Lobos Defense Leads FBS With 17 Interceptions
UNM safety Tavian Combs has four interceptions as the Lobos defense tops the FBS in takeaways this season.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Football
The UNM Lobos defense leads the FBS with 17 interceptions, and safety Tavian Combs has four of them this season. The Lobos joined the national rankings at number 22 last week and carry a five-game winning streak into their next game.
Why it matters
The Lobos' turnover production has put the program in the top tier of FBS defensive statistics and pushed it into the national rankings for the first time this season. Combs' contributions also extend a career that was interrupted by season-ending injuries in 2020 and 2024.
The Lobos defense has recorded 17 interceptions, the most in the FBS, with Combs and teammate Austin Brawley each contributing four. The extraction does not indicate how the interception pace compares with prior seasons.
The players
Tavian Combs
Combs is a UNM safety in his seventh and final college season, whose career has been extended by medical redshirts after injuries.
Jason Eck
Eck is the head coach of the University of New Mexico football program, leading the Lobos' defense and overall roster.
The details
Combs is in his seventh and final year at New Mexico after medical redshirts followed season-ending injuries in 2020 and 2024. The Lobos are leading or ranked in the top ten in multiple FBS statistical categories under head coach Jason Eck, and the team heads to Reno to face Nevada.
Timeline
2020: Combs suffers a season-ending injury.
2024: Combs suffers a second season-ending injury.
January 2025: UNM coaching staff arrives and begins training.
Last week: Lobos join the national rankings at number 22.
Friday, November 6, 2026: Lobos play Nevada in Reno at 7 p.m.
Season Trajectory
The Lobos' climb into the national rankings and their league-leading takeaway total signal a defense that is now shaping the team's season narrative. Their position among the FBS statistical leaders marks a notable step for a program that has navigated multiple injury setbacks.
Fantasy managers tracking defensive players should note Combs' four interceptions and the Lobos' turnover production heading into a Friday road game. The rest of the Lobos' schedule will show whether the defense can keep generating takeaways at this rate.
The takeaway
The Lobos' defensive turnover production shows how a team can build momentum through takeaways rather than offense alone. Watching how the unit handles the next stretch of games will reveal whether this start is sustainable.
What happens next
The Lobos play Nevada in Reno on Friday, November 6, 2026, at 7 p.m.
Further reading
For more on the team's current campaign, see the latest Football coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by KRQE 13.
