Vanderbilt chancellor: Commodores have earned place in CFP, Diego Pavia deserves to win Heisman

This time of year in college football has turned into one full of politics. Coaches, players, and even university officials are working to get their teams into the College Football Playoff. Vanderbilt is no different than the rest, just a couple of days removed from beating Tennessee and finishing with a 10-2 record.

The school’s chancellor, Daniel Diermeier, released a statement on Monday saying the Commodores have “earned” a spot in the 12-team field. Diermeier also went to bat for quarterback Diego Pavia and his Heisman Trophy campaign.

“Vanderbilt Football finished 10-2, unbeaten at home, and proved they can compete in the SEC and at the highest level,” Diermeier said via X. “Their performance reflects the excellence we strive for across Vanderbilt, winning on and off the field.

“The evidence is clear: Vanderbilt has earned its place in the CFP, and Diego Pavia deserves to win the Heisman.”

First, looking at the entire team — Tuesday night likely tells us whether or not Vanderbilt has a chance at making the College Football Playoff. The committee will put out the penultimate rankings, just ahead of conference championship games. Vanderbilt will not be in Atlanta for the SEC Championship, meaning they cannot improve the resume any further.

Entering Saturday’s game against Tennessee, Vanderbilt was No. 14 per the CFP rankings. Four teams were in the way of earning an at-large bid, all of which also won to close out the regular season. The hope in Nashville is likely that the committee came away impressed enough with the win in Neyland Stadium to jump them into the field.

As for Pavia making his way to New York City and eventually lifting the Heisman Trophy, there is a lot of outside support for that. The latest On3 Heisman Poll had Pavia in the No. 1 spot, over multiple other quarterbacks across the country.

There is no argument when it comes to the historic season Vanderbilt has put together. Clark Lea is at the forefront of the whole thing, changing the narrative around the Commodores. After spending a lot of time in the SEC’s basement, Vandy is looking to be among the best.

And everyone around the program will try their best to get them there. Diermeier is not the first and probably is not the last person who comes out saying Vanderbilt and Pavia deserve these honors. Either way, it’s a nice waiting game taking place.