After Vanderbilt’s 17-10 win over Missouri on Saturday afternoon, Diego Pavia made his position on the Heisman Trophy known. When asked directly if he believes he should win college football’s most prestigious individual award, he didn’t hesitate. His response was: “Hell yeah, I believe it.”
The victory pushed the Commodores to 7-1 overall and 3-1 in SEC play, marking Vanderbilt’s best start in more than 80 years. Pavia dove across the goal line for a 1-yard touchdown with 1:52 remaining to seal the win, extending what has already become the most remarkable season in modern Vanderbilt football history.
For a program that went 2-31 in SEC games during the four years before Pavia arrived from New Mexico State, this transformation has been nothing short of extraordinary.
In a July interview, Pavia referred to himself as the “2025 Heisman Trophy winner-elect”. He struck the famous Heisman pose after scoring a touchdown in Vanderbilt’s 31-24 victory over LSU the week before facing Missouri.
What separates Pavia from other players who talk about winning the award is that Vanderbilt keeps backing up his words with results on the field. The Commodores have defeated three ranked opponents only this season, which seemed impossible when the year began.
In yesterdays’ game against Missouri, Vanderbilt managed just 265 yards of total offense, went three-and-out three times, and committed eight penalties for 83 yards. Pavia completed only 10 of his 19 passes for 129 yards with one interception, adding 20 rushing yards and a touchdown on eight carries.
Vanderbilt Quarterback’s Heisman Case Built on More Than Statistics Alone
Pavia believes he belongs in the Heisman conversation, he has thrown for 1,569 yards with 15 touchdowns against four interceptions this season while adding 438 rushing yards and four touchdowns on the ground. No doubt these are solid stats, but not overwhelming when compared to other quarterbacks across the country.
Diego Pavia asked if he believes he should win the Heisman Trophy after the Mizzou win:
“Hell yeah, I believe it.” pic.twitter.com/WP6uQE5rOh
— SEC Mike (@MichaelWBratton) October 26, 2025
Undeniably, he has added value to Vanderbilt specifically, as the Commodores currently ranked 10th nationally, which happened to be their highest ranking since 1947. Making it the first time Vanderbilt has been in serious College Football Playoff conversation during the expanded playoff era.
Vanderbilt head coach Clark Lea praised him after the LSU victory, saying Pavia “deserves all the attention, all the credit” and calling him “a dawg”. Lea also noted that Pavia’s confidence extends to the entire team, stating “His confidence is our confidence”.
Vanderbilt has wins over South Carolina, LSU, and now Missouri, all of whom were ranked at the time of their matchups.
Current Heisman odds favor Alabama’s Ty Simpson and Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza as co-favorites, with Ohio State’s Julian Sayin and Texas A&M’s Marcel Reed also ahead of Pavia. So Pavia faces an uphill battle to convince voters.
If Vanderbilt continues winning and reaches the College Football Playoff, his candidacy will in no doubt be impossible to ignore.
