The No. 15 Vanderbilt Commodores are looking to go on the road and pull off a huge upset over the No. 10 Alabama Crimson Tide. Although the Commodores beat Alabama last season, Vanderbilt enters as a 10.5-point underdog.
One reason Vandy fans believe their team can pull it off is quarterback Diego Pavia. Last season, Pavia helped deliver the shocking victory, as Vanderbilt won 40-35 at home. In that game, he threw for 252 yards and two touchdowns.
Pavia is back with Vanderbilt in 2025, playing his sixth season of college football. He’s able to play this season thanks to a court case he filed last year regarding his NCAA eligibility.
Here’s a look at Pavia’s age and eligibility status for 2025.
More: Vanderbilt's Diego Pavia – like Johnny Manziel – has a shot at a sequel for the ages vs. Alabama
How old is Diego Pavia?
Pavia is a bit older than some of his fellow teammates. He is 24 years old, born on April 30, 2001. Originally from Albuquerque, New Mexico, Pavia is a former class of 2020 quarterback recruit, playing his high school football out of Volcano Vista.
As a recruit, he was unrated by the 247Sports Composite, so he started his career at New Mexico Military Institute in 2020 and 2021. He did not receive any FBS offers as a recruit.
More: Miami vs. Florida State players in the NFL: Which school's all-time pro roster wins head-to-head?
What year is Diego Pavia at Vanderbilt?
Pavia is playing in his sixth season for the Commodores. In 2024, he played as a graduate student for the Commodores. He got a Master's degree in Business and Management at Vanderbilt.
MORE: Meet the oldest player in college football: Tom Cillo, 58, goes back to school
Diego Pavia college eligibility
Last season, Pavia sued the NCAA over his eligibility, taking the case to federal court. His case centered around the NCAA's rules regarding eligibility and players playing during the 2020 COVID-19 season.
Pavia started his career at New Mexico Military Institute in 2020. Like all other athletes who played that year, the NCAA did not count the season toward his eligibility. He then played in 2022 and 2023 for New Mexico State before transferring to Vanderbilt for the 2024 season. Under NCAA rules, last season would have been his fifth and final year of eligibility.
However, the lawsuit filed in December 2024 alleges that the NCAA's rules prevent players like Pavia from earning money from their name, image, and likeness. The suit also seeks to block the NCAA from enforcing certain bylaws and would grant Pavia additional seasons of eligibility. It was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee in Nashville.
On December 18, Judge William Campbell granted a preliminary injunction against the NCAA, effectively giving Pavia an extra year of eligibility for 2025.
Although the NCAA filed an appeal shortly afterward, an appeals panel dismissed it on October 1, citing the preliminary injunction and rendering the appeal essentially moot. Here's more via ESPN:
All three judges agreed with the dismissal for lack of jurisdiction in a quick ruling returned after hearing only oral arguments Sept. 16 in Nashville. Judge Amul R. Thapar noted Pavia won the preliminary injunction before the NCAA hurt its appeal by granting a waiver to athletes in his position.
"The NCAA gave Pavia exactly what he wanted -- a waiver that guaranteed he could play for Vanderbilt in 2025," Thapar wrote. "Because that waiver provides Pavia complete relief at the preliminary-injunction stage, we dismiss the NCAA's appeal as moot."
While Pavia's case is certainly unique, it'll be interesting to see if future athletes file similar cases regarding eligibility as it relates to NIL.
MORE: Arkansas' win-at-all-costs promotion of Bobby Petrino is not the exception in college sports
Diego Pavia transfer timeline
2020-2021: New Mexico Military Institute
Pavia started his career at New Mexico Military Institute, a junior college whose Broncos play in the Southwest Junior College Football Conference (SWJCFC). He won the starting job as a freshman, appearing in all nine games. In his second season, he led the team to an NJCAA National Championship. Over his two seasons at NMMI, Pavia threw for 2,644 yards and 31 touchdowns with just four interceptions, while also rushing for 1,107 yards and 15 touchdowns.
After his two seasons at NMMI, he transferred to New Mexico State.
2022-2023: New Mexico State
Pavia played for two seasons at New Mexico State, playing for head coach Jerry Kill. Over his two seasons with the Aggies, he completed 57.9 percent of his passes for 4,423 yards with 39 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. He added another 1,431 yards with 13 touchdowns on the ground, as well.
His second season with the Aggies, he helped lead New Mexico State to a 10-win season, the first in school history.
2024-2025: Vanderbilt
Pavia is in his second season with the Commodores. Last year at Vanderbilt, he threw for 2,973 yards with 26 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He rushed for 801 yards and eight touchdowns, averaging 4.2 yards per carry.
Through five games this season, he has already thrown for 1,211 yards with 13 touchdowns and three interceptions. The Commodores are a perfect 5-0 to start the season, the first time they have done so since 2008.
MORE: College football picks, predictions against the spread for Week 6 matchups