COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. --- Jaxton Eck recorded 11 tackles and had a pass breakup that led to a fourth quarter interception in UNM territory against UCLA in a 35-10 win, UNM’s first Power Conference win in 17 years. For that effort, he was named the Old Trapper Mountain West Defensive Player of the Week, becoming the first weekly award winner for Lobo Football this season.
Along with Eck, the Mountain West announced three other award winners. Bryson Barnes of Utah State was the Offensive Player of the Week, Kansei Matsuzawa of Hawai’i was the Special Teams Player of the Week, and Samuel Harris of Wyoming was the Freshman of the Week.
Eck led a Lobo defense that allowed just 10 points and 326 yards of offense to the Bruins on Friday night. The 10 points allowed were the fewest to a Power Conference team since a 23-0 win in 2002 for UNM.
Eck recorded six of his 11 tackles in the fourth quarter as UNM outscored UCLA 21-0. Up 28-10 on a third-and-2 at the UNM 34 with just over four minutes left, and UCLA desperate to get back in the contest, Eck broke up a pass that was picked off by his teammate Tavian Combs, ending UCLA’s last chance at a score, and setting up UNM’s final touchdown.
Eck was a monster all night against the Bruins’ rushing attack. His first quarter tackle of Anthony Woods was initially ruled a fumble, and although it was overturned on replay, the hit seemed to rattle the UCLA run game. Overall, Eck’s Pro Football Focus run grade of 89.8 was the No. 2 run grade among all FBS linebackers for Week 3, and his PFF tackling grade of 84.4 was fourth overall among all FBS linebackers.
UNM’s win over UCLA sets up UNM for its first bye week of the season before the 115th edition of the Rio Grande Rivalry, which will take place at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 27, at University Stadium against the 2-1 New Mexico State Aggies.
Tickets are available online here, and fans should get their tickets early as the game looks to be UNM’s first home game of more than 30,000 in eight years.