What Does First Downs Per Game Measure?
First downs per game is total first downs divided by games played. This table ranks college football teams for the selected season and displays the applicable minimum qualifier where one is used.
College Football Team First Downs Per Game Rankings
| Team | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | 28.4 | 25.0 | 25.3 | 26.0 | - | 31.0 | 25.0 |
| 2 |  | 28.0 | 29.0 | 27.7 | 28.4 | - | 30.0 | 24.7 |
| 3 |  | 26.4 | 28.0 | 25.0 | 26.6 | - | 27.0 | 25.7 |
| 3 |  | 26.4 | 31.0 | 25.3 | 27.2 | - | 27.5 | 25.3 |
| 3 |  | 26.4 | 20.0 | 28.3 | 28.0 | - | 26.6 | 26.0 |
| 3 |  | 26.4 | 23.0 | 24.7 | 25.2 | - | 28.3 | 25.0 |
| 7 |  | 26.0 | 24.0 | 27.0 | 25.0 | - | 27.0 | 23.5 |
| 8 |  | 25.9 | 29.0 | 28.7 | 27.6 | - | 24.3 | 27.5 |
| 8 |  | 25.9 | 24.0 | 29.3 | 28.2 | - | 26.8 | 24.7 |
| 10 |  | 25.6 | 17.0 | 23.0 | 24.0 | - | 26.8 | 24.5 |
| 11 |  | 25.0 | 24.0 | 25.0 | 27.8 | - | 25.0 | 25.0 |
| 12 |  | 24.9 | 22.0 | 22.7 | 23.6 | - | 25.6 | 23.7 |
| 13 |  | 24.7 | 31.0 | 25.0 | 26.0 | - | 24.6 | 25.0 |
| 14 |  | 24.4 | 19.0 | 22.7 | 24.0 | - | 27.0 | 21.0 |
| 14 |  | 24.4 | 23.0 | 24.0 | 24.4 | - | 25.3 | 23.3 |
| 16 |  | 24.0 | 16.0 | 21.7 | 21.8 | - | 24.8 | 23.0 |
| 17 |  | 23.9 | 14.0 | 22.3 | 22.2 | - | 26.2 | 18.0 |
| 17 |  | 23.9 | 24.0 | 24.7 | 24.0 | - | 26.0 | 21.0 |
| 19 |  | 23.7 | 24.0 | 20.3 | 23.8 | - | 25.8 | 18.5 |
| 19 |  | 23.7 | 21.0 | 23.3 | 24.0 | - | 25.7 | 22.3 |
| 21 |  | 23.6 | 18.0 | 20.7 | 21.4 | - | 24.4 | 21.5 |
| 21 |  | 23.6 | 21.0 | 20.0 | 22.2 | - | 25.3 | 21.3 |
| 21 |  | 23.6 | 17.0 | 18.7 | 20.4 | - | 25.0 | 21.7 |
| 24 |  | 23.5 | 19.0 | 21.0 | 21.4 | - | 24.0 | 23.0 |
| 25 |  | 23.4 | 23.0 | 24.7 | 23.0 | - | 22.8 | 24.3 |
| 25 |  | 23.4 | 21.0 | 21.3 | 21.4 | - | 24.0 | 22.0 |
| 27 |  | 23.3 | 18.0 | 21.0 | 23.2 | - | 25.6 | 19.3 |
| 28 |  | 23.0 | 17.0 | 24.7 | 24.4 | - | 25.4 | 19.0 |
| 28 |  | 23.0 | 19.0 | 21.7 | 20.8 | - | 23.8 | 21.0 |
| 28 |  | 23.0 | 26.0 | 25.0 | 24.2 | - | 23.4 | 22.0 |
| 31 |  | 22.6 | 20.0 | 21.7 | 21.4 | - | 22.7 | 22.5 |
| 32 |  | 22.5 | 32.0 | 23.0 | 23.0 | - | 24.4 | 19.3 |
| 33 |  | 22.4 | 21.0 | 20.3 | 20.0 | - | 22.8 | 21.7 |
| 33 |  | 22.4 | 24.0 | 24.0 | 22.4 | - | 22.0 | 22.8 |
| 33 |  | 22.4 | 22.0 | 24.7 | 22.6 | - | 22.5 | 22.3 |
| 36 |  | 22.3 | 22.0 | 20.7 | 21.6 | - | 23.3 | 21.0 |
| 36 |  | 22.3 | 16.0 | 19.0 | 20.8 | - | 23.3 | 21.0 |
| 38 |  | 22.1 | 25.0 | 20.7 | 23.2 | - | 24.8 | 18.7 |
| 38 |  | 22.1 | 24.0 | 23.7 | 21.2 | - | 22.2 | 22.0 |
| 38 |  | 22.1 | 21.0 | 21.0 | 22.8 | - | 24.8 | 18.7 |
| 41 |  | 22.0 | 30.0 | 23.7 | 21.2 | - | 28.0 | 17.5 |
| 41 |  | 22.0 | 21.0 | 22.0 | 22.6 | - | 23.8 | 20.3 |
| 41 |  | 22.0 | 22.0 | 19.7 | 19.8 | - | 21.8 | 22.3 |
| 41 |  | 22.0 | 21.0 | 24.0 | 22.6 | - | 22.5 | 21.3 |
| 45 |  | 21.9 | 28.0 | 23.0 | 22.6 | - | 23.7 | 20.5 |
| 45 |  | 21.9 | 15.0 | 19.3 | 20.8 | - | 24.0 | 19.0 |
| 47 |  | 21.7 | 16.0 | 21.0 | 22.6 | - | 22.3 | 21.0 |
| 47 |  | 21.7 | 19.0 | 20.0 | 20.0 | - | 22.7 | 21.0 |
| 47 |  | 21.7 | 15.0 | 22.0 | 22.4 | - | 20.4 | 25.0 |
| 50 |  | 21.6 | 29.0 | 20.3 | 20.0 | - | 23.0 | 18.0 |
| 50 |  | 21.6 | 17.0 | 20.3 | 19.4 | - | 22.5 | 20.3 |
| 50 |  | 21.6 | 24.0 | 22.3 | 21.4 | - | 22.8 | 20.0 |
| 50 |  | 21.6 | 22.0 | 21.3 | 21.8 | - | 21.0 | 23.0 |
| 50 |  | 21.6 | 21.0 | 20.3 | 20.4 | - | 22.2 | 20.0 |
| 50 |  | 21.6 | 23.0 | 23.0 | 22.2 | - | 21.8 | 21.5 |
| 56 |  | 21.4 | 21.0 | 22.0 | 22.6 | - | 21.0 | 21.8 |
| 56 |  | 21.4 | 20.0 | 22.7 | 24.0 | - | 22.8 | 19.7 |
| 58 |  | 21.3 | 24.0 | 26.0 | 23.2 | - | 24.5 | 18.0 |
| 59 |  | 21.2 | 17.0 | 20.0 | 21.6 | - | 21.6 | 20.8 |
| 60 |  | 21.1 | 18.0 | 18.3 | 22.2 | - | 20.8 | 21.7 |
| 60 |  | 21.1 | 16.0 | 18.7 | 18.6 | - | 21.6 | 20.0 |
| 62 |  | 21.0 | 22.0 | 17.7 | 21.2 | - | 22.7 | 16.0 |
| 62 |  | 21.0 | 25.0 | 24.3 | 20.2 | - | 22.8 | 19.3 |
| 64 |  | 20.9 | 24.0 | 23.3 | 23.0 | - | 23.8 | 17.0 |
| 64 |  | 20.9 | 21.0 | 22.7 | 22.6 | - | 23.8 | 18.0 |
| 66 |  | 20.8 | 20.0 | 16.3 | 18.2 | - | 22.2 | 18.3 |
| 67 |  | 20.7 | 22.0 | 20.0 | 19.4 | - | 20.0 | 21.7 |
| 67 |  | 20.7 | 19.0 | 20.3 | 19.4 | - | 23.8 | 16.7 |
| 67 |  | 20.7 | 24.0 | 17.7 | 19.0 | - | 21.5 | 19.7 |
| 67 |  | 20.7 | 28.0 | 24.0 | 20.6 | - | 18.5 | 23.7 |
| 71 |  | 20.6 | 23.0 | 17.3 | 18.6 | - | 22.8 | 15.0 |
| 71 |  | 20.6 | 17.0 | 19.0 | 19.8 | - | 21.3 | 20.0 |
| 71 |  | 20.6 | 24.0 | 21.7 | 21.0 | - | 19.8 | 21.5 |
| 71 |  | 20.6 | 17.0 | 23.3 | 21.8 | - | 20.3 | 21.0 |
| 71 |  | 20.6 | 21.0 | 16.0 | 22.8 | - | 22.0 | 18.7 |
| 76 |  | 20.5 | 24.0 | 19.0 | 21.6 | - | 21.4 | 19.0 |
| 77 |  | 20.3 | 26.0 | 19.7 | 19.6 | - | 22.0 | 19.2 |
| 77 |  | 20.3 | 19.0 | 16.0 | 16.8 | - | 21.5 | 18.7 |
| 77 |  | 20.3 | 26.0 | 21.0 | 20.4 | - | 20.6 | 19.5 |
| 80 |  | 20.1 | 21.0 | 19.0 | 19.2 | - | 20.5 | 19.7 |
| 80 |  | 20.1 | 18.0 | 19.7 | 19.0 | - | 21.8 | 18.0 |
| 82 |  | 20.0 | 24.0 | 21.0 | 20.4 | - | 20.2 | 19.5 |
| 82 |  | 20.0 | 19.0 | 21.0 | 20.8 | - | 20.5 | 19.3 |
| 82 |  | 20.0 | 16.0 | 20.0 | 18.6 | - | 21.6 | 17.3 |
| 82 |  | 20.0 | 16.0 | 17.7 | 20.2 | - | 21.5 | 18.0 |
| 82 |  | 20.0 | 18.0 | 18.0 | 17.6 | - | 24.2 | 13.0 |
| 87 |  | 19.8 | 14.0 | 17.3 | 18.6 | - | 21.0 | 18.5 |
| 88 |  | 19.7 | 15.0 | 21.7 | 21.6 | - | 21.4 | 15.5 |
| 88 |  | 19.7 | 18.0 | 21.3 | 23.0 | - | 20.0 | 19.4 |
| 90 |  | 19.6 | 22.0 | 18.7 | 19.2 | - | 19.0 | 20.0 |
| 90 |  | 19.6 | 11.0 | 13.7 | 18.2 | - | 21.4 | 16.7 |
| 90 |  | 19.6 | 15.0 | 18.3 | 17.2 | - | 22.5 | 15.7 |
| 93 |  | 19.4 | 16.0 | 17.3 | 20.2 | - | 20.0 | 18.7 |
| 93 |  | 19.4 | 17.0 | 13.7 | 20.0 | - | 20.5 | 18.3 |
| 93 |  | 19.4 | 20.0 | 18.3 | 18.6 | - | 20.3 | 18.8 |
| 93 |  | 19.4 | 25.0 | 18.7 | 19.2 | - | 20.3 | 18.5 |
| 97 |  | 19.3 | 26.0 | 22.0 | 20.0 | - | 21.5 | 16.3 |
| 97 |  | 19.3 | 19.0 | 20.7 | 17.6 | - | 20.0 | 18.3 |
| 97 |  | 19.3 | 24.0 | 20.7 | 20.8 | - | 23.0 | 17.0 |
| 97 |  | 19.3 | 26.0 | 23.7 | 20.2 | - | 22.3 | 17.4 |
INCLUDED WITH statrankings+
Claude
ChatGPT
Grok
Query every college football statwith your AI subscription.
ClaudeChatGPTGrokThe most powerful AI models now connect to statrankings+. Every FBS player and team stat, on the site or inside Claude, ChatGPT and Grok.
- 120+ advanced player stats and 80+ team stats, live in your chat
- Every number pulled from our database, never guessed
- No API keys or tech know-how
Or start free with your email
Unlock every college football player and team stat page.
Already have an account? Sign in
Which teams have the highest first downs per game in college football in 2026?
Miami leads college football in first downs per game at 28.4, through games played October 29, 2026. LSU is second at 28.0. Oklahoma State, North Texas, Texas State & Syracuse are tied for third at 26.4. Miami's average is 0.4 downs above second place & 5.0 downs above the 25th-ranked team.
Only 2.8 downs separate first from tenth. Utah is seventh at 26.0. Florida Atlantic & Oregon State are tied for eighth at 25.9. Houston is tenth at 25.6.
Two ranks between 14th and 18th are shared by two teams each. Memphis is 11th at 25.0, USC 12th at 24.9 & SMU 13th at 24.7. Ohio State & Ole Miss are tied 14th at 24.4. Baylor is 16th at 24.0. Nebraska & Arizona are tied 17th at 23.9.
The last seven teams in the ranking sit inside 0.3 downs of each other. Kansas & Boise State are tied 19th at 23.7 & Kansas State, Florida and Mississippi State tied 21st at 23.6. Virginia Tech is 24th at 23.5 & Air Force 25th at 23.4. Six ranks inside the top 25 are shared by more than one team.
How this ranking is measured
These 25 are drawn from 138 FBS teams ranked in the 2026 regular season. First downs per game is total first downs divided by games played. Only FBS teams are ranked. Figures are as of October 29, 2026 & are recalculated on StatRankings after each game's play-by-play is processed.