Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia’s Game-Changing Skills Have Nick Saban Talking—What He Said Will Surprise You

Ever wondered what happens when a team not only defies expectations but comes back hungrier, craftier, and sharper than ever? Welcome to the 2025 Vanderbilt Commodores, a squad that’s rewriting the script in SEC football. Last season, Diego Pavia was a revelation—a one-man show that stunned the world. Now, with some savvy tips from Johnny Manziel and upgrades across the board, Pavia’s evolved from just making plays to making his entire team better. Even Nick Saban’s eyes are wide, acknowledging that Vanderbilt’s no longer the academic underdog stumbling through the SEC; they’re a powerhouse with lethal offense and a beefed-up defense. If you think the ’Bama game is a mere formality, think again—the battle on the ground could decide it all, and the stakes? Oh, they’ve never been higher. Curious to see how this Cinderella story unfolds? LEARN MORE.

The 2025 Vanderbilt football team is even better than the team that shocked the world last season. Diego Pavia has completely controlled the Commodores’ offense and has taken advice from Johnny Manziel. He was one of the biggest reasons Vanderbilt pulled off the upset last season. Hall of Fame Alabama head coach Nick Saban said Pavia and Vanderbilt are much better this year than last season.

Nick Saban went on “The Pat McAfee Show” and talked about how much better Vanderbilt is this year compared to last season. He also said Alabama has its hands full with Diego Pavia because he has only made everyone else better. He said that the best thing Alabama can do to win this game is run the ball and keep the ball out of the Commodores’ hands.

“I don’t think there’s any question about it: this is a lot better Vanderbilt team this year than what they had last year,” Saban told McAfee. “Last year, to me, it was the Diego Pavia show. He ran it; they did quarterback runs; he dominated the game. He dominates the game now differently because he makes every player on his team better, and he’s a much better passer. He went from [59]% to [75]% completion. He’s got better skill guys and a better runner. I think they’re a little better on defense.

“This is a real team, to me. This guy is a tremendous playmaker. He’s like a point guard out there. This is gonna be a real challenging game. I think the big thing is that you talk about people’s perceptions. You perceive Vanderbilt as an academic school that’s always struggled in the SEC, especially in football. That’s not the case anymore. But it’s hard to get that perception out of your head. They beat South Carolina at South Carolina. This is a good football team.”

Saban wants to see Alabama control the tempo and run the ball more effectively in this game. They have struggled to find consistency in the ground game, but even with an inconsistent running game, they still went 13-19 on third down last week against Georgia.

Whoever controls the game on the ground will win this game. The crowd will want revenge on Vanderbilt. Alabama may have saved its season last week with the win over Georgia, but now an SEC title is on the horizon.

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