After one of the best starts in program history, Vanderbilt football is looking to get its quarterback, Diego Pavia, the prestigous Heisman Trophy. On Monday, Vanderbilt launched a campaign titled #2Turnt to push this narrative.
The Commodores highlight four stats to build their case for Pavia to win the trophy:
- He is the first Vanderbilt quarterback to throw for multiple touchdowns in four-straight games since Jordan Rodgers in 2012.
- In 2024, Pavia ran for a program quarterback record of 801 yards, which led Power Four signal callers.
- After last season, Pavia was second among active FBS quarterbacks with 2,232 rushing yards. His 6,716 career passing yards ranked 12th among active quarterbacks heading into 2025.
- Pavia’s five scores were a school record for a bowl game in Vanderbilt’s 35-27 win over Georgia Tech in the Birmingham Bowl.
Heisman mode: ACTIVATED.
🔗 https://t.co/N2n7RdZd5K#2Turnt | #AnchorDown pic.twitter.com/wpjrBfjFqP
— #10 Vanderbilt Football (@VandyFootball) October 20, 2025
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Pavia certainly has a case to win the award, but the four categories that Vanderbilt highlights will be inconsequential to the decision. The trophy does not take into account what happened throughout a player’s career or last season or where he is in the school record book, just the résumé a player has produced that given year.
This year, Pavia has thrown for 1,569 yards, 15 touchdowns and four interceptions. He has also ran for 438 yards and four touchdowns on 77 totes. The result of his strong play has been a 6-1 start to the season and No. 10 ranking in the most recent AP Poll.
According to FanDuel, Pavia has the fifth-best odds to win the award at +800. He is only behind Alabama’s Ty Simpson, Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, Ohio State’s Julian Sayin and Texas A&M’s Marcel Reed.
Vanderbilt will finish the year vs. Missouri, at Texas, vs. Auburn, vs. Kentucky and finally, at Tennessee. The game against the Vols is scheduled for an afternoon timeslot, meaning it’ll kickoff between 3:30-4:30 p.m. ET. UT 81-32-5 all-time in the series against the Commodores. Josh Heupel is 4-0 in the rivalry game. The last time VU won in Knoxville was in 2017.
