2025 Heisman Trophy: Diego Pavia finshes second after sparking dramatic turnaround at Vanderbilt

Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia finished second the 2025 Heisman Trophy race, capping off one of the most unlikely rises in the sport's history. Pavia finished second to Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza.

The Hoosiers' signal caller earned 643 first-place votes, 191 second-place votes and 51 third-place votes. Pavia finished second with 189 first-place votes, 352 second-place votes, and 164 third-place votes. 

Pavia started his career at New Mexico Military Institute after failing to receive serious FBS attention. He caught the eye of New Mexico State, where he emerged as a dynamic playmaker and led the Aggies to a 10-win season, their most since 1960.

But Vanderbilt was where Pavia cemented his college football legacy. After an encouraging 7-6 record in 2024, the Commodores set a program record with 10 wins and reached No. 14 in the final College Football Playoff rankings. Pavia engineered four wins against ranked opponents, capped by a 45-24 rout of No. 19 Tennessee in his final regular season game in a Vanderbilt uniform.

Pavia was exceptional statistically with 3,192 passing yards, 826 rushing yards and 36 total touchdowns. He led the Power Four in total offense at 334.8 yards per game, clearing 4,000 yards in 12 games. His impact went beyond the numbers, though. Pavia accounted for 71.4% of Vanderbilt's yards and 67% of its offensive plays. For comparison, no other Heisman finalist topped 50%.

For his efforts, Pavia was named to the CBS Sports All-America First Team and earned Player of the Year honors on Wednesday, beating out Mendoza and Sayin for the spot.

Calling Pavia's season historic is an understatement. The Commodores had not produced an All-America quarterback since Bill Wade in 1951. They had never sent a Heisman finalist to New York.

Pavia is slated to play in the ReliaQuest Bowl against No. 23 Iowa on New Year's Eve. While he technically could return for another year of eligibility after a lawsuit, he has already confirmed this will be his final game in a Vanderbilt uniform.

At a time where measurables have never been more scrutinized, Pavia stands barely six-foot with an average arm. Instead, the Albuquerque native set himself apart with pure, old-fashioned playmaking. 

The senior kept plays alive with his legs and managed to keep his eyes downfield for big time plays. When blitzed, Pavia completed 69.8% of his passes with 17 touchdowns to only two interceptions. Even when pressured, he ranked top 20 nationally in pressure-to-sack rate and top-five in first downs when pressured. 

Put another way, there was no easy way to play Pavia. Defensive coordinators had to lay out structure and hope that their defenders would play sound assignment football. More often than not, they failed. 

Importing New Mexico State 

One of the most important hires Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea made wasn't even an on-field position. Instead, it was longtime college football coach Jerry Kill as a consultant. Kill spent the past two years coaching at New Mexico State, leading them to a stunning 17 wins. 

At Vanderbilt, Kill helped bring Pavia, offensive coordinator Tim Beck and tight end Eli Stowers to Nashville. All have emerged among most important figures in the history of Vanderbilt football. Stowers also received All-America honors after catching 62 passes for 769 yards and four touchdowns. 

Building the future

Pavia is set to depart from college football after the 2025 season, but don't expect Vanderbilt to go away. In fact, Pavia has played a central part in choosing his successor. 

Five-star quarterback Jared Curtis flipped from Georgia to hometown Vanderbilt on signing day, giving the Commodores by far the best recruit in program history. Curtis rates as the No. 3 overall player in the Top247; Vanderbilt had never signed a player ranked higher than No. 40. 

Pavia played a central role in recruiting Curtis to campus from Nashville Christian. With Curtis's commitment, Pavia's legacy will only continue to grow.