ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. --- Heading into the 2026 season, there are increased expectations for Lobo Football after going 9-4 overall and 6-2 in the Mountain West, tying for the regular season championship and losing in overtime 20-17 to Minnesota in the Rate Bowl.
While Lobo fans are excited for the 2026 season and team, national pundits are, too. New Mexico had a Mountain West-leading 16 players selected to the Phil Steele Preseason All-Mountain West team, the first time the Lobos have ever led the league, and the most the team has ever placed on the squad.
Included in that total is a school record five players named to the First Team, which was also the most in the league. UNM's 16 players across the four teams were one more than UNLV's and Hawai'i's, each with 15. North Dakota State had 14 and Wyoming 13.
UNM had three first teamers on offense, and two on defense. Tight end Cade Keith, receiver Troy Omeire, and offensive lineman Malik Aliane were all selected to the first team offense, while Jaxton Eck and Brian Booker were selected to the first team defense. Aliane, Eck, and Booker are all going to represent UNM at Mountain West Media Days in Las Vegas in July.
UNM's five first team selections were one more than Air Force, Hawai'i, and UNLV.
On the second team, Kaden Robnett, UNM's center, was the lone offensive player, while three made it on the defense: lineman Darren Agu and defensive backs Ormaine Arnold and Austin Brawley. No other Mountain West team had more than UNM's four, with North Dakota State and UNLV equaling the Lobo total.
On the third team for UNM were running back Scottre Humphrey, offensive lineman Jaymar Tasi, linebacker Mercury Swaim, and punter Michael Kern. On the fourth team were quarterback Jack Layne, offensive lineman Tyler Lawrence, and defensive back Tavian Combs. Layne is the fourth Lobo that will be at MW Media Days in Las Vegas, and Combs is entering an unprecedented seventh season at UNM due to COVID and injuries.
The Lobos, who have nine nationally televised games this season, open the year at home with back-to-back contests at University Stadium. The Lobos bring a seven-game home winning streak to their opening matchup on September 5 at 8 pm against Central Michigan in a game broadcast on FS1 before taking on Mercyhurst the following week in UNM's first MW+ broadcast.