Diego Pavia finishes second in Heisman Trophy voting

Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia finished second in Heisman Trophy voting, the award's trust announced in a televised ceremony Saturday night. 

The Albuquerque native finished a distant second to Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who was considered the heavy favorite to win the Heisman. Mendoza is the first Hoosier to win the coveted award, presented annually to the most outstanding college football player. 

Pavia’s second-place finish is the best of any native New Mexican in the Heisman's 91-year history. In 1956, Oklahoma running back and Roy native Tommy McDonald finished third. 

Largely unrecruited out of Volcano Vista High School, Pavia started at New Mexico Military Institute before transferring to Division I programs New Mexico State and Vanderbilt, leading both programs to remarkable success on the football field. 

Pavia is also known for challenging the NCAA’s rules on former junior college players’ D-I eligibility, clearing the way for hundreds of athletes to receive additional years of eligibility. Despite being eligible to return, he’s previously said 2025 will be his last season of college football. 

“I think I want everyone to know there’s a better end for them, you know what I mean?” Pavia said during Saturday’s ceremony when he was asked what his story might mean to someone overlooked. “There’s hope at the end of the tunnel – you just gotta believe in yourself, be the best version of yourself and treat people how you want to be treated. 

“And I think good things happen to good people, and I think for myself that’s what happened to me. I’m very blessed to be in this situation, in this spot tonight. Very thankful.” 

This season, his sixth in college football, Pavia completed 242 of 340 passes for 3,192 yards, 27 touchdowns and eight interceptions as the starting quarterback for Vanderbilt. He also rushed for 826 yards and nine touchdowns en route to SEC Offensive Player of the Year and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award honors. 

Pavia's legacy

Pavia, generously listed at 6-feet, was a relative long shot (150-1) to win the Heisman entering this season, but rose steadily amid Vanderbilt’s historic success. The Commodores finished with a school-best 10 wins and narrowly missed a College Football Playoff berth in his second year with the program, one that saw Vanderbilt launch a Heisman campaign for its star quarterback. 

“The impact he’s made in the locker room, that leadership, that toughness, that connection – the quiet connections he makes – the humility in this process,” Vanderbilt head coach Clark Lea said of Pavia during Saturday’s ceremony, “those are the things (and) that’s the legacy he leaves at Vanderbilt. All the statistical numbers, all the great plays are one thing. 

“But who this guy is as a person, how he’s impacted Vanderbilt, that’s what makes him the best.” 

Pavia did not receive a D-I football offer coming out of high school, though he starred right away at NMMI, where he led the Broncos to a National Junior College Athletic Association national championship in his first full season with the program. 

Pavia then transferred to NMSU, where he helped lead the Aggies to two bowls — including a 10-win season, a Conference USA Championship berth and an appearance in the New Mexico Bowl in 2023.

After NMSU head coach Jerry Kill stepped down in December 2023, Pavia entered the portal once more and eventually committed to Vanderbilt. 

Long considered a doormat of the SEC, Pavia helped key a resurgent 2024 campaign for the Commodores, notably featuring a historic win over No. 1 Alabama. Vanderbilt finished 7-6 on the year, clinching the program’s first winning season since 2013. 

Heisman Trophy

The Heisman award is named after former player and coach John Heisman. The winner is selected by 930 electors, including 870 media voters, 59 living Heisman winners, and one fan vote. Mendoza accrued 2,632 points from voters while Pavia earned 1,435.

Pavia found his biggest support in the Heisman trust’s South region, receiving 321 total points to Mendoza’s 396, but lagged in the remaining regions. Mendoza notably garnered 406 points to Pavia’s 183 in the Midwest, the largest gap between the two in any region. 

Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love (719 points), Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin (432) and Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez (295) rounded out the top five. 

Mendoza is the second winner of Latin American descent to claim the trophy. Stanford’s Jim Plunkett was the first in 1970.

“Although I grew up in America, my four grandparents are all from Cuba," Mendoza said. “I had the opportunity to go there and that was important to me. I credit the love to my grandparents and the Hispanic community.”

Sartan to Commodore: A Diego Pavia timeline

A timeline — from high school to New Mexico State to Vanderbilt — for one of the most decorated college football players to ever come out of New Mexico: 

Sept. 16, 2017:  As a sophomore starter at St. Pius X, Pavia accounts for seven total touchdowns — five passing, two rushing — in a decisive 54-13 win over Alamogordo. 

Aug. 14, 2018: Pavia is ruled ineligible for varsity competition in the 2018-19 school year after transferring from St. Pius X to Volcano Vista High School ahead of his junior season. 

Aug. 22, 2019: Pavia returns to the gridiron for Volcano Vista’s varsity as a senior, leading the Hawks to a 36-25 season-opening win over La Cueva with 220 total yards. 

Nov. 1, 2019: Pavia completes 19 of 31 passes for 231 yards, two touchdowns and one interception in a 41-14 win over Cibola, completing a 10-0 (5-0 in district) start for the Hawks. 

Feb. 22, 2020:  Pavia wins his lone state wrestling title, defeating Gabe Garcia of Cleveland High School at 195 pounds. 

April 17, 2021: Pavia makes his debut with NMMI, completing 7 of 8 passes for 76 yards and two touchdowns in a 35-10 win over Blinn College. He had no Division I football offers after graduating from Volcano Vista.

Dec. 17, 2021: Pavia completes 13 of 20 passes for 121 yards and two touchdowns, leading NMMI to a 31-13 win over Iowa Central Community College in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) national championship. 

Jan. 13, 2022: After entering the transfer portal, Pavia commits to New Mexico State University over additional offers from Eastern New Mexico and Jackson State – where he would’ve likely served as a backup for current Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders. 

Aug. 27, 2022: Pavia makes his first career start at NMSU, completing 9 of 20 passes for 75 yards, no touchdowns and three interceptions in a 23-12 season-opening loss to Nevada. 

Nov. 26, 2022: Pavia completes 16 of 21 passes for 214 yards and three touchdowns in a shocking 49-14 win over Liberty, moving NMSU to 5-6 on the season after a 1-5 start. 

Dec. 26, 2022: Pavia completes 17 of 29 passes for 167 yards, two touchdowns and one interception in a 24-19 Quick Lane Bowl win over Bowling Green State in Detroit, clinching a 7-6 finish – the Aggies’ first winning record since 2017. 

Sept. 16, 2023: Pavia completes 9 of 16 passes for 203 yards and two touchdowns in a 27-17 win over rival New Mexico at University Stadium. 

Sept. 23, 2023: KOB-TV Channel 4 publishes a video allegedly depicting Pavia urinating on a logo in New Mexico’s indoor practice facility. A day later, NMSU offensive coordinator Tim Beck confirmed it was Pavia, and said the matter would be handled internally. 

“From my understanding, this was something that happened before the season ever started,” he added.

Oct. 18, 2023: Pavia completes 15 of 25 passes for 186 yards and two touchdowns and rushes for two more scores in a 28-7 win at UTEP, the Aggies’ (5-3) third straight win. After the game, Kill said Pavia would not speak to the media for the rest of the season. 

“I’m Diego,” Kill added in a postgame news conference. “I get to make all the calls there. That’s all I can say about that.”

Nov. 18, 2023: Playing through a hamstring injury, Pavia completes 19 of 28 passes for 201 yards and three touchdowns in a dominant 31-10 win at Auburn — NMSU’s first-ever win over an SEC team, and sixth straight on the season. The Aggies (9-3) were paid $1.85 million for their participation. 

Nov. 25, 2023: Pavia completes 23 of 34 passes for 269 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions in a 20-17 win over Jacksonville State, securing NMSU’s second-ever season with double-digit wins. 

Dec. 1, 2023: Pavia completes 11 of 16 passes for 188 yards and three touchdowns before being taken out with a shoulder injury in a 49-35 loss at Liberty in the Conference USA Championship. 

Dec. 6, 2023: Pavia is named the Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year after leading the Aggies in passing (2,951) and rushing (851) yards. He also accounted for 34 total touchdowns. 

Dec. 16, 2023:  Pavia completes 11 of 25 passes for 58 yards and rushes for 72 in a 37-10 loss to Fresno State in the Isleta New Mexico Bowl. 

Dec. 23, 2023: Kill announces he’s stepping down as NMSU’s head coach, and Pavia announces his decision to enter the transfer portal hours later. 

Jan. 17, 2024: After initially committing to Nevada, Pavia commits to Vanderbilt, following — among others — Beck and Kill. 

Aug. 31, 2024: After a competition with Utah transfer Nate Johnson, Pavia makes his first career start at Vanderbilt, completing 12 of 16 passes for 190 yards and two touchdowns in a 34-27 overtime win against Virginia Tech. 

Oct. 5, 2024: Pavia completes 16 of 20 passes for 252 yards and two touchdowns in a stunning upset over No. 1 Alabama, the program’s first win over an AP top five-ranked team. Pavia’s postgame interview was equally memorable: “Look at this,” he told ESPN amid a field storming. “VANDY, WE’RE F****** TURNT!” 

Nov. 2, 2024: Pavia completes 9 of 22 passes for 143 yards and two touchdowns in a 17-7 win over Auburn, clinching a bowl berth for Vanderbilt at 6-6. 

Nov. 8, 2024: Pavia sues the NCAA in federal court, requesting an injunction that would grant him two more years of eligibility over the organization’s bylaws regarding junior college player limits. 

"The JUCO Eligibility Limitation Bylaws neither promote competition nor benefit college athletes with respect to their impact on persons who attend junior colleges before transferring to NCAA schools," the lawsuit said. "These rules stifle the competition in the labor market for NCAA Division I football players, harming college athletes and degrading the quality of Division I football consumed by the public.” 

Dec. 18, 2024: Pavia is granted an injunction by a federal judge in Nashville, allowing him to play another year at Vanderbilt. “My Lawyers are legit!!!” he posted via X. 

Dec. 23, 2024: The NCAA Division I Board of Directors approves a blanket waiver granting an additional year of eligibility to other Division I players — like Pavia — who previously played in the junior college ranks. 

Dec. 27, 2024: Pavia completes 13 of 21 passes for 160 yards and accounts for five total touchdowns in a 27-17 Birmingham Bowl win over Georgia Tech, the program’s first postseason victory since 2014. 

June 16, 2025: Pavia’s interview on Bussin’ With The Boys, a popular NFL podcast, is released. He claims he was offered “anywhere from like, $4-$4.5 (million)” by other schools to leave Vanderbilt. He chooses to stay with the Commodores for another season.

Sept. 27, 2025: Pavia completes 26 of 34 passes for 321 yards and accounts for six total touchdowns in a 55-35 win over Utah State, securing Vanderbilt’s first 5-0 start since 2008 and only the second since 1943. 

Nov. 29, 2025: Pavia completes 18 of 28 passes for 268 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions in a 45-24 win at No. 19 Tennessee, the Commodores’ first win over their in-state rival since 2018. Vanderbilt finished 10-2, the program’s first double-digit win season. 

Dec. 5, 2025: Pavia wins the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, annually given to “the nation’s top upper-class quarterback who excels on the field, in the classroom and in the community,” per a Vanderbilt release. 

Dec. 8, 2025: Pavia is named one of four Heisman finalists, joining Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin and Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love. He is the first finalist in Vanderbilt program history.