Diego Pavia shares his honest thoughts about Vanderbilt's College Football Playoff snub

Jeff Hauser

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Diego Pavia shares his honest thoughts about Vanderbilt's College Football Playoff snub image

Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia believes the College Football Playoff is close to getting it right — but not quite there yet.

The Heisman Trophy finalist, who led the Commodores to a historic 10-2 regular season, shared his thoughts Friday on ESPN's Get Up. 

He advocated for expansion and play-in games to determine the final spots in the field. Vanderbilt finished No. 14 in the final CFP rankings, narrowly missing the 12-team playoff despite producing the best season in program history.

“I would move it to a 16-team playoff and then put play-in games,” Pavia said. “You’d have those four teams on the bubble and do play-in games like how the NBA does it. That way you’re getting the best teams in the College Football Playoff.”

Pavia said blowout first-round games do little for spectators, arguing the playoff should feature competitive matchups and late-game pressure.

“They want to see those close games come down to the last drive,” he said. “It’s better for the NFL to see, ‘Is this guy clutch?’ Or ‘Can he play at this level?’”

Pavia also suggested Vanderbilt’s history worked against its candidacy. From 2014 to 2023, the Commodores went 36-83, a stretch Pavia believes still lingers in the committee’s evaluation.

“For sure,” Pavia said when asked if the program’s past hurt its chances. “If we had another logo, we’re in the College Football Playoff, no question.”

Pavia finished the season with a program-record 3,192 passing yards and accounted for 36 touchdowns, becoming the first Vanderbilt quarterback named a Heisman finalist. 

The Commodores will face No. 21 Iowa in the ReliaQuest Bowl, with an opportunity to secure the school’s first 11-win season.

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