Diego Pavia reveals reaction to Vanderbilt missing CFP field: ‘It still hasn’t hit me’

Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia didn’t hide his disappointment after the Commodores were left outside the College Football Playoff. Even after authoring one of the most remarkable seasons in program history.

Appearing Friday on ESPN’s First Take, Pavia admitted the reality of missing the 12-team field still hasn’t fully sunk in. Not after Vanderbilt finished No. 13 in the final rankings.

“It was terrible,” Pavia said. “I feel like it still hasn’t hit me. It feels like I have so much time left with the guys in the locker room. It’s sad that we’ve only got one more game left.”

The sting is understandable. Vanderbilt went 10–2 in the regular season, delivering the first double-digit win campaign in school history and riding one of the nation’s more dynamic offenses. Yet the Commodores were ultimately slotted beneath the Top 12, along with Notre Dame, BYU and Texas, falling just short of the Playoff cutoff.

Rather than allowing the disappointment to linger, Pavia credited head coach Clark Lea for quickly reframing the moment. He’s refocused the team ahead of its bowl matchup against Iowa.

“Coach Lea kind of led us into the mode like, ‘Hey, this is our last game. We’ll take full advantage. Let’s dominate. Let’s be the best we can be that day,’” Pavia added. “I think it’s a testament of who we’ve got leading us in Coach Lea, and the guys are going to be prepared.”

Pavia: ‘We’re gonna take full advantage of this opportunity’

For Pavia, the stakes extend beyond one final game. With his collegiate career nearing its end, he acknowledged the looming uncertainty that comes with chasing professional football dreams.

“After this, you leave it to chance for someone to draft you,” Pavia explained. “Take a chance on you. Whatever that means moving forward for all the guys. So we’re gonna take full advantage of this opportunity, and put our best foot forward against Iowa.”

Alas, the timing of Vanderbilt’s snub has been especially striking, given Pavia’s individual ascent. Earlier this week, the senior quarterback appeared on The Pivot Podcast as part of a busy media schedule leading into Saturday’s Heisman Trophy ceremony. 

Pavia is one of four finalists for the award. He’s joining Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, Ohio State’s Julian Sayin and Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love in New York. 

All season long, Pavia has been at the center of Vanderbilt’s resurgence. He led the SEC in total offense with 4,018 yards, accounted for 36 touchdowns and became just the fourth SEC player in the last 30 years to record 250 passing yards and 150 rushing yards in a single game — a group that includes Johnny Manziel, Jayden Daniels and Tim Tebow.

Whether the Heisman ends up in his hands or not, Pavia has already rewritten expectations at Vanderbilt. Missing the CFP hurts, but his impact on the program and his place in college football’s national conversation are undeniable.

— On3’s Alex Byington contributed to this article.