The most important day in Vanderbilt football history occurred on December 23, 2024. On that date, the NCAA - while faced with a lawsuit - issued a blanket waiver extending eligibility for certain former JUCO athletes for the 2025-26 scholastic year. One of those former JUCO players was quarterback Diego Pavia of Vanderbilt.

Pavia has made the most of his eligibility selection by the NCAA for himself and his team. His most recent claim to immortality was a Heisman-worthy performance for the Commodores in 2025, finishing the regular season by leading Vanderbilt to a 10-2 record and a 45-24 victory over outmanned Tennessee in Knoxville's Neyland Stadium.

The little brother from Nashville gave the big brother from Knoxville a smackdown. The younger sibling imcongrously featured the oldest team in the SEC while the older sibling featured the youngest crew. Maturity coupled with excellent coaching were the catalysts to a huge in-state win.

After Tennessee scored two touchdowns in the second quarter to take a 21-14 lead, Vanderbilt owned the remainder of the game. Touchdowns on their last drive of the first half and the first drive of the second half effectively sealed Tenneessee's fate.

It was a Vanderbilt clinic in control in the second half. Pavia, the 24-year-old maestro with a veteran’s poise, orchestrated an eleven play, 75-yard drive, capped by Sedrick Alexander's 5 yard run, silencing 101,437 orange-clad faithful in the 6:25 drive to begin the third quarter. After a Vols' punt, the Commodores added a field goal to go up 31-21, on their way to 582 total yards (312 rushing) against Tennessee’s depleted defense. The Vols managed a field goal to cut the lead to seven but that was as close as the Vols would come. Tennessee totaled only 382 yards, with Joey Aguilar throwing for 299 and DeSean Bishop running for 97. Two early Pavia interceptions were gifts Tennessee couldn’t fully unwrap.

	True Vol Fan

A crushing drop by Mike Matthews on a wide-open touchdown pass was the epitome of Tennessee's second half woes. Vandy's leading tackler was Randon Fontenette with thirteen, five solo. Tennessee's leading tackler was Andre Turrentine with fourteen and four solo. Aguilar was sacked four times; Pavia only once. 

Tennessee Coach Josh Heupel faced the music in the Neyland interview room: “Extremely disappointing second half leads to an extremely disappointing ultimate result. And coaches and players all play a part in it. So give (Vanderbilt) credit, but extremely disappointing in what we did in the second half. … Ultimately, the performance we had tonight is not anywhere near the standard of what Tennessee football is." He avoided excuses about injuries or the rebuild, repeatedly emphasizing the second-half collapse.

Across the field, Vandy Coach Clark Lea couldn’t hide the grin: “This is one for the record books - first 10-win team in program history. Diego [Pavia] was lights-out—Heisman stuff, no doubt, even with those two picks that could’ve swung momentum. Our O-line? Best game of the year; they owned the point of attack. Beating Tennessee in Knoxville? That’s validation for everything we’ve built since Day 1. Hats off to Josh [Heupel] and his kids—they’ve got a bright future. But today? This is our house now, too."


TOM’S TAKEAWAYS

• Matthews' drop of a potential touchdown pass with Vanderbilt up by only ten points in the second half proved devastating to a Tennessee comeback. Who knows what might have happened with the game's momentum if the Commodores' lead was cut to three points. Chris Bussard II had the best day for Volunteer receivers with 91 yards. Emerging star Ethan Davis had seven catches for 85 yards. 

• Tennessee has been hampered in consecutive years by the starting quarterbacks - Nico Iamaleava and now Aguilar - having only one year in Heupel's system. Hendon Hooker's successful second season had the Vols in the Top 5 and knocking on the door of the four team CFP until their inexplicable loss to South Carolina. Pavia certainly showed this year the importance of his second season at Vanderbilt. He is a solid candidate for the Heisman Trophy in 2025. 

• Tennessee's offense just did not have an identity in 2025. What worked best - their uptempo offense -  was effective during the year and indeed was also effective against Vanderbilt. Too often it appeared that the uptempo was not employed in order to protect a porous defense which was riddled all season long with injuries.

• Tennessee will need the bowl preparation work to reset the physicality and creativity in all facets of the game. This work not only includes the players and recruiting but also the coaching itself. Heupel is a solid coach but changes in the schemes and the staff is mandatory, especially after the Vandy fiasco.