For most quarterbacks, finishing second in the Heisman race is a career highlight. For Diego Pavia, it was a declaration of war. On top of that, a former winner was listening. Instead of a soft pep talk, a Heisman voter aired out Pavia’s insult and shared how he took it personally.

“He f—– me,” said Mark Ingram II on the December 16th episode of The Triple Option podcast. “That’s fine, because guess what? My trophy’s sitting right there. I don’t give a damn who you F.”

Significantly, Mark Ingram II can vote for the Heisman Trophy because all former Heisman winners receive a lifetime vote as part of the official balloting process.

Pavia etched his name into Vanderbilt history as only the program’s second-ever Heisman vote-getter. The trophy, however, went to Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Mendoza. But many felt it was Pavia who got shortchanged. He racked up 189 first-place votes.

Plus, Pavia dominated the second-place column with 352, added 164 third-place nods, and finished with 1,435 points. Mendoza, though, ran away with it, 643 first-place votes and 2,362 total points sealed the deal.

Finishing second in the Heisman race is usually a badge of honor, but not for Pavia. The Vanderbilt quarterback made it clear he wasn’t celebrating, taking to Instagram to unload on voters over the runner-up finish.

“F-All THE VOTERS,” Pavia wrote on December 13 on his Instagram story with a thumbs-down emoji, “BUT…FAMILY FOR LIFE.”

The caption was paired with a shot of Pavia standing alongside his offensive line at the New York ceremony. This landed the Vanderbilt Commodores directly in the hot seat. But why did Pavia lose in the first place?

Mendoza led Indiana’s charge, but Pavia fueled Vanderbilt’s rise. The Heisman winner posted 2,980 yards through the air, 33 touchdowns, six interceptions, and six rushing scores in a perfect 13-0 campaign.

On the other hand, Pavia pushed even harder, posting 3,192 passing yards, 27 touchdowns, and eight picks. He also put in a solid 71.2% pass completions and 826 rushing yards with nine more scores. Yet, Pavia’s reaction made the headlines, and the quarterback later apologized.

“To be so close to my dream and come up short was painful,” the quarterback wrote an apology note on X. “I didn’t handle those emotions well at all and did not represent myself the way I wanted to.”

Pavia’s reaction has already rubbed a legend the wrong way. Ingram, as a sophomore, made history for Alabama by winning the 75th Heisman at the Nokia Theatre, stacking 1,304 points and 227 first-place votes to narrowly edge Stanford’s Toby Gerhart in the closest vote ever.

Meanwhile, Pavia’s unapologetic nature is nothing new. 

Diego Pavia’s bold message before the Heisman

In November 2024, Pavia took his fight off the field, filing a federal lawsuit against the NCAA. He challenged the bylaws, arguing that they unfairly excluded JUCO players from Division I action. And Pavia won, earning another year of eligibility.

So, that’s how his bravado paid off. 

This sentiment was then reflected in Pavia’s speech before the Heisman ceremony. 

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“I don’t want it to come off as cocky or arrogant,” said the Vanderbilt quarterback. “I feel like sometimes I have to be my own cheerleader in a way. Obviously, as an underdog, paying to walk on in JUCO, you’ve kind of got to be your own cheerleader. It just never left my head.”

Mendoza didn’t take Pavia’s disrespectful act lightly. A celebratory media moment quickly morphed into a flashpoint, adding heat to the rivalry. What should have been a simple celebration with the media became a flashpoint in a heated rivalry, as Indiana’s first Heisman winner shared with reporters how the team marked the achievement.

“We know how to handle ourselves with class,” Mendoza kept things straight and sharp. “We don’t need all that extra-curricular, if you know what I’m alluding to, to have a ton of fun.”

With Pavia’s tweet making waves across the college football landscape, it’s fair to say it could ripple into his next chapter, the NFL. After all, he’s already got one foot on the next level.

“We’ve got one last game against Iowa,” the Vanderbilt quarterback said after the Heisman finale. “[But] I would be really excited to be drafted. What you’re going to get out of me is a competitor that wants to win at all costs.”

Even without the drama, Diego Pavia’s 6-foot, 207-pound frame isn’t ideal for the NFL grind. Does this latest controversy just make the climb steeper?