Greg McElroy names SEC quarterback who needs to be in Heisman conversation

Greg McElroy called for Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia to enter the Heisman race after leading a historic win over LSU.

ESPN analyst Greg McElroy believes Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia needs to be in the Heisman conversation after the Commodores win over LSU on Saturday. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia did more than lead his team to a 31-24 upset win over LSU on Saturday. He made a statement, and Greg McElroy took notice. On Sunday’s episode of Always College Football, McElroy said it’s time for Pavia to be firmly in the Heisman Trophy conversation.

The No. 17 Commodores improved to 6-1 for the first time since 1950, snapping a 10-game losing streak to LSU. Pavia threw for 160 yards and a touchdown, adding 86 yards and two more scores on the ground. His 21-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter ended with him striking the Heisman pose, a gesture McElroy defended as confidence, not arrogance.

“After that final 21-yard touchdown, he hit that Heisman pose in the end zone,” McElroy said. “While some people will point to that as arrogance, I think it's a bit of a statement. This guy needs to be in that conversation. If you just listen to Clark Lea, he calls his quarterback the best player in college football for the unique ability to single-handedly take over a game. He did that in this matchup. He took over the game. He made the plays necessary. He was timely with his runs. He was pretty accurate with his throws and made some nice throws downfield.”

Pavia’s effort powered Vanderbilt’s first win over LSU since 1990 and its second victory over a top-10 team in the past two seasons. After Saturday's slate, Pavia is at +1300 in the Heisman odds at BetMGM, sixth-best behind Ohio State's Julian Sayin (+300), Alabama's Ty Simpson (+300), Indiana's Fernando Mendoza (+300), Georgia's Gunner Stockton (+1000) and Texas A&M's Marcel Reed (+1000).

Greg McElroy Praises Vanderbilt’s Transformation Under Diego Pavia

McElroy called Vanderbilt’s win “one of the more inspiring performances of the entire day” and said the Commodores are proving they belong in the national conversation. “This is not your dad’s Vanderbilt,” McElroy said. “I’m telling you right now, this Vandy team has a real chance to be in the College Football Playoff.”

He credited the team’s balance and poise on both sides of the ball. Vanderbilt held LSU’s high-powered offense to field goals on key drives and controlled the game with 36 minutes of possession.

Vanderbilt Commodores quarterback Diego Pavia (2) completed 14 of 22 passes for 160 yards and a touchdown while adding 86 rushing yards and two scores on the ground against LSU. | Nicole Hester/ The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

“They’re balanced offensively. They’re pretty good on the defensive side. This was not a surprise,” McElroy said. “Guys, Diego Pavia is about as dynamic and fearless as anybody in the entire country playing the quarterback position. His play and swagger completely embody what this program has become.”

Vanderbilt’s steady rise under head coach Clark Lea has been marked by historical milestones. The Commodores earned their first win over two top-15 teams in the same season and extended their run in the AP Top 25 to six straight weeks, the longest stretch in program history. McElroy pointed to a fourth-and-one play deep in Vanderbilt territory as a defining moment, calling it “bonkers” and proof of Pavia’s improvisational skill. “He was dead to rights, spun out, and found M.K. Young in the flat for a big catch and run,” McElroy said. “It was ridiculous.”

Clark Lea and Diego Pavia Redefine Vanderbilt’s Ceiling

After the win, Clark Lea made it clear that the Commodores’ success is no accident. “Ultimately, we have a lot of season left, and we’re going to celebrate this win,” Lea said. “I think we’ve earned the right to celebrate it. But this game won’t define our season. There’s a lot more for this team to accomplish.”

McElroy highlighted that mindset as proof of Vanderbilt’s new identity. “They’re no longer content with just being in the conversation or chasing moral victories,” he said. “They are truly in pursuit of a legitimate conference championship and legitimate national relevance.”

The win over LSU pushed Vanderbilt to 6-1 overall and 2-1 in the SEC. It also secured bowl eligibility for the second straight year, marking the first time since 2013 that the program has reached consecutive postseasons. Vanderbilt scored the most points any team has managed against LSU’s fifth-ranked defense this year and never trailed after halftime.

Diego Pavia may not be an NFL QB but he’s a legend of the college game pic.twitter.com/TwDCPB8Hae

— NFL Draft Files (@NFL_DF) October 18, 2025

Lea later praised his quarterback’s game-changing presence. “You can’t watch him play and not realize what a game changer he is,” Lea said. “There are a lot of good players. There’s only a handful that can take a game over, and he’s one of those.”

No. 10 Vanderbilt will host No. 15 Missouri on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.