A significant hurdle in Diego Pavia’s quest for an additional yr of NCAA eligibility has been cleared. On Wednesday, a federal decide granted him an injunction permitting him to play in 2025. Pavia’s authorized staff argued his two seasons at New Mexico Army Institute shouldn’t rely in opposition to his NCAA eligibility restrict as a result of he was unable to capitalize in title, picture and likeness (NIL) alternatives on the junior school.
It is a huge win for each the participant and the Vanderbilt Commodores staff he lifted to its first bowl recreation since 2018 this fall. Pavia emerged as a dual-threat pressure for the Dores, racking up 23 complete touchdowns as Vanderbilt scored wins over Virginia Tech, Kentucky, Auburn and, most notably, Alabama. Wednesday’s ruling stands to provide him one other likelihood to make waves within the SEC and additional his legend, assuming any NCAA appeals fail to pan out.
Pavia might use the platform Vanderbilt gave him in 2024 to switch to a program that would put him beneath a brighter highlight. Early indications from sources across the Commodores counsel he’ll keep in Nashville alongside former New Mexico State head coach Jerry Kill, who introduced him to the SEC final spring.
If that’s true, it’s horrible information for Auburn Tigers head coach Hugh Freeze.
Pavia’s school profession has been outlined by two issues; his 300-plus complete yards in Vandy’s first win over the Crimson Tide in 44 years (together with a legendary put up recreation interview) and his utter disregard for Freeze’s soccer groups. As an Aggie he beat Freeze’s Liberty Flames 49-14 in 2022, scoring six touchdowns within the course of. One yr later he and New Mexico State traveled east to play Freeze after he’d taken the reins at Auburn. Pavia threw three extra touchdowns in a 31-10 victory.
His switch to Vanderbilt gave him the latitude to stymie Freeze as soon as extra, this time in a sloppy 17-7 win that secured bowl eligibility in Nashville and briefly pushed the Commodores again to prime 25 standing. Ought to Pavia keep at Vanderbilt, he’d get yet one more likelihood to torture Freeze; the Commodores and Tigers are set to satisfy in Tennessee November 8, 2025.
Within the meantime, Pavia will resume preparations as he tried to information Vandy to its first postseason win in additional than a decade. The Commodores face Georgia Tech within the Birmingham Bowl December 27.
