The Heisman hours are about to begin. Colorado Buffs head coach Deion Sanders, who originally offered Diego Pavia a scholarship despite knowing Pavia would have to back up Shedeur Sanders, has now delivered his verdict on Pavia’s Heisman campaign.

“@diegopavia02 is HIM!” Colorado Buffs head coach Deion Sanders said on X.

Deion Sanders was the first one to extend an offer to Pavia, but his honesty and blunt take pushed him to New Mexico State.

“Coach Prime offered me at Jackson State,” Pavia said. “But he was so real. He was like, ‘Hey, look. We’re looking for a backup. You aren’t playing over my son even if he gets hurt.’ And I’m like, at least he’s real, you know? So I took the offer to New Mexico State.”

Since then, from a junior walk-on to a Heisman contender, Pavia has transformed big time. He took Vanderbilt to a 10-2 season, throwing for 3,192 passes with 27 touchdowns and eight interceptions. From being overlooked by college recruiters to watching his mother take a loan to push him to play at a bigger program, he saw it all. But never flinch. Opted for a junior college, which led him to New Mexico State and then Vanderbilt. “I told myself I believed it,” Pavia said, showing how confidence fueled his rise.

Now, Diego Pavia joins the list of fellow Heisman finalists, Fernando Mendoza, Jeremiyah Love, and Julian Sayin, and sits right behind Mendoza in the odds with +600, whereas Indiana’s quarterback is at -1000. Who’s been the favorite since their win against Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship game? What makes it interesting is if either of them wins, they will be the third Latino player ever to receive the award.

But Diego Pavia’s case grows stronger as he gains strong support from Mexican American fans, especially after winning against Alabama last year for the first time in 40 years. Additionally, his resilience and landmark legal battle significantly shaped his career, as it extended his eligibility and gave all other JUCO players hope to fight for another season of eligibility.

That win against the NCAA helped him to show his dual-threat skills as he recorded 826 rushing yards with nine touchdowns. His 4,018 total yards of offense led the SEC, which is why Deion Sanders and he himself believe he should win the Heisman.

“I want to win it, but one guy gets that opportunity, and we’ll find out tonight,” Pavia said before the Heisman Ceremony.

Pavia’s success didn’t just stop at that; he broke Vanderbilt’s single-game passing record by throwing 484 yards against Kentucky for the first time since 1981. With that he won the 2025 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, given to elite quarterbacks. And with that honor, he became the first Vanderbilt player to win that award.

All this success put Vanderbilt in the national spotlight, making it a spot for ESPN to host their College Game Day against Missouri for the first time in 17 years. So, rooting for Pavia’s Heisman success makes sense. But with his own success, Pavia is making sure even his team shines bright.

Diego Pavia gets real on his teammates struggles

Diego Pavia’s journey to Vanderbilt and then the Heisman wasn’t that easy. After transferring to New Mexico State from Albuquerque, he had to spend the first year between the bench and the starting lineup. By 2023, he led his team with 3,896 total yards and 33 touchdowns, earning Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year honors. But despite facing struggles himself, he always puts the spotlight on his teammates and their tough journey.

“We’ve got a lot of underdogs,” Pavia said. “Richie Hoskins… He was a D3 lacrosse player who transformed into a wide receiver in the SEC. We’ve got M.K. [Makhilyn Young,] who was scrubbing toilets last year. Our O-line were all people who were given up on… We’ve got a lot of players who really didn’t have a great opportunity to succeed in the college football space, and so, for us, it was wanting it for ourselves.”

Pavia explained how his teammates grinded before making it to the SEC. Running back Young spent his time at Greater Ideal Baptist Church in Midland, Texas, performing menial tasks at the church’s Life Center. He cleaned toilets and mopped floors.

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Despite having tough situations, he stood up. His admiration for others’ hardship shows the kind of person Pavia really is. He is not just there to shine alone but with his team. So, with the Heisman decision nearing its end, let’s wait and see who finally lifts up the trophy.