Defense
Nebraska ranks first in FBS in 3rd downs allowed at 20.7%, ahead of UCLA (22.7%) and Oklahoma (25.3%). The middle of FBS is about 38.2%, and Colorado State is last of 138 (57.0%). Lower is better.
Share of 3rd downs opponents converted. Lower is better.
What opponents managed against them.
Games through Oct 31, 2026. Ranks are among the 138 FBS teams with the number.
| Rank | Team | Conference | 3rd downs allowed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nebraska | Big Ten | 20.7% |
| 2 | UCLA | Big Ten | 22.7% |
| 3 | Oklahoma | SEC | 25.3% |
| 4 | Liberty | Conference USA | 26.3% |
| 5 | SMU | ACC | 26.7% |
| 6 | Penn State | Big Ten | 26.7% |
| 7 | Minnesota | Big Ten | 27.0% |
| 8 | Texas A&M | SEC | 27.1% |
| 9 | Virginia Tech | ACC | 28.0% |
| 10 | Tennessee | SEC | 28.8% |
| 11 | Western Kentucky | Conference USA | 29.4% |
| 12 | Washington | Big Ten | 29.6% |
| 13 | Duke | ACC | 29.8% |
| 14 | Oregon | Big Ten | 30.1% |
| 15 | TCU | Big 12 | 30.9% |
| 16 | Utah | Big 12 | 31.6% |
| 17 | Michigan | Big Ten | 31.8% |
| 18 | Middle Tennessee | Conference USA | 32.0% |
| 19 | Troy | Sun Belt | 32.2% |
| 20 | Sam Houston | Conference USA | 32.4% |
| 21 | Memphis | American Athletic | 32.4% |
| 22 | Old Dominion | Sun Belt | 32.4% |
| 22 | Texas | SEC | 32.4% |
| 24 | Georgia State | Sun Belt | 32.6% |
| 25 | Nevada | Mountain West | 32.7% |
| 26 | LSU | SEC | 32.7% |
| 27 | Florida International | Conference USA | 32.9% |
| 28 | Washington State | Pac-12 | 33.1% |
| 29 | Boise State | Pac-12 | 33.3% |
| 30 | Toledo | Mid-American | 33.6% |
| 31 | Kansas State | Big 12 | 33.6% |
| 32 | East Carolina | American Athletic | 33.6% |
| 33 | Iowa State | Big 12 | 33.7% |
| 34 | Georgia Southern | Sun Belt | 33.7% |
| 35 | Virginia | ACC | 33.9% |
| 36 | Texas Tech | Big 12 | 34.1% |
| 36 | Tulsa | American Athletic | 34.1% |
| 38 | USC | Big Ten | 34.4% |
| 39 | New Mexico | Mountain West | 34.6% |
| 40 | UTSA | American Athletic | 34.7% |
| 41 | Indiana | Big Ten | 34.7% |
| 42 | James Madison | Sun Belt | 34.9% |
| 43 | San José State | Mountain West | 35.0% |
| 44 | Oklahoma State | Big 12 | 35.0% |
| 45 | Baylor | Big 12 | 35.3% |
| 46 | Clemson | ACC | 35.6% |
| 47 | Ohio State | Big Ten | 35.6% |
| 48 | North Dakota State | Mountain West | 35.6% |
| 49 | South Carolina | SEC | 35.8% |
| 50 | Sacramento State | Mid-American | 36.1% |
| 51 | UAB | American Athletic | 36.3% |
| 52 | Iowa | Big Ten | 36.4% |
| 53 | Syracuse | ACC | 36.4% |
| 53 | UNLV | Mountain West | 36.4% |
| 55 | Louisville | ACC | 36.6% |
| 55 | NC State | ACC | 36.6% |
| 57 | Wake Forest | ACC | 36.7% |
| 58 | Georgia | SEC | 36.9% |
| 59 | Texas State | Pac-12 | 37.1% |
| 60 | Western Michigan | Mid-American | 37.2% |
| 61 | Missouri | SEC | 37.4% |
| 62 | Miami | ACC | 37.5% |
| 63 | South Florida | American Athletic | 37.6% |
| 64 | South Alabama | Sun Belt | 37.6% |
| 65 | Fresno State | Pac-12 | 37.8% |
| 66 | UL Monroe | Sun Belt | 37.9% |
| 67 | Kansas | Big 12 | 37.9% |
| 68 | West Virginia | Big 12 | 38.1% |
| 69 | Ohio | Mid-American | 38.2% |
| 70 | Wisconsin | Big Ten | 38.5% |
| 71 | UCF | Big 12 | 38.6% |
| 71 | Wyoming | Mountain West | 38.6% |
| 73 | Alabama | SEC | 38.7% |
| 74 | UConn | Independents | 38.8% |
| 75 | Louisiana Tech | Sun Belt | 39.4% |
| 76 | Pittsburgh | ACC | 39.6% |
| 77 | Miami (OH) | Mid-American | 39.6% |
| 78 | Delaware | Conference USA | 39.8% |
| 79 | Southern Miss | Sun Belt | 39.8% |
| 80 | New Mexico State | Conference USA | 40.2% |
| 81 | Boston College | ACC | 40.3% |
| 82 | Vanderbilt | SEC | 40.4% |
| 83 | Buffalo | Mid-American | 40.4% |
| 83 | Hawai'i | Mountain West | 40.4% |
| 83 | Notre Dame | Independents | 40.4% |
| 86 | Massachusetts | Mid-American | 40.6% |
| 87 | North Texas | American Athletic | 40.7% |
| 88 | App State | Sun Belt | 41.2% |
| 89 | Louisiana | Sun Belt | 41.2% |
| 90 | Bowling Green | Mid-American | 41.4% |
| 91 | Utah State | Pac-12 | 41.5% |
| 92 | Akron | Mid-American | 41.8% |
| 93 | Stanford | ACC | 41.9% |
| 94 | Kennesaw State | Conference USA | 42.1% |
| 95 | Rice | American Athletic | 42.6% |
| 96 | Maryland | Big Ten | 42.7% |
| 97 | Oregon State | Pac-12 | 43.0% |
| 98 | Air Force | Mountain West | 43.1% |
| 99 | Arizona State | Big 12 | 43.2% |
| 100 | Ole Miss | SEC | 43.2% |
| 101 | Auburn | SEC | 43.4% |
| 102 | UTEP | Mountain West | 43.8% |
| 103 | Purdue | Big Ten | 43.9% |
| 104 | Northwestern | Big Ten | 43.9% |
| 105 | BYU | Big 12 | 44.0% |
| 106 | North Carolina | ACC | 44.2% |
| 107 | Coastal Carolina | Sun Belt | 44.3% |
| 108 | Rutgers | Big Ten | 44.3% |
| 109 | Arizona | Big 12 | 44.5% |
| 110 | San Diego State | Pac-12 | 44.7% |
| 111 | Illinois | Big Ten | 44.8% |
| 111 | Marshall | Sun Belt | 44.8% |
| 113 | Florida Atlantic | American Athletic | 45.0% |
| 114 | Mississippi State | SEC | 45.1% |
| 115 | Florida State | ACC | 45.2% |
| 116 | California | ACC | 45.2% |
| 117 | Navy | American Athletic | 45.3% |
| 118 | Tulane | American Athletic | 45.4% |
| 119 | Kent State | Mid-American | 45.6% |
| 120 | Michigan State | Big Ten | 45.8% |
| 121 | Cincinnati | Big 12 | 46.0% |
| 122 | Houston | Big 12 | 46.1% |
| 123 | Missouri State | Conference USA | 46.1% |
| 124 | Georgia Tech | ACC | 46.5% |
| 125 | Arkansas | SEC | 46.8% |
| 126 | Florida | SEC | 46.8% |
| 127 | Ball State | Mid-American | 46.8% |
| 128 | Eastern Michigan | Mid-American | 46.9% |
| 129 | Colorado | Big 12 | 47.1% |
| 130 | Jacksonville State | Conference USA | 48.5% |
| 131 | Temple | American Athletic | 48.9% |
| 132 | Army | American Athletic | 49.2% |
| 133 | Arkansas State | Sun Belt | 50.0% |
| 133 | Charlotte | American Athletic | 50.0% |
| 135 | Central Michigan | Mid-American | 53.1% |
| 136 | Kentucky | SEC | 54.9% |
| 137 | Northern Illinois | Mountain West | 56.4% |
| 138 | Colorado State | Pac-12 | 57.0% |
Big Ten: Nebraska (20.7%, 1st); SEC: Oklahoma (25.3%, 3rd); Conference USA: Liberty (26.3%, 4th); ACC: SMU (26.7%, 5th); Big 12: TCU (30.9%, 15th); Sun Belt: Troy (32.2%, 19th); American Athletic: Memphis (32.4%, 21st); Mountain West: Nevada (32.7%, 25th); Pac-12: Washington State (33.1%, 28th); Mid-American: Toledo (33.6%, 30th); Independents: UConn (38.8%, 74th).