Albuquerque native Diego Pavia named one of four Heisman finalists

NEW YORK — Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia, Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza and Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin are the finalists for the Heisman Trophy given to the top player in college football.

The Heisman Trophy Trust announced the four finalists Monday night who are invited to New York for the award presentation Saturday night.

An Albuquerque native, Pavia has thrown for a school-record 3,192 yards and 27 touchdowns for the No. 13 Commodores. The Volcano Vista High School graduate is the first Heisman finalist in Vanderbilt history, and if selected, would be the first player from New Mexico to win the honor.

After graduating high school, Pavia led New Mexico Military Institute to the junior college national championship in 2021, then transferred to New Mexico State, where he helped the Aggies reach back-to-back bowl games. He won Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year in 2023 after leading NMSU to a historic 10-5 season in his final year with the program.

Pavia transferred to Vanderbilt that offseason and went on to throw two touchdowns in the Commodores’ 40-35 upset win over No. 1 Alabama last season.

Love is fourth in the Bowl Subdivision in yards rushing (1,372), fifth in per-game average (114.33) and third with 18 rushing touchdowns for the ninth-ranked Fighting Irish, who missed out on a College Football Playoff bid and opted not to play in a bowl game.

Mendoza has guided the Hoosiers to their first No. 1 ranking and the top seed in the 12-team CFP bracket, throwing for 2,980 yards and a national-best 33 touchdown passes while also running for six scores.

He is the second Heisman finalist in school history, joining 1989 runner-up Anthony Thompson. Mendoza is the seventh Indiana player to earn a top-10 finish and it marks another first in program history — having back-to-back players in the top 10. Hoosiers quarterback Kurtis Rourke was ninth last year.

Sayin led the Buckeyes to a No. 1 ranking for most of the season, throwing for 3,329 yards while tying for second in the country with 31 TD passes.