Dan Mullen has been the head coach at Mississippi State since 2009, and since that time he’s accomplished a lot, revitalizing the Bulldogs’ program and leading them to a No. 1 ranking for a brief time while Dak Prescott was in Starkville.

Due to his outstanding coaching, he’s now one of the hottest candidates should a big-name opportunity arise this season.

Though Mullen has given no indication of wanting to leave Mississippi State, the rumors are going to continue to swirl around him.

On Tuesday, CBS Sports analyst Dennis Dodd wrote that Texas A&M could be interested if Kevin Sumlin is fired:

“One coaching search coach source said Mullen would have to be on a ‘legitimate short list’ for Texas A&M,” the article reads.

It’s fair to question at this point whether Texas A&M would be much of a step up for Mullen, but it’s also safe to say the Aggies’ boosters have deeper pockets.

Other top programs that could need new coaches include Nebraska, Notre Dame, UCLA and Tennessee, and it’s a good bet that Mullen’s name will be tossed around if and when those jobs come open.