2012 National Leaders Opponent First Downs - Games Lost Only through 01/07/2013
| Name | G | Rush | Pass | Penalty | Total | Total/G | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Utah State | 2 | 14 | 15 | 3 | 32 | 16.0 |
| 1 | Stanford | 2 | 18 | 11 | 3 | 32 | 16.0 |
| 3 | BYU | 5 | 29 | 48 | 6 | 83 | 16.6 |
| 4 | Connecticut | 7 | 46 | 65 | 10 | 121 | 17.3 |
| 5 | Louisville | 2 | 20 | 13 | 2 | 35 | 17.5 |
| 5 | TCU | 6 | 38 | 56 | 11 | 105 | 17.5 |
| 5 | Michigan State | 6 | 47 | 46 | 12 | 105 | 17.5 |
| 8 | San Jose State | 2 | 12 | 20 | 4 | 36 | 18.0 |
| 8 | South Carolina | 2 | 22 | 12 | 2 | 36 | 18.0 |
| 8 | Buffalo | 8 | 67 | 71 | 6 | 144 | 18.0 |
| 11 | Bowling Green | 5 | 41 | 47 | 3 | 91 | 18.2 |
| 12 | Florida | 2 | 10 | 21 | 6 | 37 | 18.5 |
| 12 | Wisconsin | 6 | 50 | 55 | 6 | 111 | 18.5 |
| 14 | Syracuse | 5 | 39 | 48 | 6 | 93 | 18.6 |
| 14 | Michigan | 5 | 45 | 41 | 7 | 93 | 18.6 |
| 16 | Virginia | 8 | 67 | 72 | 12 | 151 | 18.9 |
| 17 | Ohio | 4 | 41 | 33 | 2 | 76 | 19.0 |
| 18 | Rutgers | 4 | 27 | 45 | 5 | 77 | 19.3 |
| 19 | Boise State | 2 | 16 | 20 | 3 | 39 | 19.5 |
| 19 | Texas A&M | 2 | 20 | 13 | 6 | 39 | 19.5 |
| 19 | Oregon State | 4 | 40 | 35 | 3 | 78 | 19.5 |
| 22 | Maryland | 8 | 63 | 87 | 7 | 157 | 19.6 |
| 23 | Tulsa | 3 | 29 | 26 | 4 | 59 | 19.7 |
| 24 | Penn State | 4 | 36 | 36 | 7 | 79 | 19.8 |
| 25 | Minnesota | 7 | 71 | 54 | 14 | 139 | 19.9 |
| 26 | Florida International | 9 | 80 | 90 | 12 | 182 | 20.2 |
| 27 | Cincinnati | 3 | 30 | 29 | 2 | 61 | 20.3 |
| 27 | Fresno State | 4 | 44 | 28 | 9 | 81 | 20.3 |
| 27 | South Alabama | 11 | 96 | 101 | 26 | 223 | 20.3 |
| 30 | Missouri | 7 | 52 | 82 | 9 | 143 | 20.4 |
| 31 | Vanderbilt | 4 | 52 | 25 | 5 | 82 | 20.5 |
| 32 | Arizona State | 5 | 49 | 46 | 8 | 103 | 20.6 |
| 33 | Utah | 7 | 57 | 72 | 16 | 145 | 20.7 |
| 34 | Western Kentucky | 6 | 52 | 61 | 12 | 125 | 20.8 |
| 35 | Oregon | 1 | 9 | 11 | 1 | 21 | 21.0 |
| 35 | Florida State | 2 | 20 | 21 | 1 | 42 | 21.0 |
| 35 | SMU | 6 | 47 | 71 | 8 | 126 | 21.0 |
| 35 | Air Force | 7 | 77 | 66 | 4 | 147 | 21.0 |
| 35 | Western Michigan | 8 | 78 | 78 | 12 | 168 | 21.0 |
| 40 | Tennessee | 7 | 65 | 79 | 5 | 149 | 21.3 |
| 40 | Florida Atlantic | 9 | 97 | 77 | 18 | 192 | 21.3 |
| 40 | Army | 10 | 125 | 80 | 8 | 213 | 21.3 |
| 43 | Texas | 4 | 43 | 40 | 3 | 86 | 21.5 |
| 43 | Virginia Tech | 6 | 51 | 64 | 14 | 129 | 21.5 |
| 45 | Illinois | 10 | 128 | 77 | 11 | 216 | 21.6 |
| 46 | Mississippi | 6 | 61 | 64 | 6 | 131 | 21.8 |
| 46 | UTEP | 9 | 104 | 85 | 7 | 196 | 21.8 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | 3 | 31 | 35 | 0 | 66 | 22.0 |
| 48 | Temple | 7 | 68 | 74 | 12 | 154 | 22.0 |
| 50 | Wake Forest | 7 | 59 | 89 | 7 | 155 | 22.1 |
| 50 | Hawai'i | 9 | 107 | 76 | 16 | 199 | 22.1 |
| 52 | UCLA | 5 | 51 | 44 | 16 | 111 | 22.2 |
| 52 | Southern Mississippi | 12 | 132 | 116 | 18 | 266 | 22.2 |
| 54 | Purdue | 7 | 78 | 65 | 13 | 156 | 22.3 |
| 55 | Pittsburgh | 7 | 70 | 77 | 10 | 157 | 22.4 |
| 56 | Iowa | 8 | 76 | 90 | 14 | 180 | 22.5 |
| 57 | South Florida | 9 | 81 | 109 | 13 | 203 | 22.6 |
| 58 | UNLV | 11 | 109 | 119 | 22 | 250 | 22.7 |
| 59 | Troy | 7 | 57 | 88 | 15 | 160 | 22.9 |
| 60 | Alabama | 1 | 5 | 15 | 3 | 23 | 23.0 |
| 60 | Northern Illinois | 2 | 27 | 16 | 3 | 46 | 23.0 |
| 60 | Georgia | 2 | 30 | 11 | 5 | 46 | 23.0 |
| 60 | Kent State | 3 | 25 | 40 | 4 | 69 | 23.0 |
| 60 | San Diego State | 4 | 22 | 63 | 7 | 92 | 23.0 |
| 60 | Nebraska | 4 | 52 | 36 | 4 | 92 | 23.0 |
| 66 | North Texas | 8 | 76 | 93 | 16 | 185 | 23.1 |
| 66 | New Mexico State | 11 | 121 | 117 | 16 | 254 | 23.1 |
| 68 | Washington State | 9 | 97 | 104 | 8 | 209 | 23.2 |
| 68 | Auburn | 9 | 106 | 90 | 13 | 209 | 23.2 |
| 70 | UCF | 4 | 53 | 36 | 4 | 93 | 23.3 |
| 70 | Duke | 7 | 88 | 67 | 8 | 163 | 23.3 |
| 72 | Idaho | 11 | 103 | 130 | 24 | 257 | 23.4 |
| 73 | Eastern Michigan | 10 | 124 | 94 | 17 | 235 | 23.5 |
| 73 | Massachusetts | 11 | 123 | 118 | 17 | 258 | 23.5 |
| 75 | Kentucky | 10 | 108 | 111 | 17 | 236 | 23.6 |
| 76 | Washington | 6 | 60 | 63 | 19 | 142 | 23.7 |
| 76 | Georgia Tech | 7 | 76 | 81 | 9 | 166 | 23.7 |
| 76 | Kansas | 11 | 115 | 138 | 8 | 261 | 23.7 |
| 79 | New Mexico | 9 | 92 | 113 | 10 | 215 | 23.9 |
| 80 | LSU | 3 | 30 | 32 | 10 | 72 | 24.0 |
| 80 | Arkansas | 8 | 60 | 119 | 13 | 192 | 24.0 |
| 80 | UAB | 9 | 92 | 110 | 14 | 216 | 24.0 |
| 83 | Tulane | 10 | 121 | 101 | 19 | 241 | 24.1 |
| 84 | Louisiana-Monroe | 5 | 60 | 56 | 6 | 122 | 24.4 |
| 84 | Colorado | 11 | 123 | 128 | 17 | 268 | 24.4 |
| 86 | North Carolina State | 6 | 64 | 71 | 12 | 147 | 24.5 |
| 86 | Rice | 6 | 77 | 64 | 6 | 147 | 24.5 |
| 88 | Middle Tennessee | 4 | 53 | 42 | 4 | 99 | 24.8 |
| 89 | Memphis | 8 | 78 | 98 | 23 | 199 | 24.9 |
| 89 | Wyoming | 8 | 96 | 89 | 14 | 199 | 24.9 |
| 89 | Miami (Ohio) | 8 | 105 | 82 | 12 | 199 | 24.9 |
| 92 | UTSA | 4 | 37 | 54 | 9 | 100 | 25.0 |
| 92 | Texas Tech | 5 | 60 | 58 | 7 | 125 | 25.0 |
| 92 | East Carolina | 5 | 64 | 60 | 1 | 125 | 25.0 |
| 92 | West Virginia | 6 | 57 | 86 | 7 | 150 | 25.0 |
| 96 | Boston College | 10 | 135 | 111 | 6 | 252 | 25.2 |
| 97 | Colorado State | 8 | 103 | 85 | 14 | 202 | 25.3 |
| 98 | Mississippi State | 5 | 64 | 56 | 7 | 127 | 25.4 |
| 99 | Kansas State | 2 | 32 | 17 | 2 | 51 | 25.5 |
| 99 | Central Michigan | 6 | 74 | 71 | 8 | 153 | 25.5 |
| 101 | Northwestern | 3 | 30 | 40 | 7 | 77 | 25.7 |
| 101 | California | 9 | 99 | 105 | 27 | 231 | 25.7 |
| 101 | Akron | 11 | 133 | 125 | 25 | 283 | 25.7 |
| 104 | Marshall | 7 | 75 | 92 | 14 | 181 | 25.9 |
| 105 | Arkansas State | 3 | 43 | 31 | 5 | 79 | 26.3 |
| 105 | Ball State | 4 | 46 | 54 | 5 | 105 | 26.3 |
| 105 | USC | 6 | 81 | 66 | 11 | 158 | 26.3 |
| 108 | Iowa State | 7 | 83 | 88 | 14 | 185 | 26.4 |
| 109 | Clemson | 2 | 19 | 30 | 4 | 53 | 26.5 |
| 109 | Louisiana-Lafayette | 4 | 54 | 45 | 7 | 106 | 26.5 |
| 111 | North Carolina | 4 | 50 | 52 | 5 | 107 | 26.8 |
| 112 | Indiana | 8 | 107 | 92 | 16 | 215 | 26.9 |
| 113 | Navy | 5 | 67 | 62 | 6 | 135 | 27.0 |
| 114 | Nevada | 6 | 86 | 68 | 13 | 167 | 27.8 |
| 114 | Texas State | 8 | 116 | 90 | 16 | 222 | 27.8 |
| 116 | Notre Dame | 1 | 13 | 14 | 1 | 28 | 28.0 |
| 116 | Louisiana Tech | 3 | 36 | 42 | 6 | 84 | 28.0 |
| 116 | Toledo | 4 | 41 | 62 | 9 | 112 | 28.0 |
| 119 | Miami (Florida) | 5 | 71 | 61 | 9 | 141 | 28.2 |
| 120 | Arizona | 5 | 57 | 74 | 11 | 142 | 28.4 |
| 121 | Houston | 7 | 90 | 101 | 15 | 206 | 29.4 |
| 122 | Baylor | 5 | 59 | 83 | 7 | 149 | 29.8 |
| 123 | Oklahoma State | 5 | 58 | 83 | 17 | 158 | 31.6 |