2026 National Leaders Opponent Punt Returns - Games vs. Ranked Teams Only (AP Poll) through 10/10/2026
| Name | G | Ret. | Yards | Avg. | TD | Ret./G | Yards/G | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mississippi State | 2 | 1 | -2 | -2.00 | 0 | 0.5 | -1.0 |
| 1 | Clemson | 2 | 1 | 11 | 11.00 | 0 | 0.5 | 5.5 |
| 1 | Penn State | 2 | 1 | 26 | 26.00 | 0 | 0.5 | 13.0 |
| 4 | Alabama | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1.00 | 0 | 0.7 | 0.7 |
| 4 | Purdue | 3 | 2 | 16 | 8.00 | 0 | 0.7 | 5.3 |
| 4 | Arkansas | 3 | 2 | 20 | 10.00 | 0 | 0.7 | 6.7 |
| 7 | South Alabama | 1 | 1 | -11 | -11.00 | 0 | 1.0 | -11.0 |
| 7 | Georgia Southern | 1 | 1 | -2 | -2.00 | 0 | 1.0 | -2.0 |
| 7 | Auburn | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 1.0 | 0.0 |
| 7 | Ohio State | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0.50 | 0 | 1.0 | 0.5 |
| 7 | Oregon | 4 | 4 | 3 | 0.75 | 0 | 1.0 | 0.8 |
| 7 | Michigan | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1.00 | 0 | 1.0 | 1.0 |
| 7 | Louisville | 3 | 3 | 12 | 4.00 | 0 | 1.0 | 4.0 |
| 7 | South Carolina | 3 | 3 | 12 | 4.00 | 0 | 1.0 | 4.0 |
| 7 | West Virginia | 1 | 1 | 6 | 6.00 | 0 | 1.0 | 6.0 |
| 7 | Colorado | 2 | 2 | 13 | 6.50 | 0 | 1.0 | 6.5 |
| 7 | Kansas State | 1 | 1 | 7 | 7.00 | 0 | 1.0 | 7.0 |
| 7 | Florida | 2 | 2 | 16 | 8.00 | 0 | 1.0 | 8.0 |
| 7 | California | 1 | 1 | 12 | 12.00 | 0 | 1.0 | 12.0 |
| 7 | Wisconsin | 1 | 1 | 12 | 12.00 | 0 | 1.0 | 12.0 |
| 7 | Kentucky | 2 | 2 | 28 | 14.00 | 0 | 1.0 | 14.0 |
| 7 | Texas Tech | 1 | 1 | 22 | 22.00 | 0 | 1.0 | 22.0 |
| 7 | Kennesaw State | 1 | 1 | 24 | 24.00 | 0 | 1.0 | 24.0 |
| 7 | North Texas | 1 | 1 | 36 | 36.00 | 0 | 1.0 | 36.0 |
| 25 | Texas A&M | 3 | 4 | 17 | 4.25 | 0 | 1.3 | 5.7 |
| 26 | Oregon State | 2 | 3 | 19 | 6.33 | 0 | 1.5 | 9.5 |
| 26 | Kansas | 2 | 3 | 24 | 8.00 | 0 | 1.5 | 12.0 |
| 26 | Vanderbilt | 2 | 3 | 40 | 13.33 | 0 | 1.5 | 20.0 |
| 26 | LSU | 2 | 3 | 61 | 20.33 | 1 | 1.5 | 30.5 |
| 30 | Stanford | 3 | 5 | 45 | 9.00 | 0 | 1.7 | 15.0 |
| 31 | Georgia Tech | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0.50 | 0 | 2.0 | 1.0 |
| 31 | Iowa | 1 | 2 | 4 | 2.00 | 0 | 2.0 | 4.0 |
| 31 | Florida State | 2 | 4 | 10 | 2.50 | 0 | 2.0 | 5.0 |
| 31 | Utah State | 2 | 4 | 11 | 2.75 | 0 | 2.0 | 5.5 |
| 31 | NC State | 1 | 2 | 8 | 4.00 | 0 | 2.0 | 8.0 |
| 31 | Fresno State | 2 | 4 | 21 | 5.25 | 0 | 2.0 | 10.5 |
| 31 | Miami (FL) | 1 | 2 | 14 | 7.00 | 0 | 2.0 | 14.0 |
| 31 | Houston | 1 | 2 | 15 | 7.50 | 0 | 2.0 | 15.0 |
| 31 | North Carolina | 1 | 2 | 20 | 10.00 | 0 | 2.0 | 20.0 |
| 31 | Western Kentucky | 2 | 4 | 44 | 11.00 | 0 | 2.0 | 22.0 |
| 31 | TCU | 1 | 2 | 25 | 12.50 | 0 | 2.0 | 25.0 |
| 31 | Boston College | 1 | 2 | 28 | 14.00 | 0 | 2.0 | 28.0 |
| 31 | UCF | 2 | 4 | 66 | 16.50 | 0 | 2.0 | 33.0 |
| 31 | Akron | 1 | 2 | 44 | 22.00 | 0 | 2.0 | 44.0 |
| 31 | San Jose State | 1 | 2 | 56 | 28.00 | 0 | 2.0 | 56.0 |
| 31 | Troy | 1 | 2 | 68 | 34.00 | 1 | 2.0 | 68.0 |
| 31 | Memphis | 1 | 2 | 72 | 36.00 | 1 | 2.0 | 72.0 |
| 48 | Texas | 2 | 5 | 74 | 14.80 | 1 | 2.5 | 37.0 |
| 49 | Ball State | 2 | 6 | 10 | 1.67 | 0 | 3.0 | 5.0 |
| 49 | Tulsa | 1 | 3 | 7 | 2.33 | 0 | 3.0 | 7.0 |
| 49 | Iowa State | 3 | 9 | 71 | 7.89 | 0 | 3.0 | 23.7 |
| 49 | East Carolina | 1 | 3 | 27 | 9.00 | 0 | 3.0 | 27.0 |
| 49 | Missouri State | 1 | 3 | 29 | 9.67 | 0 | 3.0 | 29.0 |
| 49 | UTSA | 1 | 3 | 41 | 13.67 | 0 | 3.0 | 41.0 |
| 49 | Central Michigan | 1 | 3 | 50 | 16.67 | 0 | 3.0 | 50.0 |
| 49 | Louisiana | 1 | 3 | 99 | 33.00 | 1 | 3.0 | 99.0 |
| 57 | Washington | 2 | 7 | 49 | 7.00 | 0 | 3.5 | 24.5 |
| 58 | Oklahoma | 2 | 8 | 36 | 4.50 | 0 | 4.0 | 18.0 |
| 58 | Colorado State | 1 | 4 | 27 | 6.75 | 0 | 4.0 | 27.0 |
| 58 | Maryland | 2 | 8 | 73 | 9.13 | 0 | 4.0 | 36.5 |
| 58 | Louisiana Tech | 1 | 4 | 44 | 11.00 | 0 | 4.0 | 44.0 |
| 58 | Tennessee | 1 | 4 | 57 | 14.25 | 0 | 4.0 | 57.0 |
| 58 | San Diego State | 1 | 4 | 66 | 16.50 | 0 | 4.0 | 66.0 |
| 64 | Kent State | 1 | 5 | 30 | 6.00 | 0 | 5.0 | 30.0 |
| 64 | Rice | 1 | 5 | 47 | 9.40 | 0 | 5.0 | 47.0 |
| 64 | Sam Houston State | 1 | 5 | 60 | 12.00 | 0 | 5.0 | 60.0 |
| 64 | Northern Illinois | 1 | 5 | 124 | 24.80 | 1 | 5.0 | 124.0 |