Turnovers
New Mexico ranks first in FBS in turnover margin / game at +2.6, ahead of Notre Dame (+2.0) and Kentucky (+1.6). The middle of FBS is about 0.0, and Nevada is last of 135 (-1.3).
Takeaways per game minus giveaways per game. Positive means the team wins the turnover battle.
Per game, from play-by-play.
Games through Oct 31, 2026. Ranks are among the 135 FBS teams with the number.
| Rank | Team | Conference | Turnover margin / game |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Mexico | Mountain West | +2.6 |
| 2 | Notre Dame | Independents | +2.0 |
| 3 | Kentucky | SEC | +1.6 |
| 4 | UCLA | Big Ten | +1.6 |
| 5 | Northwestern | Big Ten | +1.3 |
| 6 | Tulsa | American Athletic | +1.3 |
| 7 | Colorado State | Pac-12 | +1.1 |
| 7 | Fresno State | Pac-12 | +1.1 |
| 9 | South Alabama | Sun Belt | +1.0 |
| 10 | Alabama | SEC | +0.9 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | Mid-American | +0.9 |
| 10 | UTSA | American Athletic | +0.9 |
| 13 | Cincinnati | Big 12 | +0.9 |
| 13 | Nebraska | Big Ten | +0.9 |
| 15 | Louisiana Tech | Sun Belt | +0.9 |
| 16 | Houston | Big 12 | +0.8 |
| 17 | App State | Sun Belt | +0.7 |
| 17 | Liberty | Conference USA | +0.7 |
| 17 | Louisville | ACC | +0.7 |
| 17 | Miami | ACC | +0.7 |
| 17 | Missouri | SEC | +0.7 |
| 17 | Oregon State | Pac-12 | +0.7 |
| 23 | Arkansas State | Sun Belt | +0.6 |
| 24 | Purdue | Big Ten | +0.6 |
| 25 | Boise State | Pac-12 | +0.6 |
| 25 | Minnesota | Big Ten | +0.6 |
| 25 | Penn State | Big Ten | +0.6 |
| 28 | Indiana | Big Ten | +0.5 |
| 28 | Louisiana | Sun Belt | +0.5 |
| 28 | Virginia | ACC | +0.5 |
| 31 | Army | American Athletic | +0.4 |
| 31 | Duke | ACC | +0.4 |
| 31 | Maryland | Big Ten | +0.4 |
| 34 | Boston College | ACC | +0.4 |
| 34 | Coastal Carolina | Sun Belt | +0.4 |
| 34 | Georgia | SEC | +0.4 |
| 34 | Hawai'i | Mountain West | +0.4 |
| 34 | North Dakota State | Mountain West | +0.4 |
| 34 | Utah | Big 12 | +0.4 |
| 40 | Baylor | Big 12 | +0.4 |
| 40 | Central Michigan | Mid-American | +0.4 |
| 40 | Delaware | Conference USA | +0.4 |
| 40 | Pittsburgh | ACC | +0.4 |
| 40 | Tennessee | SEC | +0.4 |
| 40 | Troy | Sun Belt | +0.4 |
| 40 | UCF | Big 12 | +0.4 |
| 40 | Western Michigan | Mid-American | +0.4 |
| 48 | BYU | Big 12 | +0.3 |
| 48 | Iowa State | Big 12 | +0.3 |
| 48 | Wisconsin | Big Ten | +0.3 |
| 51 | Auburn | SEC | +0.3 |
| 51 | Florida | SEC | +0.3 |
| 51 | Memphis | American Athletic | +0.3 |
| 51 | Ohio State | Big Ten | +0.3 |
| 51 | Texas Tech | Big 12 | +0.3 |
| 51 | Washington | Big Ten | +0.3 |
| 57 | Florida Atlantic | American Athletic | +0.3 |
| 57 | North Texas | American Athletic | +0.3 |
| 57 | West Virginia | Big 12 | +0.3 |
| 60 | James Madison | Sun Belt | +0.2 |
| 61 | Georgia Southern | Sun Belt | +0.1 |
| 62 | Arkansas | SEC | +0.1 |
| 62 | Wake Forest | ACC | +0.1 |
| 64 | California | ACC | +0.1 |
| 64 | Miami (OH) | Mid-American | +0.1 |
| 64 | Toledo | Mid-American | +0.1 |
| 67 | Air Force | Mountain West | 0.0 |
| 67 | Kennesaw State | Conference USA | 0.0 |
| 67 | Oregon | Big Ten | 0.0 |
| 67 | Sam Houston | Conference USA | 0.0 |
| 67 | San José State | Mountain West | 0.0 |
| 67 | Temple | American Athletic | 0.0 |
| 67 | Texas A&M | SEC | 0.0 |
| 67 | UAB | American Athletic | 0.0 |
| 67 | UConn | Independents | 0.0 |
| 76 | Eastern Michigan | Mid-American | -0.1 |
| 77 | NC State | ACC | -0.1 |
| 77 | Oklahoma State | Big 12 | -0.1 |
| 77 | Ole Miss | SEC | -0.1 |
| 77 | Stanford | ACC | -0.1 |
| 81 | Illinois | Big Ten | -0.1 |
| 81 | Iowa | Big Ten | -0.1 |
| 83 | UNLV | Mountain West | -0.2 |
| 84 | Bowling Green | Mid-American | -0.3 |
| 84 | LSU | SEC | -0.3 |
| 84 | Missouri State | Conference USA | -0.3 |
| 84 | San Diego State | Pac-12 | -0.3 |
| 88 | Florida International | Conference USA | -0.3 |
| 88 | Kansas State | Big 12 | -0.3 |
| 88 | North Carolina | ACC | -0.3 |
| 88 | Syracuse | ACC | -0.3 |
| 88 | USC | Big Ten | -0.3 |
| 88 | UTEP | Mountain West | -0.3 |
| 94 | Arizona | Big 12 | -0.3 |
| 95 | Ball State | Mid-American | -0.4 |
| 95 | Buffalo | Mid-American | -0.4 |
| 95 | Tulane | American Athletic | -0.4 |
| 98 | Southern Miss | Sun Belt | -0.4 |
| 98 | Texas | SEC | -0.4 |
| 100 | South Carolina | SEC | -0.4 |
| 100 | TCU | Big 12 | -0.4 |
| 100 | UL Monroe | Sun Belt | -0.4 |
| 103 | Ohio | Mid-American | -0.5 |
| 103 | Old Dominion | Sun Belt | -0.5 |
| 103 | Sacramento State | Mid-American | -0.5 |
| 103 | Western Kentucky | Conference USA | -0.5 |
| 103 | Wyoming | Mountain West | -0.5 |
| 108 | Clemson | ACC | -0.6 |
| 108 | East Carolina | American Athletic | -0.6 |
| 108 | Kansas | Big 12 | -0.6 |
| 108 | Michigan | Big Ten | -0.6 |
| 108 | SMU | ACC | -0.6 |
| 113 | Arizona State | Big 12 | -0.6 |
| 113 | Jacksonville State | Conference USA | -0.6 |
| 113 | Mississippi State | SEC | -0.6 |
| 116 | Northern Illinois | Mountain West | -0.7 |
| 116 | Texas State | Pac-12 | -0.7 |
| 116 | Utah State | Pac-12 | -0.7 |
| 119 | Michigan State | Big Ten | -0.8 |
| 119 | Rice | American Athletic | -0.8 |
| 121 | Georgia Tech | ACC | -0.9 |
| 121 | New Mexico State | Conference USA | -0.9 |
| 123 | Georgia State | Sun Belt | -0.9 |
| 123 | Navy | American Athletic | -0.9 |
| 125 | Vanderbilt | SEC | -0.9 |
| 126 | Kent State | Mid-American | -0.9 |
| 127 | Akron | Mid-American | -1.0 |
| 127 | Florida State | ACC | -1.0 |
| 127 | Oklahoma | SEC | -1.0 |
| 127 | Rutgers | Big Ten | -1.0 |
| 127 | Washington State | Pac-12 | -1.0 |
| 132 | Marshall | Sun Belt | -1.1 |
| 133 | Charlotte | American Athletic | -1.3 |
| 134 | Colorado | Big 12 | -1.3 |
| 134 | Nevada | Mountain West | -1.3 |
Mountain West: New Mexico (+2.6, 1st); Independents: Notre Dame (+2.0, 2nd); SEC: Kentucky (+1.6, 3rd); Big Ten: UCLA (+1.6, 4th); American Athletic: Tulsa (+1.3, 6th); Pac-12: Colorado State (+1.1, 7th); Sun Belt: South Alabama (+1.0, 9th); Mid-American: Massachusetts (+0.9, 10th); Big 12: Cincinnati (+0.9, 13th); Conference USA: Liberty (+0.7, 17th); ACC: Louisville (+0.7, 17th).