UNLV prepares for meeting with No. 23 New Mexico, nation’s top defense

Following a loss to the Wyoming Cowboys to close out a two-game homestand, the UNLV Rebels (5-4) hit the road to take on coach Jason Eck and the No. 23 New Mexico Lobos (8-1) on Saturday in Albuquerque.

The Lobos, who remain the only undefeated team in Mountain West Conference play, enter their game with the Rebels as the national leaders in both total defense (240.2 yards per game) and turnover margin (+18).

Through nine games in 2026, New Mexico’s defense has forced 23 turnovers while recording 27 sacks, 80 tackles for loss and three defensive touchdowns. The Lobos are tied with UCLA for the most interceptions nationally and rank second behind the Bruins in total takeaways with 26.

UNLV coach Dan Mullen praised the Lobos’ defense ahead of the Rebels’ must-win Week 11 game.

“(New Mexico) has got a tremendous amount of talent,” Mullen said. “They have a lot of experience and veteran players. They give you a lot of different looks, a lot of different fronts, a lot of different coverages, a lot of different movements and a lot of different blitzes. They are all over the place.

“I think they might have the best defensive tackle, best defensive end, best linebacker combination and best safety in the league. They are a loaded defensive talent top to front but with that they cause confusion and they are opportunistic. That’s why they’re a top-25 team.”

The Lobos are without Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year linebacker Jaxton Eck, who has been sidelined indefinitely with an injury since before the Lobos’ Week 7 game against Hawaii. Yet New Mexico has not allowed more than 18 points in a game this season.

The Lobos also have found success offensively, leading the Mountain West in scoring at 29 points per game. Their rushing attack ranks 15th nationally, averaging 213 yards per game through nine contests. That presents another challenge for the Rebels, who have allowed an average of 213 rushing yards per game this season, the eighth-most in the FBS.

Despite the disparity in the numbers, Jason Eck said UNLV has performed well when stopping the run has been a primary focus.

“I think something we want to do every week is we want to run the ball well,” Jason Eck said. “You know statistically (the Rebels) haven’t been the best, but I think they are actually a little bit better than they were last year.

“I think they have done well when that has been their emphasis like when you look at the (North Dakota State) game I think they did a very good job at stopping the run against them so I think they are capable.”

Against the Bison, the Rebels held a North Dakota State offense averaging 157.4 rushing yards and 28.1 points per game to seven points and 124 yards on the ground.

Along with the challenges New Mexico presents on the field, its home-field advantage has played a major role in the team’s success.

The Lobos enter Saturday’s game undefeated through four games at University Stadium.

The Rebels, however, have found success away from Allegiant Stadium in recent years, posting a 17-6 record away from home since the 2023 season while splitting its four road games this season.

Defensive back Mumu Bin-Wahad, who leads the Rebels with four interceptions, emphasized the importance of learning from past mistakes and correcting them before Saturday’s game.

“When everything comes together we have to execute at a high level,” Bin-Wahad said. “On the defensive side of the ball we have to be able to adjust.

“I think the vibe in the building is kind of unfinished business because these guys came and beat us at home last year and we don’t take that lightly. We’re ready to go out and compete at a high level and go execute.”

Contact Donovan Hicks at [email protected]. Follow @HicksSports on X.