2026 National Leaders First Downs - Games vs. Ranked Teams Only (AP Poll) through 10/13/2026
| Name | G | Rush | Pass | Penalty | Total | Total/G | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Virginia | 1 | 18 | 7 | 4 | 29 | 29.0 |
| 2 | Houston | 1 | 12 | 15 | 0 | 27 | 27.0 |
| 3 | Illinois | 1 | 12 | 11 | 2 | 25 | 25.0 |
| 3 | Nebraska | 1 | 9 | 14 | 2 | 25 | 25.0 |
| 3 | Georgia Tech | 1 | 8 | 12 | 5 | 25 | 25.0 |
| 3 | Ole Miss | 1 | 7 | 17 | 1 | 25 | 25.0 |
| 7 | Mississippi State | 2 | 16 | 27 | 5 | 48 | 24.0 |
| 7 | Indiana | 1 | 9 | 11 | 4 | 24 | 24.0 |
| 9 | Florida | 2 | 22 | 20 | 4 | 46 | 23.0 |
| 9 | Miami (FL) | 1 | 8 | 12 | 3 | 23 | 23.0 |
| 9 | Missouri | 1 | 7 | 13 | 3 | 23 | 23.0 |
| 9 | California | 1 | 6 | 13 | 4 | 23 | 23.0 |
| 13 | Purdue | 3 | 23 | 37 | 8 | 68 | 22.7 |
| 14 | LSU | 2 | 18 | 25 | 2 | 45 | 22.5 |
| 15 | Louisville | 3 | 30 | 30 | 6 | 66 | 22.0 |
| 15 | Ohio State | 2 | 18 | 25 | 1 | 44 | 22.0 |
| 15 | Texas Tech | 1 | 9 | 11 | 2 | 22 | 22.0 |
| 15 | Tennessee | 1 | 8 | 9 | 5 | 22 | 22.0 |
| 15 | Georgia Southern | 1 | 4 | 15 | 3 | 22 | 22.0 |
| 20 | South Carolina | 3 | 26 | 35 | 3 | 64 | 21.3 |
| 21 | Michigan | 1 | 9 | 11 | 1 | 21 | 21.0 |
| 21 | Georgia | 1 | 7 | 12 | 2 | 21 | 21.0 |
| 21 | Northwestern | 1 | 4 | 14 | 3 | 21 | 21.0 |
| 24 | Alabama | 3 | 25 | 29 | 6 | 60 | 20.0 |
| 24 | UCF | 2 | 15 | 22 | 3 | 40 | 20.0 |
| 24 | Colorado | 2 | 13 | 24 | 3 | 40 | 20.0 |
| 24 | Oregon State | 2 | 5 | 33 | 2 | 40 | 20.0 |
| 24 | Akron | 1 | 12 | 5 | 3 | 20 | 20.0 |
| 24 | Wake Forest | 1 | 3 | 15 | 2 | 20 | 20.0 |
| 30 | Texas | 2 | 16 | 21 | 2 | 39 | 19.5 |
| 30 | Washington | 2 | 6 | 25 | 8 | 39 | 19.5 |
| 32 | Penn State | 2 | 8 | 26 | 4 | 38 | 19.0 |
| 32 | Arizona | 1 | 9 | 8 | 2 | 19 | 19.0 |
| 32 | Boston College | 1 | 8 | 9 | 2 | 19 | 19.0 |
| 32 | Kansas State | 1 | 7 | 9 | 3 | 19 | 19.0 |
| 32 | San Jose State | 1 | 6 | 11 | 2 | 19 | 19.0 |
| 32 | North Texas | 1 | 5 | 12 | 2 | 19 | 19.0 |
| 32 | South Alabama | 1 | 5 | 12 | 2 | 19 | 19.0 |
| 39 | Kansas | 2 | 7 | 22 | 8 | 37 | 18.5 |
| 40 | Arkansas | 3 | 14 | 35 | 5 | 54 | 18.0 |
| 40 | Rutgers | 2 | 13 | 21 | 2 | 36 | 18.0 |
| 40 | Texas State | 1 | 8 | 9 | 1 | 18 | 18.0 |
| 40 | Troy | 1 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 18 | 18.0 |
| 40 | Kennesaw State | 1 | 7 | 11 | 0 | 18 | 18.0 |
| 40 | Colorado State | 1 | 6 | 8 | 4 | 18 | 18.0 |
| 40 | North Carolina | 1 | 4 | 13 | 1 | 18 | 18.0 |
| 40 | Minnesota | 1 | 3 | 12 | 3 | 18 | 18.0 |
| 48 | Ball State | 2 | 11 | 21 | 3 | 35 | 17.5 |
| 49 | Auburn | 1 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 17 | 17.0 |
| 49 | Charlotte | 1 | 6 | 8 | 3 | 17 | 17.0 |
| 49 | Louisiana | 1 | 6 | 8 | 3 | 17 | 17.0 |
| 49 | Memphis | 1 | 4 | 10 | 3 | 17 | 17.0 |
| 53 | Florida State | 2 | 11 | 18 | 4 | 33 | 16.5 |
| 53 | Kentucky | 2 | 8 | 20 | 5 | 33 | 16.5 |
| 55 | Oregon | 4 | 20 | 37 | 8 | 65 | 16.3 |
| 56 | Vanderbilt | 2 | 10 | 18 | 4 | 32 | 16.0 |
| 56 | NC State | 1 | 5 | 10 | 1 | 16 | 16.0 |
| 56 | Wisconsin | 1 | 5 | 10 | 1 | 16 | 16.0 |
| 59 | Iowa State | 3 | 18 | 21 | 7 | 46 | 15.3 |
| 60 | Oklahoma | 2 | 10 | 16 | 4 | 30 | 15.0 |
| 60 | Clemson | 2 | 9 | 17 | 4 | 30 | 15.0 |
| 60 | Fresno State | 2 | 7 | 17 | 6 | 30 | 15.0 |
| 60 | Tulsa | 1 | 5 | 8 | 2 | 15 | 15.0 |
| 60 | Iowa | 1 | 3 | 10 | 2 | 15 | 15.0 |
| 65 | Texas A&M | 3 | 20 | 21 | 3 | 44 | 14.7 |
| 66 | San Diego State | 1 | 9 | 1 | 4 | 14 | 14.0 |
| 66 | Louisiana-Monroe | 1 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 14 | 14.0 |
| 66 | TCU | 1 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 14 | 14.0 |
| 66 | Missouri State | 1 | 3 | 8 | 3 | 14 | 14.0 |
| 70 | Western Kentucky | 2 | 10 | 15 | 2 | 27 | 13.5 |
| 71 | Stanford | 3 | 9 | 25 | 5 | 39 | 13.0 |
| 72 | Utah State | 2 | 7 | 14 | 4 | 25 | 12.5 |
| 73 | Western Michigan | 1 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 12 | 12.0 |
| 74 | Maryland | 2 | 8 | 12 | 3 | 23 | 11.5 |
| 75 | Sam Houston State | 1 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 11 | 11.0 |
| 75 | Michigan State | 1 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 11 | 11.0 |
| 77 | Central Michigan | 1 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 10 | 10.0 |
| 78 | UTSA | 1 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 9.0 |
| 79 | Louisiana Tech | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 8.0 |
| 80 | Rice | 1 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 7.0 |
| 80 | Northern Illinois | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 7 | 7.0 |
| 82 | Kent State | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 6.0 |
| 83 | East Carolina | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 5.0 |