Diego Pavia admitted to missing warmups before Vanderbilt's 30-14 loss to Alabama, describing the experience as a blur. This defeat significantly impacted Vanderbilt's College Football Playoff aspirations.
Key points
Diego Pavia missed warmups before the Alabama game
Vanderbilt lost to Alabama 30-14
The loss impacted Vanderbilt's playoff hopes
Pavia won multiple awards in 2025
Diego PaviaVanderbiltAlabamaCollege Football Playoff
Diego Pavia reached the highest of heights during the final two seasons of his college career, propelling Vanderbilt to relevance after a dormant decade for the program.
In 2025, Pavia was rewarded for his performances, capturing a treasure trove of prizes, including the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award for the nation's best upperclassman quarterback, SEC Offensive Player of the Year and SN College Football Player of the Year. He and his team could've achieved even more had they beaten Alabama when they had the chance.
The Commodores fell to the Crimson Tide, 30-14, on Oct. 4. The loss â coupled with another defeat at the hands of Texas â effectively dashed Vanderbilt's College Football Playoff hopes. Pavia took the blame for the result seven months later, explaining that things could have been different had he just woken up on time.
Here's what you need to know.
Q&A
What did Diego Pavia say about missing warmups before the Alabama game?
Diego Pavia admitted that missing warmups felt like a blur and took responsibility for the loss.
How did Vanderbilt's loss to Alabama affect their playoff chances?
The loss to Alabama, along with another defeat to Texas, effectively ended Vanderbilt's hopes of making the College Football Playoff.
What awards did Diego Pavia win in 2025?
In 2025, Diego Pavia won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, SEC Offensive Player of the Year, and SN College Football Player of the Year.
What was the final score of the Vanderbilt vs. Alabama game?
Vanderbilt lost to Alabama with a final score of 30-14 on October 4.
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Why did Diego Pavia miss warmups before Alabama game?
Pavia revisited a less-than-ideal showing in Vanderbilt's 30-14 loss to Alabama on Oct. 4. Pavia struggled mightily against the Tide's vaunted defense, failing to penetrate their front line save for a few moments. While speaking on "The Pivot" podcast with Ryan Clark, the newly-minted hurler offered a potential explanation for his toils: he missed warmups.
More specifically, Pavia overslept, messing up his pre-game commute.
âIt felt like a blur, almost,â Pavia said. "I wake up, and Iâm in the stadium already. I kinda delayed the process, I wasnât able to throw the ball pregame, and itâs just like, I didnât feel like me that day.â
The Commodores were flying at the time, having vanquished each of their first five foes to start the year -- including then-No. 11 South Carolina.
They hoped to author up a similar performance against the Crimson Tide to the one they put forth one year earlier. Pavia was the star of the show that day, accounting for nearly 300 yards of total offense and two touchdowns as Vanderbilt bested Alabama for its first victory over top-ranked opposition.
Things didn't go nearly as smooth for the Commodores in the reverse fixture. Pavia struggled, completing just 60 percent of his passes for 198 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
âMy feet was off the whole game, my mind was slow,â he said
Vanderbilt huffed and puffed, but was no match for the Tide. The defeat sunk the Commodores' playoff hopes for good.
Vanderbilt's loss put it behind the eight-ball in terms of qualifying for a CFP spot. Clark Lea's side remained in the hunt in the weeks that followed, vanquishing No. 10 LSU and No. 15 Missouri to climb inside the top-10.
But the Commodores followed those showings with a lackluster display in a Nov. 1 loss to Texas. Vanderbilt actually finished the regular-season with a better record than Alabama. The nature of the Commodores' defeat to the Tide left them without a big margin of error, however. The Longhorns result was one step too far for the committee, who ruled in Alabama's favor despite Kalen DeBoer's side suffering a comfortable defeat at the hands of Georgia in the SEC championship.
