Vanderbilt Quarterback Diego Pavia’s Tough Loss in Reliaquest Bowl

On Wednesday afternoon, Diego Pavia, the quarterback for the Vanderbilt Commodores, aimed for victory in the Reliaquest Bowl against the Iowa Hawkeyes but ultimately fell short, with Iowa winning 34-27.

Pavia had a solid performance, completing 25 out of 38 passes for 347 yards and three touchdowns—two through the air and one on the ground. In a notable moment, he even executed an 11-yard touchdown run, narrowing the gap to seven points. After that, both teams exchanged field goals, yet the Commodores couldn’t reclaim possession.

Vanderbilt’s loss capped off a challenging season for Pavia, who is currently involved in a legal dispute with the NCAA concerning eligibility rules. There’s potential for him to enter the NFL Draft, although the ongoing lawsuit aims to pave the way for other junior college athletes. This legal challenge questions the NCAA’s stipulations that consider time spent in junior college as part of a player’s eligibility for Division I football.

Last week, legal representatives for Pavia and 26 other players pointed to the NCAA’s policy allowing NBA draft picks to return to college basketball as a precedent for why a federal judge should permit their clients to compete in 2026 and 2027.

Pavia had originally sued the NCAA back in November 2024, and after successfully obtaining a preliminary injunction, he was allowed to take the field this season. He was even named the SEC Player of the Year, with impressive stats of 3,192 passing yards and 27 touchdowns in the regular season. However, the Commodores concluded their season with a 10-3 record after the game against Iowa.

The quarterback’s lawsuit has gained traction, now joined by 26 additional plaintiffs, including Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Joey Aguilar.

According to NCAA regulations, players are granted four seasons to play over a five-year span, and this eligibility begins with “collegiate institution,” regardless of whether that school is part of the NCAA.

Pavia had previously played for the New Mexico Military Academy in 2020, but that experience wasn’t factored into his eligibility because of the COVID-19 pandemic. He led that team to a national championship before moving on to play at New Mexico State University in 2022 and 2023, and finally, Vanderbilt.