The Inspirational Quarterback Behind Vanderbilt's Upset Win Against Alabama

By Jace Hinton October 11, 2024 10:03

Photo by Johnnie Izquierdo/Getty Images

Nashville, TN -- It had been 40 years since the Commodores of Vanderbilt had beaten the Alabama Crimson Tide. On October 5, Vanderbilt finally won at home over the Tide 40-35 in Nashville. Still, for Diego Pavia, this was not his first time upsetting a team out of the state of Alabama, but how did he become the quarterback of the Commodores?

Born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Pavia attended St. Pius and Volcano Vista High School, a typical sports powerhouse high school in New Mexico, since the school opened in 2009. Pavia was an underlooked player who went to New Mexico Military Institute (NMMI), where he was an All-Academic Third Team selection. NMMI made it to the 2021 National Junior College Athletic Association Divison I Championship game three years ago and was taking on Iowa Western and their quarterback Nate Glantz. New Mexico State was in attendance for this game as they recruited Glantz. The Aggies head coach, Jerry Kill, and offensive coordinator had informed the Iowa Western Head Coach earlier in the week that they were planning to offer Glantz following the game. Following the game, Pavia changed their mind.

I spoke to 2024 New Mexico broadcaster of the year Scott Galetti, who said the first thing he noticed about Pavia in high school was "his toughness. He wasn't afraid to roll out and would do whatever it took to win."

Pavia and NMMI won the game 31-13, where Pavia threw for two touchdowns, rushed for another, and had a total of 121 passing yards, and New Mexico State offered Pavia to come to play for the Aggies. Pavia went to NMMI as a walk-on at the time. The Head Coach at NMMI was Kurt Taufa'asau, now the head coach at Divison II New Mexico Highlands University, who said that Pavia was a "Utility guy….and (Pavia) led the school to the best season in school history." Taufa'asau said in an interview with CBS Sports.

Flashback to the 2023 season; this wasn't the first time Pavia had upset a team out of Alabama. On November 18, the Aggies traveled to Jordan-Hare stadium to take on the Auburn Tigers in what should have been a "cupcake game" for the Tigers, which turned into a 1.85 million dollar check and a 31-10 upset win for the Aggies. Pavia threw for 201 yards and 3 touchdowns that day in Auburn, Alabama. Now fast forward to last weekend in Nashville, Tennesee. The Commodores, led by the same kid who was underlooked coming out of New Mexico Military Institute, knocked off the number one team in the nation after. After 4o years of losing, the Commodores finally won against the Crimson Tide.

However, Vanderbilt did not initially land Pavia; he was silently committed to Neveda before flipping to Vandy.

Pavia also has a Quick Lane Bowl MVP and victory under his belt, but this success was an expectation for the Commodores. The Tide were not the only victims to be upset by Vandy. Virginia Tech fell in week one in a game where Pavia outplayed the then-Heisman hopeful Kyron Drones, and the Commodores should have beat top-ten ranked Mizzou in overtime the week before they upset Bama.

Not only did Pavia's celebrity status go up, but the NIL deals began to flood in. Pavia put on his X, "For NIL inquiries, hit my agent," with the agent's phone number on there and the quote, "Vandy, we turnt!!"