College Football HQ

SEC quarterback named No. 1 Heisman Trophy contender in updated rankings

Rowan Fisher Shotton|
Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia (2) and coach Clark Lea embrace after the team’s win against Tennessee at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia (2) and coach Clark Lea embrace after the team’s win against Tennessee at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee. | Mark Zaleski / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Vanderbilt Commodores

Two days after breaking through at Neyland Stadium, Diego Pavia finds himself at the top of On3’s latest Heisman poll, leapfrogging Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza and Ohio State’s Julian Sayin in the weekly experts’ ballot.

Vanderbilt routed Tennessee 45-24 on Saturday, a game in which Pavia accounted for 433 total yards, 268 passing and 165 rushing, while scoring once on the ground and once through the air. 

The victory not only snapped several long-standing streaks for Vandy but also produced the program’s first 10-win season in its history. 

On Monday, On3’s panel listed Pavia No. 1 in its Week-15 update following the rivalry weekend, reflecting a late-season surge in national perception.

Across 12 regular-season games, Pavia has thrown for 3,192 passing yards with 27 passing touchdowns and eight interceptions, alongside an elite rushing contribution: 826 yards and nine rushing TDs. 

His 171.5 QBR sits among the nation’s best, and his consistent production in both phases is why voters are taking notice.

The Commodores closed the regular season 10-2 (6-2 SEC), with the program posting its most SEC wins in school history and vaulting into the national conversation.

Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia.
Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia (2) celebrates with fans after winning a NCAA football game between Tennessee and Vanderbilt at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee. | Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

While a 10-win SEC team raises legitimate College Football Playoff speculation, the CFP committee’s next ranking (and subsequent selection decisions) will weigh strength of schedule and signature wins.

Despite the historic season, many bracket projections reveal a narrow path for Vanderbilt to break into the four-team field.

Mendoza (Indiana) and Sayin (Ohio State) remain the primary challengers for the Heisman, with Mendoza powering an unbeaten Indiana and Sayin steering an undefeated Buckeye squad.

Both have statistical outputs that are hard to ignore, which makes Pavia’s rise notable because it leans heavily on his dual-threat impact and signature late-season moments. 

If Pavia finishes in the Heisman final three or four, it would mark a seismic shift in how voters value transformative quarterbacks from non-blue-bloods.

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Rowan Fisher
ROWAN FISHER SHOTTON

Rowan Fisher-Shotton is a versatile journalist known for sharp analysis, player-driven storytelling, and quick-turn coverage across CFB, CBB, the NBA, WNBA, and NFL. A Wilfrid Laurier alum and lifelong athlete, he’s written for FanSided, Pro Football Network, Athlon Sports, and Newsweek, tackling every beat with both a reporter’s edge and a player’s eye.

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