Vanderbilt defeats LSU by 31-24. Coming out of a bye week, the Commodores ended their 10-game losing streak against the Tigers. QB Diego Pavia helped Vanderbilt recover from a 35-year drought, securing their first win against LSU since 1990. Before the bye week, Pavia took the blame for the loss against Alabama, but Johnny Manziel believed in him, saying, “That is my Dawg.” The former Aggie has been repeatedly asked why he supports Pavia over A&M’s Marcel Reed, and we finally have an answer from the Heisman winner. 

On the October 18 episode of Nightcap, Johnny Manziel joined Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson to review the Week 8 action of college football. When discussing Vanderbilt’s win over LSU, Manziel cleared up a question that was doing the rounds in college football discourse. Why do we see Manziel on the sidelines supporting Pavia and not Reed? Johnny was there at the Commodores’ sidelines when Clark Lea’s team played Alabama. 

In his response, Manziel said that he supports not only Pavia but also every QB who lives his dream. “Because I’m with every quarterback that’s going out and living their dream and playing on Saturdays. Every single one of them.” 

“Carson Beck, you’re on my sh-t list a little bit right now after what you did this week, but I still love you. I’m still going to see you in the club live on Sunday, I’m sure.” Manziel referenced Beck’s four interceptions, which ended Miami’s undefeated streak. “Nevertheless, I want to be a guy who comes in and helps hype up these dudes, give them good advice, and learn from my downfalls, from my pitfalls.”

“So, whether it’s Marcel, whether it’s Diego, whether it’s Ty Simpson, whoever it is, I’m reaching out to all these guys,” Manziel assures. “I’m sending a lot of love and a lot of advice in whatever capacity they want it from me, and any quarterback that’s out there in college football living their dream, walking into Saturday and putting the university on their back to go try and win a game. That is nothing but love for me.”

Having said that, Pavia and Manziel’s relationship also goes back to last season. Vanderbilt’s QB1 revealed that he models his game after Manziel. Just like him, Pavia does not hesitate to talk a big game and then deliver it on the field. We saw a glimpse of his on-field theatrics against LSU.

Diego Pavia pulls a Johnny Manziel celebration

Against LSU, Diego Pavia paid homage to Manziel with a celebration. In the third quarter, Pavia scored after a touchdown run and pulled a Johnny Manziel with his celebration. Pavia hit the Heisman Trophy pose and went on to do Manziel’s signature “money gesture” celebration.

Pavia also backed Manziel’s belief in him, completing 14 of 22 passes for 160 yards and one touchdown. He also added 86 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Pavia now has a passing and a rushing touchdown in 25 straight games. Vanderbilt is 6-1 for the first time in 75 years, and Pavia now has a chance to lead the Commodores into the SEC championship game and the playoffs.

However, Vanderbilt’s path to the playoffs is not so easy, as they are now set to face two ranked opponents in the next two weeks. Vanderbilt will face the No. 16 Missouri Tigers in Week 9, which has a 6-1 record this season. In Week 10, Vanderbilt will face the No. 21 Texas Longhorns.