When you’re among the top quarterbacks in the SEC, you’re going to feel powerful. That’s exactly the case with Diego Pavia, who’s playing in 2025 after fighting his eligibility terms in court. If you wanted to see more of the phenomenal QB, you might be in luck. Pavia might be coming back for another year, as the fight for more eligibility resumes.

Diego Pavia is going to court once again in hopes of playing another college football season, reports confirm. The Vanderbilt QB is already in his 6 season, and has been absolutely phenomenal for the Commodores this year. Pavia’s attorneys have filed a new lawsuit, Patterson vs NCAA, that challenges the rules around redshirt years, per Sportico. This new case now argues that college football players should plainly have five years of eligibility. That’s because they are allotted that time period to “practice” and “graduate.”

Pavia’s current season marked a landmark moment in college football and the rules around college football eligibility. He had transferred to the FBS from JUCO football in 2024. By that time, he had already been on the gridiron for 4 years, and that meant he had exhausted his years of playing. He then challenged that this limit was interfering with his scope of NIL earnings, now that college football players can make some serious money in the sport. And in this important year, Pavia is proving his worth. He has helped Clark Lea turn around Vanderbilt football in just 2 years.

Dec 27, 2024; Birmingham, AL, USA; Vanderbilt Commodores quarterback Diego Pavia (2) warms up before the 2024 Birmingham Bowl at Protective Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

Diego Pavia has established a 3-0 record so far and is one of the best quarterbacks in the SEC. For the first two weeks of the 2025 season, he topped the PFF chart in QB ratings. The Vanderbilt QB admitted that he was offered $4 – $4.5 million to transfer to other schools. And the potential to make money is essentially the background that is driving cases similar to that of Pavia’s. This new decision comes amidst hearings in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit between the NCAA and Pavia still ongoing fight for another year of college football.

According to On3, Pavia is a dark horse candidate to even win the Heisman this year. He became famous for dragging Alabama through the mud last year. But this season, he’s proving that he’s got game in him, based on his performance so far. He helped the Commodores end their 16-year losing streak against the Gamecocks, and helped them break into the AP poll at No. __ as well. He’s a serious weapon for Vanderbilt, and they would definitely want to make use of his talents for one more year. However, the road ahead can be tricky.

Diego Pavia’s fight to play in 2026 will not be easy

Sports law professor, Sam Ehrlich, who reported the story, already “[had] a feeling [the demand for another year] would be the case.” But, the road ahead gets complicated for Pavia’s attorneys. This new appeal will only takeoff if they find that the “rules are not found to be subject to antitrust,” Technically, a door can be opened by Pavia to be able to play in 2026. But there are some areas that need to be addressed before that. “It does seem right now like the panel is very skeptical that the appeal is still a live controversy and isn’t mooted by the NCAA conceding that Pavia will play for the rest of 2025,” Ehrlich added.

In simpler words: Pavia getting an injunction for his previous lawsuit wasn’t a final ruling. He is able to play this season because it simply restricts the NCAA from preventing the QB to do so. If the NCAA relents and ‘grants’ Pavia his demand for extra eligibility, that will mean there is no need for the new case. Moreover, the extra redshirt year is really in place so that college football players can adapt to the stark change in college football, as they come from high school. We’ll have to see if Pavia’s lawyers can find a way around all these factors.

Diego Pavia can be a gamechanger to any roster keeping him. That’s why his value is so high, financially. Interestingly, there isn’t much chatter about his NFL future. Which is why, now is when he gets the best of out of his “services”. College football is not just a competitive sport on the field, but also when it comes to money. The NIL era has only just begun with the House Settlement, and it’s something that brings instant benefits to players. Pavia isn’t going to sit back and let that opportunity slide when he a somewhat clear shot at it.