2023 National Leaders Opponent First Downs - Games vs. Conference Teams Only through 01/08/2024
| Name | G | Rush | Pass | Penalty | Total | Total/G | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michigan | 10 | 50 | 69 | 9 | 128 | 12.8 |
| 2 | Penn State | 9 | 38 | 69 | 13 | 120 | 13.3 |
| 3 | Ohio | 8 | 46 | 52 | 17 | 115 | 14.4 |
| 4 | Ohio State | 9 | 56 | 63 | 16 | 135 | 15.0 |
| 5 | Buffalo | 8 | 60 | 57 | 4 | 121 | 15.1 |
| 6 | Clemson | 8 | 54 | 56 | 14 | 124 | 15.5 |
| 7 | Louisville | 9 | 57 | 71 | 15 | 143 | 15.9 |
| 7 | Georgia | 9 | 61 | 71 | 11 | 143 | 15.9 |
| 7 | Iowa | 10 | 63 | 84 | 12 | 159 | 15.9 |
| 10 | Miami (OH) | 9 | 63 | 67 | 14 | 144 | 16.0 |
| 11 | Utah | 9 | 44 | 89 | 12 | 145 | 16.1 |
| 11 | SMU | 9 | 50 | 79 | 16 | 145 | 16.1 |
| 11 | Florida State | 9 | 67 | 61 | 17 | 145 | 16.1 |
| 14 | East Carolina | 8 | 45 | 73 | 12 | 130 | 16.3 |
| 14 | Nebraska | 9 | 53 | 84 | 10 | 147 | 16.3 |
| 16 | Texas A&M | 8 | 48 | 73 | 10 | 131 | 16.4 |
| 16 | Virginia Tech | 8 | 49 | 68 | 14 | 131 | 16.4 |
| 16 | South Alabama | 8 | 52 | 60 | 19 | 131 | 16.4 |
| 19 | Alabama | 9 | 64 | 74 | 14 | 152 | 16.9 |
| 20 | NC State | 8 | 43 | 79 | 14 | 136 | 17.0 |
| 21 | UCLA | 9 | 46 | 91 | 19 | 156 | 17.3 |
| 22 | Air Force | 8 | 49 | 80 | 10 | 139 | 17.4 |
| 23 | Ball State | 8 | 51 | 70 | 19 | 140 | 17.5 |
| 24 | James Madison | 8 | 31 | 97 | 13 | 141 | 17.6 |
| 25 | Troy | 9 | 62 | 87 | 10 | 159 | 17.7 |
| 26 | Kansas State | 9 | 65 | 85 | 10 | 160 | 17.8 |
| 27 | Auburn | 8 | 66 | 72 | 5 | 143 | 17.9 |
| 27 | Bowling Green | 8 | 74 | 57 | 12 | 143 | 17.9 |
| 27 | Wisconsin | 9 | 71 | 78 | 12 | 161 | 17.9 |
| 30 | Connecticut | 1 | 3 | 11 | 4 | 18 | 18.0 |
| 30 | Northern Illinois | 8 | 68 | 63 | 13 | 144 | 18.0 |
| 30 | Boise State | 9 | 56 | 97 | 9 | 162 | 18.0 |
| 30 | Texas | 10 | 48 | 117 | 15 | 180 | 18.0 |
| 34 | UTEP | 8 | 79 | 54 | 12 | 145 | 18.1 |
| 34 | Toledo | 9 | 72 | 71 | 20 | 163 | 18.1 |
| 36 | Akron | 8 | 77 | 53 | 16 | 146 | 18.3 |
| 36 | Purdue | 9 | 61 | 88 | 16 | 165 | 18.3 |
| 36 | Northwestern | 9 | 80 | 74 | 11 | 165 | 18.3 |
| 39 | Kent State | 8 | 65 | 70 | 12 | 147 | 18.4 |
| 40 | Charlotte | 8 | 66 | 64 | 19 | 149 | 18.6 |
| 41 | Miami (FL) | 8 | 60 | 75 | 15 | 150 | 18.8 |
| 41 | Oregon | 10 | 60 | 110 | 18 | 188 | 18.8 |
| 43 | Missouri | 8 | 63 | 69 | 19 | 151 | 18.9 |
| 43 | Wake Forest | 8 | 66 | 76 | 9 | 151 | 18.9 |
| 45 | Army | 1 | 12 | 7 | 0 | 19 | 19.0 |
| 45 | Navy | 8 | 51 | 87 | 14 | 152 | 19.0 |
| 45 | Tulane | 9 | 55 | 103 | 13 | 171 | 19.0 |
| 48 | Louisiana Tech | 8 | 81 | 53 | 19 | 153 | 19.1 |
| 49 | Minnesota | 9 | 71 | 90 | 12 | 173 | 19.2 |
| 49 | Rutgers | 9 | 92 | 67 | 14 | 173 | 19.2 |
| 51 | San Jose State | 8 | 77 | 69 | 8 | 154 | 19.3 |
| 52 | UNLV | 9 | 76 | 80 | 19 | 175 | 19.4 |
| 53 | Central Michigan | 8 | 72 | 69 | 15 | 156 | 19.5 |
| 53 | Mississippi State | 8 | 77 | 66 | 13 | 156 | 19.5 |
| 55 | Marshall | 8 | 54 | 83 | 20 | 157 | 19.6 |
| 55 | UTSA | 8 | 57 | 88 | 12 | 157 | 19.6 |
| 55 | Sam Houston State | 8 | 66 | 84 | 7 | 157 | 19.6 |
| 55 | San Diego State | 8 | 78 | 71 | 8 | 157 | 19.6 |
| 59 | Wyoming | 8 | 68 | 80 | 10 | 158 | 19.8 |
| 59 | Liberty | 9 | 64 | 93 | 21 | 178 | 19.8 |
| 61 | Tulsa | 8 | 64 | 89 | 6 | 159 | 19.9 |
| 61 | Nevada | 8 | 74 | 70 | 15 | 159 | 19.9 |
| 63 | Boston College | 8 | 70 | 77 | 14 | 161 | 20.1 |
| 64 | Western Michigan | 8 | 69 | 78 | 15 | 162 | 20.3 |
| 65 | Rice | 8 | 63 | 82 | 18 | 163 | 20.4 |
| 65 | Hawaii | 8 | 81 | 66 | 16 | 163 | 20.4 |
| 65 | Arkansas | 8 | 85 | 66 | 12 | 163 | 20.4 |
| 68 | Coastal Carolina | 8 | 64 | 85 | 15 | 164 | 20.5 |
| 69 | Eastern Michigan | 8 | 62 | 83 | 20 | 165 | 20.6 |
| 69 | Ole Miss | 8 | 67 | 84 | 14 | 165 | 20.6 |
| 71 | Oregon State | 9 | 69 | 99 | 18 | 186 | 20.7 |
| 71 | Arizona | 9 | 71 | 97 | 18 | 186 | 20.7 |
| 71 | Washington State | 9 | 79 | 86 | 21 | 186 | 20.7 |
| 74 | Southern Miss | 8 | 66 | 92 | 8 | 166 | 20.8 |
| 74 | Western Kentucky | 8 | 74 | 81 | 11 | 166 | 20.8 |
| 74 | TCU | 9 | 81 | 85 | 21 | 187 | 20.8 |
| 74 | Oklahoma State | 10 | 87 | 111 | 10 | 208 | 20.8 |
| 78 | Jacksonville State | 8 | 54 | 94 | 19 | 167 | 20.9 |
| 78 | Florida | 8 | 67 | 88 | 12 | 167 | 20.9 |
| 78 | New Mexico | 8 | 73 | 71 | 23 | 167 | 20.9 |
| 81 | West Virginia | 9 | 81 | 99 | 9 | 189 | 21.0 |
| 81 | Texas Tech | 9 | 82 | 93 | 14 | 189 | 21.0 |
| 81 | Cincinnati | 9 | 89 | 85 | 15 | 189 | 21.0 |
| 84 | Tennessee | 8 | 56 | 90 | 23 | 169 | 21.1 |
| 84 | Kentucky | 8 | 64 | 91 | 14 | 169 | 21.1 |
| 84 | Georgia State | 8 | 65 | 89 | 15 | 169 | 21.1 |
| 87 | Baylor | 9 | 79 | 104 | 8 | 191 | 21.2 |
| 87 | Maryland | 9 | 81 | 89 | 21 | 191 | 21.2 |
| 89 | Iowa State | 9 | 74 | 98 | 20 | 192 | 21.3 |
| 90 | Massachusetts | 2 | 25 | 15 | 3 | 43 | 21.5 |
| 90 | Arkansas State | 8 | 78 | 77 | 17 | 172 | 21.5 |
| 92 | Illinois | 9 | 74 | 99 | 21 | 194 | 21.6 |
| 92 | Oklahoma | 9 | 76 | 102 | 16 | 194 | 21.6 |
| 94 | Michigan State | 9 | 84 | 93 | 18 | 195 | 21.7 |
| 95 | Memphis | 8 | 70 | 88 | 16 | 174 | 21.8 |
| 95 | Pittsburgh | 8 | 75 | 75 | 24 | 174 | 21.8 |
| 97 | Middle Tennessee State | 8 | 65 | 97 | 13 | 175 | 21.9 |
| 98 | South Carolina | 8 | 69 | 94 | 13 | 176 | 22.0 |
| 98 | FIU | 8 | 70 | 96 | 10 | 176 | 22.0 |
| 100 | Georgia Southern | 8 | 72 | 92 | 13 | 177 | 22.1 |
| 100 | Florida Atlantic | 8 | 77 | 91 | 9 | 177 | 22.1 |
| 100 | Virginia | 8 | 79 | 82 | 16 | 177 | 22.1 |
| 100 | New Mexico State | 9 | 85 | 96 | 18 | 199 | 22.1 |
| 104 | Arizona State | 9 | 73 | 114 | 13 | 200 | 22.2 |
| 104 | Indiana | 9 | 77 | 105 | 18 | 200 | 22.2 |
| 106 | Texas State | 8 | 72 | 83 | 23 | 178 | 22.3 |
| 106 | Louisiana | 8 | 89 | 77 | 12 | 178 | 22.3 |
| 106 | Appalachian State | 9 | 85 | 99 | 17 | 201 | 22.3 |
| 106 | Kansas | 9 | 90 | 99 | 12 | 201 | 22.3 |
| 110 | Colorado State | 8 | 85 | 79 | 15 | 179 | 22.4 |
| 111 | Old Dominion | 8 | 67 | 96 | 17 | 180 | 22.5 |
| 112 | Duke | 8 | 76 | 97 | 8 | 181 | 22.6 |
| 113 | California | 9 | 76 | 120 | 8 | 204 | 22.7 |
| 114 | USF | 8 | 72 | 97 | 14 | 183 | 22.9 |
| 115 | LSU | 8 | 78 | 98 | 9 | 185 | 23.1 |
| 115 | Georgia Tech | 8 | 97 | 74 | 14 | 185 | 23.1 |
| 117 | Vanderbilt | 8 | 67 | 110 | 9 | 186 | 23.3 |
| 117 | North Carolina | 8 | 72 | 98 | 16 | 186 | 23.3 |
| 117 | Utah State | 8 | 103 | 62 | 21 | 186 | 23.3 |
| 120 | Washington | 10 | 85 | 122 | 28 | 235 | 23.5 |
| 121 | Fresno State | 8 | 84 | 93 | 12 | 189 | 23.6 |
| 121 | North Texas | 8 | 111 | 71 | 7 | 189 | 23.6 |
| 123 | BYU | 9 | 96 | 103 | 14 | 213 | 23.7 |
| 124 | Syracuse | 8 | 91 | 81 | 18 | 190 | 23.8 |
| 124 | UAB | 8 | 91 | 83 | 16 | 190 | 23.8 |
| 124 | UCF | 9 | 100 | 99 | 15 | 214 | 23.8 |
| 127 | Houston | 9 | 99 | 112 | 9 | 220 | 24.4 |
| 128 | USC | 9 | 93 | 107 | 25 | 225 | 25.0 |
| 129 | Colorado | 9 | 85 | 122 | 22 | 229 | 25.4 |
| 130 | Temple | 8 | 91 | 100 | 14 | 205 | 25.6 |
| 131 | Stanford | 9 | 95 | 123 | 16 | 234 | 26.0 |
| 132 | Louisiana-Monroe | 8 | 91 | 104 | 18 | 213 | 26.6 |