Dan Mullen Draws Concern Following Return to College Football

Idaho State, which competes in the Big Sky Conference, a top conference in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), entered the game as 25.5-point underdogs (DraftKings), but put up a real fight against Mullen and the Rebels.

UNLV’s Offense Looked Solid; Alex Orji Goes 3-for-3

The Week 0 matchup didn’t just mark Mullen’s return game; it also served as former Michigan quarterback Alex Orji’s first game with the Rebels. Orji, a former three-star recruit in the class of 2022, transferred to UNLV after a three-year tenure in Ann Arbor, where he won a national title (2023) as a backup and started four games in 2024.

However, it was starting quarterback Anthony Colandrea who threw for 195 yards and rushed for 93 more in the win. Meanwhile, Orji accounted for 37 passing yards and added 34 rushing yards and the game-winning touchdown run on six carries. Running back Jai’Den Thomas carried the ball 10 times for 147 yards and three touchdowns.

Dan Mullen’s First Game Was Almost a Disaster, and Fans Are Wondering How Long He’ll Last

More than a few things went wrong for UNLV, as seen by the final score and the fact that it found itself down by seven in the fourth quarter.

The UNLV defense, though it recorded four interceptions, gave up 31 points and 395 passing yards to Idaho State.

Mullen earned the 12th season-opening win of his 14-year head coaching career, but fans are already wondering how long this job will last following a less-than-impressive start to his time in Vegas.

The fans quickly chimed in.

This one started things off: "If UNLV knew what was good for them they’d fire Dan Mullen before he left the field lol."

More here: "UNLV should save some time and fire Dan Mullen now."

"If I’m UNLV, I would fire Dan Mullen asap bro," commented this fan.

This fan agrees with many others: "I’m saying. FIRE MULLEN."

More here: "Potential dumpster fire season for UNLV. Many more losses coming this year with performances like this. And Dan Mullen is your coach."

Last one by this poster: "Fire him now wtf did we just witness."

Mullen Has a Manageable Path Forward, But the Rebels Must Execute

ESPN’s College Football Power Index has a win-loss projection of 9.6-3.1 for UNLV and actually gives it a 17.3 percent chance of making the College Football Playoff.

The rest of the UNLV schedule looks like this:

• Aug. 29 at Sam Houston State
• Sept. 6 vs. UCLA
• Sept. 20 at Miami OH.
• Oct. 4 at Wyoming
• Oct. 11 vs. Air Force
• Oct. 18 at Boise State
• Nov. 1 vs. New Mexico
• Nov. 8 at Colorado State
• Nov. 15 vs. Utah State
• Nov. 21 vs. Hawaii
• Nov. 29 at Nevada

The Rebels will get a road test next, but against a team in the Bearkats they should match up well against. That would leave the visit from UCLA as a big one coming up to start September. It will be an interesting story to watch to see how Mullen's tenure plays out in Sin City.