It wasn't the best weekend for Vanderbilt Commodores quarterback Diego Pavia who got himself in hot water after a now-deleted Instagram story shortly went viral with harsh criticism toward Heisman Trophy voters over the final pairing saw Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza win the award after all.
"F the voters," Pavia wrote.
Those three words caused an uproar in the college football community, eventually leading to a public apology on 'X' (formerly Twitter) from Pavia.
"Being a part of the Heisman ceremony last night as a finalist was such an honor. As a competitor, just like in everything I do I wanted to win. To be so close to my dream and come up short was painful," Pavia wrote.
Pavia later went on to reiterate how much his actions not only hurt himself, but his teammates and the Vanderbilt fanbase. He said he wants to learn from it and he wants the focus to remain on the ReliaQuest Bowl against the Iowa Hawkeyes.
"I look forward to competing in front of my family and with my team one more time in the ReliaQuest Bowl," Pavia said.
Pavia also had a message for Mendoza as the Hoosiers gear up for the College Football Playoff in the coming weeks as the tournament's top seed.
"Fernando Mendoza is an elite competitor and a deserving winner of the award. I have nothing but respect for his accomplishments as well as the success that Jeremiyah and Julian had this season," Pavia said.
Ultimately, Pavia wants his mistake to be remembered for a positive aftermath.
"I’ve been doubted my whole life," Pavia said. "Every step of my journey I’ve had to break down doors and fight for myself, because Ive learned that nothing would be handed to me. My family has always been in my corner, and my teammates, coaches and staff have my six. I love them — I am grateful for them."
As it stands now, it appears Pavia is ready to move forward.
So should his team.