2026 National Leaders First Downs - Games vs. Ranked Teams Only (AP Poll) through 09/19/2026
| Name | G | Rush | Pass | Penalty | Total | Total/G | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Houston | 1 | 12 | 15 | 0 | 27 | 27.0 |
| 1 | SMU | 1 | 12 | 10 | 5 | 27 | 27.0 |
| 1 | Rutgers | 1 | 11 | 14 | 2 | 27 | 27.0 |
| 4 | Texas | 1 | 11 | 13 | 1 | 25 | 25.0 |
| 4 | Oklahoma State | 1 | 10 | 13 | 2 | 25 | 25.0 |
| 4 | Georgia Tech | 1 | 8 | 12 | 5 | 25 | 25.0 |
| 4 | Florida Atlantic | 1 | 7 | 16 | 2 | 25 | 25.0 |
| 8 | Ole Miss | 2 | 19 | 27 | 3 | 49 | 24.5 |
| 9 | Texas Tech | 1 | 9 | 11 | 2 | 22 | 22.0 |
| 9 | Auburn | 1 | 6 | 14 | 2 | 22 | 22.0 |
| 11 | Louisville | 2 | 22 | 16 | 4 | 42 | 21.0 |
| 11 | South Carolina | 1 | 7 | 14 | 0 | 21 | 21.0 |
| 13 | Oregon State | 2 | 5 | 33 | 2 | 40 | 20.0 |
| 13 | Wake Forest | 1 | 3 | 15 | 2 | 20 | 20.0 |
| 15 | Arkansas | 2 | 8 | 27 | 4 | 39 | 19.5 |
| 16 | LSU | 1 | 9 | 9 | 1 | 19 | 19.0 |
| 16 | Arizona | 1 | 9 | 8 | 2 | 19 | 19.0 |
| 16 | Ohio State | 1 | 6 | 12 | 1 | 19 | 19.0 |
| 16 | San Jose State | 1 | 6 | 11 | 2 | 19 | 19.0 |
| 16 | North Texas | 1 | 5 | 12 | 2 | 19 | 19.0 |
| 21 | Texas State | 1 | 8 | 9 | 1 | 18 | 18.0 |
| 21 | Troy | 1 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 18 | 18.0 |
| 21 | Kennesaw State | 1 | 7 | 11 | 0 | 18 | 18.0 |
| 21 | Boise State | 1 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 18 | 18.0 |
| 21 | Colorado State | 1 | 6 | 8 | 4 | 18 | 18.0 |
| 21 | Oklahoma | 1 | 6 | 8 | 4 | 18 | 18.0 |
| 21 | Kansas | 1 | 5 | 10 | 3 | 18 | 18.0 |
| 21 | Minnesota | 1 | 3 | 12 | 3 | 18 | 18.0 |
| 29 | Charlotte | 1 | 6 | 8 | 3 | 17 | 17.0 |
| 29 | Louisiana | 1 | 6 | 8 | 3 | 17 | 17.0 |
| 29 | Stanford | 1 | 3 | 12 | 2 | 17 | 17.0 |
| 32 | Florida State | 2 | 11 | 18 | 4 | 33 | 16.5 |
| 33 | Kentucky | 2 | 12 | 17 | 3 | 32 | 16.0 |
| 33 | Western Michigan | 1 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 16 | 16.0 |
| 33 | Arizona State | 1 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 16 | 16.0 |
| 33 | Wisconsin | 1 | 5 | 10 | 1 | 16 | 16.0 |
| 37 | Temple | 1 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 14 | 14.0 |
| 37 | Louisiana-Monroe | 1 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 14 | 14.0 |
| 39 | Western Kentucky | 2 | 10 | 15 | 2 | 27 | 13.5 |
| 40 | Buffalo | 1 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 13 | 13.0 |
| 40 | Ball State | 1 | 3 | 8 | 2 | 13 | 13.0 |
| 42 | Michigan State | 1 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 11 | 11.0 |
| 42 | Marshall | 1 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 11 | 11.0 |
| 44 | Utah State | 1 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 10 | 10.0 |
| 45 | UTSA | 1 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 9.0 |
| 45 | Iowa State | 1 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 9 | 9.0 |
| 45 | UTEP | 1 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 9 | 9.0 |
| 45 | Fresno State | 1 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 9 | 9.0 |
| 49 | Clemson | 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 8.0 |
| 49 | Louisiana Tech | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 8.0 |
| 51 | Rice | 1 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 7.0 |
| 51 | Northern Illinois | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 7 | 7.0 |
| 53 | Kent State | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 6.0 |
| 54 | East Carolina | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 5.0 |
| 55 | Missouri State | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4.0 |