COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. --- Cade Keith had a career game against Utah State. That game now puts Keith in the New Mexico history books for all time.
Keith was named both the Mountain West Offensive Player of the Week, and the Mountain West Freshman of the Week after his performance against Utah State on Saturday. Keith becomes the first Lobo tight end ever to earn a conference's Player of the Week Award, and he is the first Lobo to earn two honors from the league in the same week.
While the Freshman of the Week Award has only been around since 2021, no other Lobo tight end has ever won Offensive Player of the Week, whether dating back to the history of the Mountain West (1999-present) or when New Mexico was a member of the Western Athletic Conference (the league gave our weekly awards from 1980-1998).
Keith on Saturday set career-highs for receptions with seven and yards with 104. He had a touchdown on a career-long 40-yard catch and run. That touchdown came late in the first half to answer Utah State's first score and give UNM a 19-point lead. Keith had three catches on the four-play touchdown drive, and on the day, four of his seven catches went for first downs.
He did all of that, having entered the game with 10 receptions for 74 yards on the season. His previous high for receptions in a game was two, and he entered with one touchdown, a 5-yard catch against New Mexico State.
According to PFF, his 96.2 grade was the highest among all tight ends in the FBS for Week 9.
The other weekly award winners were corner Jeremiah Earby of Boise State for Defensive Player of the Week and kicker Gabe Plascencia of San Diego State for Special Teams Player of the Week.
The Lobos, who are 5-3 overall and 2-2 in the Mountain West, will have a shot at bowl eligibility on Saturday when UNM takes on UNLV at Allegiant Stadium at noon Pacific, 1 pm Mountain. The game will be broadcast on the Mountain West Network, and Robert Portnoy and DonTrell Moore will have the radio call on the Lobo Radio Network.