UNLV’s Dan Mullen achieves feat not seen in 51 years against Wyoming, Miami OH, UCLA, Sam Houston, Idaho State

UNLV Rebels football coach Dan Mullen is continuing the great work Barry Odom did in Las Vegas, leading his program to a 5-0 start with wins over the Wyoming Cowboys in Laramie, the Miami (Ohio) RedHawks in Oxford, the Sam Houston State Bearkats in Texas, and the UCLA Bruins and Idaho State Bengals at home.

Mullen is taking it a step further, though. As Yahoo Sports’ Nick Bromberg points out, UNLV has gotten off to a 5-0 start for the first time in 51 years, doing so with the majority of the games in hostile territory.

For Mullen personally, he achieved a feat not seen in Vegas for 57 years since Bill Ireland roamed the sidelines when the Beatles released the White Album.

“The Rebels are 5-0 for the first time since 1974 after a 31-17 win at Wyoming on Saturday night. The game was played in conditions that you don't see in Las Vegas, either. The game in Laramie gave us our first snow football of the season,” Bromberg wrote.

“The undefeated start also means that former Florida and Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen is the first UNLV coach to start his tenure 5-0 since Bill Ireland in the school's first season in 1968.”

UNLV’s Dan Mullen is a hot coaching target in next hiring cycle

Mullen’s stints with the Mississippi State Bulldogs and Florida Gators should have him considered for a job during the next hiring cycle. In fact, if UF fires Billy Napier, a return to Gainesville might not be out of the question.

The Arkansas Razorbacks’ job is already open, and Mullen’s experience at Mississippi State makes him a sensible culture fit in Fayetteville. Perhaps the Pennsylvania native can even be considered for the Penn State Nittany Lions job if James Franklin and the program mutually part ways, the likeliest outcome for the long-time PSU headman.

Expect to see Mullen’s name linked to many job openings across the country. It would make the most sense returning to the SEC, though.