After three seasons at Michigan and a difficult 2024 campaign that saw him benched as the starter, Alex Orji entered the transfer portal in search of a fresh start and landed at UNLV.
But his time with the Rebels is off to a rough beginning. The 21-year-old quarterback lost a costly fumble early in their Week Zero game against FCS squad Idaho State, and fans are already losing their patience.
UNLV Quarterback Alex Orji Faces Backlash After Early Fumble
After falling behind 3-0Â early against Idaho State, Orji led the Rebels down the field to the red zone. However, he fumbled the football right at the goal line on a rushing play that appeared to be a sure touchdown.
Alex Orji fumbles right at the goal line on UNLV’s opening drive and Idaho State recovers in the end zone 😳 pic.twitter.com/1jwrfjjs3R
— CFB Kings (@CFBKings) August 23, 2025
UNLV fans appear to have quickly lost patience with Orji after the fumble, with one person calling for Virginia transfer Anthony Colandrea to take over at quarterback.
Alex Orji stinks. WE WANT COLANDREA.
— Carlos Garcia (@CG_FlyTheW) August 23, 2025
“Alex Orji stinks. WE WANT COLANDREA,” the fan said.
Another fan seemed to share that sentiment, stating that he’s already had enough of watching the Michigan transfer.
I’ve see enough of Orji
End zone fumble 🙃— Hey Reb! (@ripheyreb) August 23, 2025
“I’ve seen enough of Orji. End zone fumble,” they wrote.
One fan expressed frustration with Orji’s lack of ball security on X, simply writing, “Orji smfh.”
Others seemed to anticipate this outcome, especially given that Orji has struggled to find his footing at the college level throughout his career.
Certified Alex Orji Moment
— Greg Goden (@Mogis75) August 23, 2025
“Certified Alex Orji Moment,” the fan said.
Another fan put his disappointment more bluntly, writing, “Orji, you bum.”
It has been a disappointing start to Orji’s career at UNLV, and Rebels fans seemed to enter the season with low expectations for him. These struggles are not new, as during three seasons with the Wolverines, Orji appeared in 20 games and threw for a total of just 153 yards.
Orji is a talented athlete and a capable runner, but when he turns the football over like he did early against Idaho State, it’s difficult to see the advantage he offers over Colandrea.
RELATED: Why is UNLV HC Dan Mullen Starting with Two QBs vs. Idaho State?
UNLV head coach Dan Mullen had previously stated that he plans to play both quarterbacks in the season opener, but based on Orji’s start, Colandrea may be taking over as the starter sooner rather than later.
The transfer to UNLV was meant to provide a fresh start for Orji, who likely left Michigan to escape the spotlight of a Power Four program. Unfortunately, it appears his new fanbase is also reacting strongly to his early mistakes.
The Rebels are considered one of the favorites among the Group of Five teams to make the College Football Playoff this season, and they will need to settle the quarterback position soon if they want to maintain that status.
