Alex Orji didn’t win the starting quarterback job for UNLV, but he helped the team win its season opener on Saturday night in Las Vegas.

Orji, who transferred after three seasons at Michigan, scored the game-winning touchdown on an 11-yard run with 8:51 left in the fourth quarter against Idaho State. The extra point made it 38-31, which held as the final.

Orji finished with 34 yards and six carries. He completed all three of his pass attempts for 37 yards, a good sign given his struggles as a passer at Michigan. Virginia transfer Anthony Colandrea started for UNLV and completed 15 of 21 passes for 195 yards and a touchdown. He ran 13 times for 93 yards.

Orji’s score came on a fourth-and-1 play in which he took a shotgun snap and looked to throw. After setting up to pass, he instead brok

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