Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia Fires Back: Is ‘Politics’ Sabotaging His CFP Dream?

Isn’t it one of the big ironies in sports—Vanderbilt football lights up the 2025 season with a dazzling 10-2 record, smashing school marks left and right, yet finds itself teetering on the outs of the College Football Playoff? Diego Pavia, the Commodores’ star QB and Heisman hopeful, didn’t mince words, calling out the CFP Selection Committee on SportsCenter, accusing them of playing politics rather than rewarding on-field grit. After toppling four ranked SEC foes and challenging powerhouses Alabama and Texas, you’d think Vanderbilt’s resume would scream “Playoff worthy!” But alas, history – that stubborn, unyielding baggage of a rough decade – seems to be holding them back. So, is it fair to blame politics, or are there deeper dynamics at play? Either way, Pavia’s plea for a bigger playoff bracket—and even a presidential executive order—adds a twist that’s as audacious as it is eyebrow-raising. Could this be the moment Vanderbilt’s perseverance finally pays off, or will they remain the underdog story no one lets into the party? LEARN MORE.

The 2025 season has been historic for Vanderbilt football, but the Commodores’ remarkable performance may not be enough to secure a spot in the College Football Playoff (CFP). Having piloted Vanderbilt to a school-record 10-2 regular season, star quarterback and Heisman Trophy candidate Diego Pavia voiced his frustration, pointing to politics as the reason for the team’s snub.

Speaking on SportsCenter on Thursday, Pavia criticized the CFP Selection Committee, arguing for the Commodores’ strong schedule and impressive victories.

“I think it’s a lot of politics at the top with what’s going on,” Pavia said (h/t On3’s Daniel Hager). “I think if you look at our strength of schedule at the beginning of the year, the people we beat, when we beat them, on the road. There’s no other 10-2 SEC team left out. That’s the other thing. And then, they have Texas ahead of us too. I don’t know what’s going on or what they’re thinking up there, but I feel like we deserve to be in the College Football Playoff.”

Vanderbilt defeated four ranked SEC opponents, No. 11 South Carolina, No. 10 LSU, No. 15 Missouri, and in-state rival No. 19 Tennessee, but all four have since dropped out of the CFP rankings. Their only losses came against powerhouse programs Alabama and Texas, both of which suffered setbacks that, in Pavia’s view, should make the Commodores more deserving of a playoff berth.

Pavia also suggested that Vanderbilt’s checkered history continues to influence the committee’s decisions. Before this season, the Commodores had a 36-83 record from 2014 to 2023, and according to Pavia, the program is still being punished for that past performance.

“For sure,” Pavia said when asked if whether the program’s historical performance has worked against them. “I feel like that’s the biggest thing why we’re being punished. If we had another logo, we’re in the College Football Playoff, no question. And I think if you put everyone’s resume on a piece of paper and slid it out to the teams on the bubble, they’re choosing ours every single time.”

Individually, Pavia has had one of the most productive seasons in Vanderbilt history. He passed for 3,192 yards, a single-season program record, 27 touchdowns, and eight interceptions, and rushed for 826 yards and nine scores.

The 10-2 Commodores will not participate in the SEC Championship due to their losses to Alabama and Texas. Vanderbilt reportedly explored the possibility of playing a 13th “exempt” game to enhance their playoff credentials, though that idea never came to pass. Pavia went a step further, publicly calling on President Donald Trump to sign an executive order expanding the CFP from 12 to 16 teams, a scenario highly unlikely.

Vanderbilt holds the No. 14 spot as the CFP field enters its final week of deliberation. A bowl appearance would give the Commodores their first-ever double-digit winning season, potentially adding an 11th victory.

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