2021 National Leaders Opponent First Downs - Games in December/January Only through 01/10/2022
| Name | G | Rush | Pass | Penalty | Total | Total/G | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Central Michigan | 1 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 11 | 11.0 |
| 2 | Fresno State | 1 | 3 | 10 | 3 | 16 | 16.0 |
| 3 | Tulsa | 1 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 10 | 10.0 |
| 3 | Clemson | 1 | 4 | 9 | 1 | 14 | 14.0 |
| 3 | Georgia State | 1 | 4 | 14 | 4 | 22 | 22.0 |
| 3 | Texas Tech | 1 | 4 | 17 | 1 | 22 | 22.0 |
| 3 | Tennessee | 1 | 4 | 15 | 7 | 26 | 26.0 |
| 8 | Navy | 1 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 11 | 11.0 |
| 8 | Maryland | 1 | 5 | 7 | 1 | 13 | 13.0 |
| 8 | USC | 1 | 5 | 8 | 0 | 13 | 13.0 |
| 8 | South Carolina | 1 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 14 | 14.0 |
| 8 | Washington State | 1 | 5 | 9 | 2 | 16 | 16.0 |
| 8 | Miami (Ohio) | 1 | 5 | 13 | 0 | 18 | 18.0 |
| 14 | Western Michigan | 1 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 16 | 16.0 |
| 14 | Auburn | 1 | 6 | 12 | 1 | 19 | 19.0 |
| 14 | Kentucky | 1 | 6 | 12 | 2 | 20 | 20.0 |
| 17 | Wisconsin | 1 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 13 | 13.0 |
| 17 | Minnesota | 1 | 7 | 7 | 1 | 15 | 15.0 |
| 17 | Arizona State | 1 | 7 | 8 | 2 | 17 | 17.0 |
| 20 | Michigan State | 1 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 14 | 14.0 |
| 20 | Arkansas | 1 | 8 | 8 | 1 | 17 | 17.0 |
| 20 | Iowa State | 1 | 8 | 10 | 2 | 20 | 20.0 |
| 20 | Oklahoma State | 2 | 8 | 31 | 3 | 42 | 21.0 |
| 20 | LSU | 1 | 8 | 13 | 1 | 22 | 22.0 |
| 25 | Kansas State | 1 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 15 | 15.0 |
| 25 | UAB | 1 | 9 | 6 | 2 | 17 | 17.0 |
| 25 | UCF | 1 | 9 | 8 | 2 | 19 | 19.0 |
| 25 | Liberty | 1 | 9 | 12 | 2 | 23 | 23.0 |
| 25 | Oregon State | 1 | 9 | 12 | 6 | 27 | 27.0 |
| 30 | Mississippi | 1 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 12.0 |
| 30 | Florida | 1 | 10 | 8 | 2 | 20 | 20.0 |
| 30 | Eastern Michigan | 1 | 10 | 8 | 4 | 22 | 22.0 |
| 30 | Marshall | 1 | 10 | 11 | 2 | 23 | 23.0 |
| 30 | Ohio State | 1 | 10 | 11 | 4 | 25 | 25.0 |
| 30 | California | 1 | 10 | 13 | 2 | 25 | 25.0 |
| 30 | Toledo | 1 | 10 | 13 | 3 | 26 | 26.0 |
| 30 | UTEP | 1 | 10 | 15 | 1 | 26 | 26.0 |
| 38 | Houston | 2 | 11 | 16 | 2 | 29 | 14.5 |
| 38 | Louisville | 1 | 11 | 7 | 0 | 18 | 18.0 |
| 38 | Virginia Tech | 1 | 11 | 11 | 0 | 22 | 22.0 |
| 38 | North Texas | 1 | 11 | 12 | 4 | 27 | 27.0 |
| 38 | Rutgers | 1 | 11 | 13 | 4 | 28 | 28.0 |
| 43 | Utah | 2 | 12 | 26 | 4 | 42 | 21.0 |
| 43 | San Diego State | 2 | 12 | 22 | 10 | 44 | 22.0 |
| 43 | BYU | 1 | 12 | 11 | 0 | 23 | 23.0 |
| 46 | West Virginia | 1 | 13 | 4 | 0 | 17 | 17.0 |
| 46 | Ball State | 1 | 13 | 7 | 1 | 21 | 21.0 |
| 46 | Middle Tennessee | 1 | 13 | 7 | 1 | 21 | 21.0 |
| 46 | Air Force | 1 | 13 | 9 | 1 | 23 | 23.0 |
| 46 | Mississippi State | 1 | 13 | 11 | 0 | 24 | 24.0 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | 1 | 13 | 12 | 1 | 26 | 26.0 |
| 46 | UTSA | 2 | 13 | 39 | 5 | 57 | 28.5 |
| 53 | Michigan | 2 | 14 | 19 | 3 | 36 | 18.0 |
| 53 | Wake Forest | 2 | 14 | 20 | 5 | 39 | 19.5 |
| 53 | Pittsburgh | 2 | 14 | 30 | 5 | 49 | 24.5 |
| 53 | Notre Dame | 1 | 14 | 19 | 1 | 34 | 34.0 |
| 57 | Missouri | 1 | 15 | 5 | 1 | 21 | 21.0 |
| 58 | Purdue | 1 | 16 | 11 | 4 | 31 | 31.0 |
| 59 | Louisiana-Lafayette | 2 | 17 | 12 | 2 | 31 | 15.5 |
| 59 | Utah State | 2 | 17 | 19 | 4 | 40 | 20.0 |
| 59 | North Carolina | 1 | 17 | 9 | 1 | 27 | 27.0 |
| 59 | Wyoming | 1 | 17 | 8 | 4 | 29 | 29.0 |
| 59 | Old Dominion | 1 | 17 | 15 | 3 | 35 | 35.0 |
| 64 | Nevada | 1 | 18 | 5 | 0 | 23 | 23.0 |
| 64 | Coastal Carolina | 1 | 18 | 9 | 2 | 29 | 29.0 |
| 66 | Georgia | 3 | 19 | 39 | 5 | 63 | 21.0 |
| 67 | Iowa | 2 | 20 | 20 | 5 | 45 | 22.5 |
| 67 | Baylor | 2 | 20 | 21 | 5 | 46 | 23.0 |
| 69 | Army | 2 | 21 | 18 | 2 | 41 | 20.5 |
| 69 | Appalachian State | 2 | 21 | 24 | 2 | 47 | 23.5 |
| 69 | Penn State | 1 | 21 | 3 | 1 | 25 | 25.0 |
| 72 | Northern Illinois | 2 | 22 | 23 | 1 | 46 | 23.0 |
| 73 | Alabama | 3 | 23 | 32 | 8 | 63 | 21.0 |
| 73 | Cincinnati | 2 | 23 | 23 | 3 | 49 | 24.5 |
| 75 | Oregon | 2 | 24 | 19 | 5 | 48 | 24.0 |
| 76 | Western Kentucky | 2 | 27 | 24 | 1 | 52 | 26.0 |
| 77 | Kent State | 2 | 31 | 12 | 7 | 50 | 25.0 |