Diego Pavia’s attorney says Vandy QB could challenge for another season of eligibility
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Diego Pavia’s attorney could make a case to get the Vanderbilt star quarterback a potential 7th season of college eligibility.
During a hearing on Tuesday in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, Pavia’s attorney said that unless the rules aren’t found to be subject to antitrust, they’re all set to add a challenge to the redshirt rule and seek an injunction for Pavia to be allowed to play next season. Sports law professor Sam Ehrlich, who teaches at Boise State, reported the potential challenge for Pavia to play in 2026.
The “redshirt rule” challenge would argue that all players deserve 5 full seasons of NCAA eligibility as opposed to a 5th year only applying to players who redshirt and do not play a full season. Pavia’s 6th year was granted amid a legal challenge that JUCO should not apply to NCAA eligibility.
Now, according to Ehrlich’s post on Tuesday, there could be a path for Pavia to continue playing at Vanderbilt next fall.
Pavia has transformed himself into stardom in Nashville over the past season-plus in the SEC after spending the previous 2 seasons at New Mexico State. The Vanderbilt signal-caller has led the Commodores to a 3-0 start this season and a No. 20 ranking in the new AP Poll. So far this season, Pavia has thrown for 645 yards and 7 touchdowns in the 3 victories.
Now, it appears his time at Vanderbilt could extend beyond 2025, if things in the courtroom break right and he’s allowed to return next fall for yet another season of college football.
Cory Nightingale, a former sportswriter and sports editor at the Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post, is a South Florida-based freelance writer who covers Alabama for SaturdayDownSouth.com.
