LAS VEGAS, Nev. --- Austin Brawley, the Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Week on October 5, earned an interesting double today, being named the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Week after his pick-6 against North Dakota State sealed UNM's 21-16 win over the Bison.
It's the fourth time in 10 possible games Brawley has earned a weekly award, and it's his third defensive honor after earning two last year. Micah Alejado of Hawai'i was named Offensive Player of the Week, Ky Woods of Nevada was named Special Teams Player of the Week, and Steven Perez of Wyoming was the Freshman of the Week.
Brawley had three tackles, including a half-tackle for loss on the opening play, which set the tone for UNM. However, his leaping pick and subsequent 56-yard touchdown run, weaving to the end zone while staying in bounds, helped him earn the award. It thwarted a fourth-quarter drive and gave UNM a 21-9 lead.
Brawley became the first player to earn two separate honors (non-freshman) in the same season for the Mountain West since Ike Larsen, who was named Special Teams Player of the Week for Utah State in 2023, and the following week he was named Defensive Player of the Week.
Brawley is the second Lobo to do it. In 2000, Holmon Wiggins was named Mountain West Offensive Player of the Week against Texas Tech and later earned Special Teams Player of the Week against New Mexico State.
The Lobos are 6-1 and 3-0 in Mountain West play, two wins clear of the rest of the league save Wyoming (4-1) and UNLV (2-1). The Lobos ranked second in the "others receiving vote" in the AP Poll with a school-record 41 points, and UNM ranked fourth in the Coaches Poll.