Diego Pavia Named Finalist for National Award: The Anchor

Vanderbilt’s star quarterback could win one of college football’s biggest awards.

In a press release put out on Thursday, Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia was named one of 10 finalists for the Manning Award, which goes to the best quarterback in college football as judged by the Sugar Bowl Committee.

The award includes taking into account how a quarterback performs in a bowl game or a playoff run as well as the regular season. It is an award that Pavia has earned to be a finalist for. Pavia has put up 4,018 total yards this season along with 36 total touchdowns and eight interceptions. Pavia has taken his team to heights Vanderbilt’s football program has never seen.

In his stellar performance in Vanderbilt regular season finale at Tennessee, Pavia led his team to the program’s first ever 10-win season. Pavia threw for 268 on 18-for-28 passing and threw a touchdown in the game. On the ground, Pavia ran for 165 yards and ran in a touchdown. Vanderbilt’s offense leads the country in yards per play and passing efficiency while being eighth in the country in points per game at 39.4 points per game

The winner of the Manning Award will be announced in late January after the College Football Playoff National Championship.

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Vanderbilt football athletes have also been succeeding off the field as well. Vanderbilt linebacker Nick Rinaldi was named the SEC Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year, the conference announced Thursday. Rinaldi is the first Vanderbilt football athlete to be honored with the award. Rinaldi has been named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District team each of the last two seasons. He has also made the SEC Academic Honor Roll the last two years after making the SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll as a freshman.

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Commodores Quote of The Day

“This is a great university. There is no other place I’d rather be. It’s a fine institution with great academics, coaches, and facilities. You can’t go wrong, and you’re playing in the SEC against some of the top players in the nation. If you come here, you’ll play against the best and be on national television, front and center. It’s a great atmosphere at Dudley Field with the fans. They’re crazy. It was a great atmosphere.”
Earl Bennett