Who is Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia?

Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia threw for 252 yards and rushed for 56 more as the Commodores shocked No. 1 Alabama 40-35 on Saturday night in Nashville. Pavia outplayed Heisman Trophy favorite Jalen Milroe for most of the game, handing Kalen DeBoer his first loss as the Crimson Tide’s head coach.

Pavia transferred to Vanderbilt for the 2024 season after spending two seasons at New Mexico State. The 2023 Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year did not hold an FBS offer out of high school.

The quarterback’s performance led Vanderbilt to its first win over an AP top-five team in program history. Vanderbilt was 0-60 all-time against AP top-five teams. The Commodores had lost 23 consecutive games to Alabama dating with their last win in September 1984.

“Shit, games like this change your life,” Pavia said after the game. “It’s all about hype nowadays. I don’t like it like that. It’s a reality of NIL, all that stuff. Just stay grounded, be where my feet are every single day. Tomorrow, we’ve got to work on Kentucky.”

Where was Diego Pavia before transferring to Vanderbilt?

A native of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Pavia started his collegiate career at New Mexico Military Institute (NMMI). He won the starting job as a freshman and then led NMMI to the NJCAA National Championship in 2021. He played in all 13 games, throwing for 1,728 yards and 21 touchdowns with just one interception. He also rushed for 658 and seven touchdowns.

After two seasons at New Mexico Military Institute, the 6-foot, 210-pound quarterback transferred to New Mexico State. He played in 12 games and made eight starts in the 2022 season. His best season came in 2023, leading the Aggies to their first 10-win season since 1960. They upset Auburn on the road and finished 10-5 overall and 7-1 in the C-USA. Pavia totaled 3,896 offensive yards in 2023, ranking 12th in FBS.

The quarterback finished his career at New Mexico State ranked ninth all-time in program history in passing yards (4,260) and 20^th all-time in program history in rushing yards (1,431). His nearly 1,500 rushing yards ranked second in school history among quarterbacks.

In September 2023, Pavia allegedly urinated on the logo of in-state rival University of New Mexico and flipped the bird toward another Lobos logo at New Mexico’s indoor practice facility.

Decision to transfer to Vanderbilt

Diego Pavia entered the transfer portal in December 2023. New Mexico State head coach Jerry Kill announced later in the month he was stepping down. The fifth-year senior committed to Vanderbilt on Jan. 17, days after the Commodores hired Kill, who joined the staff in an off-field role working with head coach Clark Lea and offensive coordinator Tim Beck.

Pavia was later joined by former New Mexico State teammate Eli Stowers, who committed to Vanderbilt last May. Pavia connected with the tight end for six catches and 113 yards in Saturday’s historic win over No. 1 Alabama.

Vanderbilt never trailed in Saturday night’s upset, moving to 3-2 on the season. Pavia has thrown for 721 yards and rushed for 279 through five games.

“It’s literally all God’s timing,” Pavia said Saturday night. “Literally, from the jump. God gave me a vision when I was a little kid. And He don’t let back any promises. It’s God’s timeline. I’m super thankful. Super thankful for guys like Eli Stowers. Man, that kid’s are incredible. The rest of our team. I mean, look at this. Look at this. Vandy, we’re fucking turnt!”