Every season, there’s always that one legit Cinderella team in college football that can actually beat a few ranked opponents instead of piling up meaningless wins. Last year, it was the Indiana Hoosiers before they established themselves as regular bullies. This year, it’s undoubtedly the Vanderbilt Commodores. Despite being one of the best programs in the country right now, people love to clown on Vanderbilt for one reason: their super senior quarterback Diego Pavia and the ongoing question of how he’s still playing college ball since 2020. Even his own fanbase jokes that he’s the oldest guy in the FBS. The former New Mexico standout finally had to set the record straight.

One of the most popular misconceptions in college football is about Pavia’s age. Many assume Diego is the oldest player to ever grace the SEC. Fair enough, the man’s in his sixth year of college football after fighting the NCAA for eligibility. But you’d be surprised to learn he’s not even in the top three oldest quarterbacks in the conference.

It’s easy to get caught up in social media buzz, but the claim that Diego Pavia is the oldest college football player in the world is simply not true. On November 11th, Vanderbilt insider Tres Lawless hopped onto X and shared a list ranking SEC quarterbacks by age. Contrary to popular belief, Pavia wasn’t at the top. Lawless mistakenly listed him as the third oldest with a 2001 birthdate. That was far from accurate.

Pavia himself reposted the viral post and cleared the air about his age slander: “IM 23–FEBRUARY 16, 2002 LOL 😂😂.” In reality, there are three other SEC quarterbacks older than him: Zach Calzada, Blake Shapen, and Joey Aguilar, all born in 2001. The idea that Pavia is the oldest football player in the world is just a wild internet rumor he’s already debunked.

Pavia returned for his final season in 2025 after winning a landmark case against the NCAA regarding his junior college eligibility. So far, he’s been lights-out, throwing for over 2,400 yards and rushing for more than 600 through early November. He’s even earned Heisman Trophy consideration and multiple weekly honors. His monster 489-yard total offense game against Auburn was a huge highlight, leading Vanderbilt to one of its best seasons in modern history.

Through Week 11, the Commodores sit at 8–2, with impressive wins over preseason No. 11 South Carolina and former No. 3 LSU. After the LSU win, Vanderbilt cracked the top 10 for the first time since 1947. They’ve also secured three regular-season wins over AP top-25 opponents in a single season, another first for the program. Pavia’s performance has lifted Vanderbilt football to heights few thought possible. The real question now: can Diego Pavia make the official Heisman contenders list and go head-to-head with the likes of Julian Sayin and Ty Simpson?

Diego Pavia for the Heisman? realistically!

Pavia has been an absolute menace for Vanderbilt, a dual-threat machine who can torch defenses with both his arm and his legs. Against Auburn, he became the first player in Vanderbilt history to record a 300-yard passing and 100-yard rushing game. So far, he’s thrown for 2,440 yards and 21 touchdowns, ranking sixth nationally in QBR. But is that enough to go blow-for-blow with the top guys from Ohio State and Alabama? That’s up for debate.

If you’re judging based on value to their team, Diego Pavia might be the pound-for-pound best player in the country. The man has single-handedly brought life back to Vanderbilt football.

That said, while Pavia is a legitimate Heisman contender, he’s not the favorite just yet. His incredible season has put both him and the Commodores in the national spotlight, but quarterbacks Fernando Mendoza from Indiana and Julian Sayin from Ohio State currently have better odds. Still, Pavia remains in the mix thanks to his insane performances, like that 400+ total yard day against Auburn. The good news? He knows where he stands. He even struck the Heisman pose after a big score against LSU the other week.

For Pavia to make a real run at the trophy, he’ll need to close the season with fireworks. Put up some insane numbers, statement wins against the No. 21 ranked Vols, and yes, playoff berth. With two games left, Diego Pavia has one mission. Play his best ball and let the football gods handle the rest.