Diego Pavia's antics reveal a problem for Vanderbilt and their quarterback

Jason Jones

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Diego Pavia's antics reveal a problem for Vanderbilt and their quarterback image

Every year throughout the history of college football, there are many that aspire to win but there is only one winner. In the majority of cases, players and teams are willing to accept that within the construct of competition. 

They play the game and based on those outcomes, a winner is crowned. There is no electoral college or appeals process in college football to contest a winning result.

That can be applied to games, seasons and especially individual awards.  In the world of sports, team culture is a significant factor in a larger equation. Often, it is used as an example of why a team is successful. Especially over a consistent stretch of time.

Coaches try to instill a team’s culture. Players try to maintain that team culture. However, what happens when a team wins games despite a toxic aspect of their team culture?

Pavia lost the Heisman long before Saturday’s ceremony

On Saturday night, Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza won the Heisman Trophy. An outcome that has apparently upset Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia much more than it should. In the 2025 season, Mendoza finished with 2,980 passing yards and 33 touchdowns (leading the FBS) on almost 72% completion percentage. Pavia finished with 3,192 passing yards and 27 touchdowns on a shade over 71% completion percentage.

If the season stat line was the only thing that mattered, Pavia might have an argument. Especially when you add in his 826 rushing yards and 9 rushing touchdowns. However, that is not all that matters. Pavia had five games under 200 yards passing. While also only having five games of more than three touchdowns. Those bigger scoring games came against Charleston Southern, Utah State, Texas (in a loss), an unranked Auburn (took overtime to win that game) and Kentucky.  

If it was not for a final four game push and a sense of urgency, Pavia would not have the numbers to even state his case. Through the first eight games, Pavia had totaled only 1,698 yards or a 212 passing yards per game average to that point. In just the final four games alone, Pavia had 1,494 yards or a 374 passing yards per game. Had Pavia played the entire season the way he did during the last four, he walks away with the Heisman Trophy.

Vanderbilt played and beat five ranked teams in 2025, but none of them factored into the college football playoff. Indiana played three ranked opponents and two of them were a top 5 Oregon team and the almost wire-to-wire No. 1 team in the country in Ohio State. Mendoza won because he was the best, most consistent quarterback who also led his team from the middle of the pack to the No. 1 seed in the college football playoff.

Pavia turns heel and becomes the villain

No one was going to drag Pavia for not winning the greatest individual honor in all of college football. No one was going to think less of him as a competitor if he was gracious in defeat. However, revealing one’s dark side in the aftermath of another player’s moment is something people will remember. For a very long time.

According to USA Today and his social media platform (before it was taken down), Pavia made a highly regrettable post. In doing so, he not only tarnishes Mendoza’s moment, but he also tarnishes his own reputation for future endeavors. If recent events are any indication, Pavia’s antics might have been the result of foolish and misplaced mentality that goes higher than the Vanderbilt quarterback.

Seeking legislative interference was a tragically bad look

Less than two weeks ago, after concluding their regular season with a win over Tennessee, Pavia took to twitter to ask for interference from the highest office in the country. By the December 2nd tweet, the Commodores had a 10-2 record. With seven one-loss teams or better above them in the rankings, their playoff chances looked thin. To speak nothing of the Alabama, Miami, Notre Dame, BYU log jam ahead of them.

In that situation, almost every single athlete who has come before him, simply accepted their fate. Complaining about the selection committee’s decision is likely for many teams that didn’t make it. However, asking the President of the United States to sign legislation forcing the committee to include Vanderbilt despite their season standing is in a word, unacceptable.

The President of the United States, no matter who sits in that office, has a great many things he is required to be responsible for. Expanding the playoff field to 16 five days before the playoff field is revealed is egregious. Even if the NCAA was seriously considering expanding to 16 teams, there is no reality where that should happen the week of the announcement. Just to satisfy one discontent player on a team that had opportunities and failed to capitalize.

Pavia’s antics might have been influenced by a higher position

Following the playoff field announcement, it was revealed by multiple outlets that Vanderbilt head coach Clark Lea frantically attempted to schedule a 13th game before the playoff committee convened. This is a little like the saying, “if you’re not cheating, you’re not trying”. While it was not an attempt to cheat, it was an attempt for Lea to put his thumb on the scale.

Lea’s last second attempt to add a 13th game wreaked of a participation trophy logic. Under a 12-team model there are always going to be teams that think they were good enough to get in. Looking at the landscape before the field was set, there were at least 17 hopeful teams for a 12-team playoff. Yet only one team tried to do something extra to change the equation.

In one month’s time, the Vanderbilt coach and the Vanderbilt quarterback did three things that all sports fans should deem “unacceptable behavior”. Pavia posted a profane comment directed at Heisman voters which speaks to a larger concern. Nothing like sending an expletive aimed at 189 people who voted for him. Then Pavia asked the President for legislative assistance to force Vanderbilt's way in. As well as Lea trying to tip the scales mid process.

Vanderbilt football might have a great team culture, but Pavia and Lea’s behavior would suggest that idea is in conflict. If the culture was good, two of the program’s leaders would not be trying to fix playoff seeding or bash the Heisman results. Mendoza is the winner and should have been the winner. Anything beyond a congratulations and gracious behavior should not be viewed as anything other than petty and unreasonable.

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Editorial Team