2023 National Leaders Opponent First Downs - Games in December/January Only through 01/08/2024
| Name | G | Rush | Pass | Penalty | Total | Total/G | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Florida | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 9 | 9.0 |
| 2 | Notre Dame | 1 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 10.0 |
| 2 | South Alabama | 1 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 10 | 10.0 |
| 4 | Tennessee | 1 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 11.0 |
| 5 | Clemson | 1 | 3 | 8 | 1 | 12 | 12.0 |
| 5 | Missouri | 1 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 12 | 12.0 |
| 5 | Western Kentucky | 1 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 12 | 12.0 |
| 5 | Fresno State | 1 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 12 | 12.0 |
| 9 | UTSA | 1 | 2 | 8 | 3 | 13 | 13.0 |
| 9 | Northwestern | 1 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 13 | 13.0 |
| 11 | Michigan | 3 | 17 | 22 | 2 | 41 | 13.7 |
| 12 | Wyoming | 1 | 3 | 11 | 0 | 14 | 14.0 |
| 12 | Jacksonville State | 1 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 14 | 14.0 |
| 14 | Texas Tech | 1 | 4 | 10 | 1 | 15 | 15.0 |
| 14 | Rice | 1 | 7 | 6 | 2 | 15 | 15.0 |
| 14 | Auburn | 1 | 7 | 7 | 1 | 15 | 15.0 |
| 14 | UCLA | 1 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 15 | 15.0 |
| 14 | Virginia Tech | 1 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 15 | 15.0 |
| 14 | Navy | 1 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 15 | 15.0 |
| 20 | Georgia | 2 | 11 | 16 | 4 | 31 | 15.5 |
| 20 | Louisville | 2 | 11 | 17 | 3 | 31 | 15.5 |
| 22 | Texas State | 1 | 3 | 8 | 5 | 16 | 16.0 |
| 22 | Air Force | 1 | 3 | 13 | 0 | 16 | 16.0 |
| 22 | Ohio | 1 | 5 | 10 | 1 | 16 | 16.0 |
| 22 | North Carolina | 1 | 7 | 7 | 2 | 16 | 16.0 |
| 22 | SMU | 2 | 15 | 17 | 0 | 32 | 16.0 |
| 27 | Oklahoma | 1 | 4 | 12 | 1 | 17 | 17.0 |
| 27 | Minnesota | 1 | 5 | 11 | 1 | 17 | 17.0 |
| 27 | Army | 1 | 6 | 11 | 0 | 17 | 17.0 |
| 27 | Kansas State | 1 | 8 | 8 | 1 | 17 | 17.0 |
| 27 | Miami (Florida) | 1 | 11 | 4 | 2 | 17 | 17.0 |
| 27 | Alabama | 2 | 12 | 20 | 2 | 34 | 17.0 |
| 27 | Boise State | 2 | 16 | 17 | 1 | 34 | 17.0 |
| 34 | Utah | 1 | 4 | 12 | 2 | 18 | 18.0 |
| 34 | Georgia State | 1 | 6 | 9 | 3 | 18 | 18.0 |
| 34 | Northern Illinois | 1 | 6 | 11 | 1 | 18 | 18.0 |
| 34 | Georgia Southern | 1 | 8 | 8 | 2 | 18 | 18.0 |
| 34 | James Madison | 1 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 18 | 18.0 |
| 34 | Appalachian State | 2 | 22 | 11 | 3 | 36 | 18.0 |
| 40 | Toledo | 2 | 18 | 13 | 6 | 37 | 18.5 |
| 41 | Washington | 3 | 23 | 30 | 3 | 56 | 18.7 |
| 42 | Memphis | 1 | 2 | 17 | 0 | 19 | 19.0 |
| 42 | Duke | 1 | 5 | 12 | 2 | 19 | 19.0 |
| 42 | Georgia Tech | 1 | 7 | 11 | 1 | 19 | 19.0 |
| 42 | Ohio State | 1 | 13 | 5 | 1 | 19 | 19.0 |
| 42 | Bowling Green | 1 | 15 | 2 | 2 | 19 | 19.0 |
| 42 | Texas | 2 | 8 | 27 | 3 | 38 | 19.0 |
| 42 | Iowa | 2 | 20 | 15 | 3 | 38 | 19.0 |
| 49 | Miami (Ohio) | 2 | 14 | 21 | 4 | 39 | 19.5 |
| 50 | Maryland | 1 | 4 | 12 | 4 | 20 | 20.0 |
| 50 | West Virginia | 1 | 8 | 9 | 3 | 20 | 20.0 |
| 50 | Marshall | 1 | 9 | 11 | 0 | 20 | 20.0 |
| 53 | Oregon | 2 | 16 | 22 | 3 | 41 | 20.5 |
| 53 | Troy | 2 | 17 | 21 | 3 | 41 | 20.5 |
| 55 | Mississippi | 1 | 8 | 13 | 0 | 21 | 21.0 |
| 55 | Syracuse | 1 | 9 | 12 | 0 | 21 | 21.0 |
| 55 | UCF | 1 | 17 | 2 | 2 | 21 | 21.0 |
| 58 | Coastal Carolina | 1 | 7 | 10 | 5 | 22 | 22.0 |
| 58 | San Jose State | 1 | 7 | 12 | 3 | 22 | 22.0 |
| 58 | LSU | 1 | 7 | 14 | 1 | 22 | 22.0 |
| 58 | Rutgers | 1 | 8 | 9 | 5 | 22 | 22.0 |
| 58 | Boston College | 1 | 9 | 12 | 1 | 22 | 22.0 |
| 58 | Iowa State | 1 | 9 | 13 | 0 | 22 | 22.0 |
| 58 | North Carolina State | 1 | 13 | 8 | 1 | 22 | 22.0 |
| 58 | USC | 1 | 15 | 4 | 3 | 22 | 22.0 |
| 66 | UNLV | 2 | 19 | 21 | 5 | 45 | 22.5 |
| 67 | Kansas | 1 | 5 | 10 | 8 | 23 | 23.0 |
| 67 | Arizona | 1 | 10 | 12 | 1 | 23 | 23.0 |
| 67 | Florida State | 2 | 24 | 19 | 3 | 46 | 23.0 |
| 67 | Tulane | 2 | 27 | 16 | 3 | 46 | 23.0 |
| 71 | Kentucky | 1 | 10 | 13 | 1 | 24 | 24.0 |
| 71 | California | 1 | 11 | 12 | 1 | 24 | 24.0 |
| 71 | Oregon State | 1 | 13 | 10 | 1 | 24 | 24.0 |
| 71 | Utah State | 1 | 15 | 8 | 1 | 24 | 24.0 |
| 75 | Wisconsin | 1 | 7 | 18 | 1 | 26 | 26.0 |
| 75 | Arkansas State | 1 | 13 | 9 | 4 | 26 | 26.0 |
| 77 | Oklahoma State | 2 | 17 | 33 | 3 | 53 | 26.5 |
| 78 | Liberty | 2 | 20 | 32 | 4 | 56 | 28.0 |
| 79 | Old Dominion | 1 | 6 | 18 | 5 | 29 | 29.0 |
| 79 | Texas A&M | 1 | 7 | 21 | 1 | 29 | 29.0 |
| 79 | Eastern Michigan | 1 | 14 | 13 | 2 | 29 | 29.0 |
| 79 | New Mexico State | 2 | 23 | 31 | 4 | 58 | 29.0 |
| 83 | Penn State | 1 | 11 | 19 | 0 | 30 | 30.0 |
| 84 | Louisiana-Lafayette | 1 | 18 | 13 | 0 | 31 | 31.0 |