(Photo Credit - UNLV Athletics)
Dan Mullen’s debut at UNLV wasn’t the statement anyone expected.
The Rebels entered 2025 with more preseason hype than perhaps any season since the Randall Cunningham era. New coach. SEC and Big Ten transfers. A system designed to win now. And then, as a 30-point favorite, they were outgained, outmuscled, and nearly outplayed by FCS Idaho State before escaping with a 38–31 win at Allegiant Stadium.
The game left more questions than answers. Instead of momentum, it gave the program a reality check.
Now comes the moment that will define Mullen’s culture: Week 1 at Sam Houston.
The Hype Meets Reality
All summer, UNLV was the Mountain West’s darling. National previews circled them as a title-game contender. The roster, loaded with transfers from Florida, Texas, Michigan, and LSU, looked like a group of five powerhouse built overnight.
That’s why Saturday hit so hard for fans. On the field, it looked sloppy, disorganized, and undisciplined. In the stands and online, the reaction was blunt: same old Rebels.
But culture is not built in press releases or depth charts. It’s built in moments like this — when a program gets punched in the mouth and has to answer.
Why This Week Is Make-or-Break
Sam Houston isn’t UCLA. They’re not Boise State. They’re not even Fresno. But they’re good enough to beat UNLV if Saturday’s version shows up again.
That’s what makes this week pivotal. A second straight flat performance would crack the foundation Mullen’s staff has been selling — accountability, resilience, discipline. But a sharp, businesslike rebound win would show the opposite: that the Rebels are a group that learns, adapts, and grows.
Put simply: this week tells us whether UNLV has a winning culture or just winning talent.
Not Looking Ahead
Looming over everything is UCLA’s trip to Allegiant in Week 2 — a national stage against a Big Ten brand. It’s the game fans are circling, the one alumni are flying in for, the one media will cover.
That’s the danger. If UNLV looks ahead, Sam Houston becomes a trap. If they focus, Sam Houston becomes a springboard.
For Mullen, this is where culture-building matters most. He can’t let his locker room drift. He has to instill the week-to-week discipline that great programs live by.
Proving Resilience
Here’s the opportunity:
Show growth in execution. The Rebels don’t need to be perfect, but they need to cut the penalties, stay clean on special teams, and eliminate the mental lapses that nearly sank them against Idaho State.
Establish identity. Is this a run-first team behind Jett Thomas? A dual-QB rotation? A ball-hawking defense? They don’t need to show everything, but they need to show something consistent.
Play like the favorite. That means starting fast, not waiting until the second half to flip the switch.
If UNLV does these things, they can not only win but win convincingly — restoring belief in the direction of the program.
Culture on Trial
One week into the Mullen era, the Rebels have already been humbled. And that might not be a bad thing.
If UNLV is truly building something different under Mullen, Saturday’s scare won’t be the start of a collapse. It will be the spark that sharpens their focus.
The Rebels don’t just need a win at Sam Houston. They need to show who they are becoming: a team that doesn’t flinch after adversity, doesn’t look past the task in front of them, and doesn’t let preseason hype define their season.
This is a gut-check week. And how UNLV responds will say far more about Mullen’s culture than any offseason headline ever could.