0 |
| 51 | Air Force | 1 | 11 | 7 | 0 | 18 | 18.0 |
| 51 | North Texas | 1 | 5 | 13 | 0 | 18 | 18.0 |
| 54 | Iowa | 2 | 8 | 22 | 5 | 35 | 17.5 |
| 55 | Minnesota | 1 | 13 | 4 | 0 | 17 | 17.0 |
| 55 | BYU | 1 | 9 | 6 | 2 | 17 | 17.0 |
| 55 | Penn State | 1 | 8 | 8 | 1 | 17 | 17.0 |
| 55 | Wisconsin | 1 | 7 | 8 | 2 | 17 | 17.0 |
| 55 | Rutgers | 1 | 6 | 9 | 2 | 17 | 17.0 |
| 60 | Army | 2 | 20 | 10 | 2 | 32 | 16.0 |
| 60 | Nevada | 1 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 16 | 16.0 |
| 60 | Central Michigan | 1 | 5 | 9 | 2 | 16 | 16.0 |
| 60 | UTEP | 1 | 3 | 10 | 3 | 16 | 16.0 |
| 64 | LSU | 1 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 15 | 15.0 |
| 64 | West Virginia | 1 | 7 | 7 | 1 | 15 | 15.0 |
| 64 | Auburn | 1 | 6 | 8 | 1 | 15 | 15.0 |
| 67 | North Carolina | 1 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 14 | 14.0 |
| 67 | Iowa State | 1 | 4 | 9 | 1 | 14 | 14.0 |
| 69 | Baylor | 2 | 17 | 8 | 2 | 27 | 13.5 |
| 69 | Cincinnati | 2 | 11 | 15 | 1 | 27 | 13.5 |
| 71 | Navy | 1 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 13 | 13.0 |
| 71 | Marshall | 1 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 13 | 13.0 |
| 71 | Arizona State | 1 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 13 | 13.0 |
| 71 | California | 1 | 5 | 8 | 0 | 13 | 13.0 |
| 71 | Virginia Tech | 1 | 5 | 7 | 1 | 13 | 13.0 |
| 76 | Washington State | 1 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 11 | 11.0 |
| 77 | Old Dominion | 1 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 10 | 10.0 |