Vanderbilt snagged a solid 31-24 win against the #10 LSU Tigers. Along with the win, the fans got a major taste of Diego Pavia’s ability. The Commodores QB played like he was the star of a primetime show. He completed 14/22 passes for 160 yards and even entered the end zone one time. But it was not just his hands making the big plays. Pavia led Vanderbilt’s running back room with 86 yards on 17 carries and scored two rushing touchdowns. However, post-game, Pavia hit the news for entirely different reasons.

After a win like that, it’s pretty obvious for the media to rack you up with questions about your plays in the game. But in a major turn of events, Diego Pavia didn’t attend the post-game pressers. On3’s Pete Nakos confirmed it by saying, “Diego Pavia is not doing postgame interviews. Per Vandy communications, ‘He’s not able to.'” This raises major questions about Pavia’s duties as a quarterback for the Commodores. Now, as a matter of fact, head coach Clark Lea did make an appearance in front of the media.

Now the Commodores have lost just one game this season, and that was against Alabama. In that game, Vanderbilt only managed nine rushing yards after halftime. That lack of a run game really stalled their drives and gave Alabama control. Then there were red zone mistakes that stung hard. Pavia threw an interception and even fumbled inside the red zone, and Alabama turned those turnovers into 10 points. His pass completions really took a hit, with 21 out of 35 passes completed. But after that loss, Pavia was there in front of the media, taking accountability for the mistakes.

“I pressed too hard because I knew that time was limited,” Pavia said after the Alabama loss. “And then you know you can’t turn the ball over twice in the red zone and expect to win in these clash games.” In contrast to that, Pavia actually made proper amends against LSU. It’s as if he were controlling the game. Late in the fourth quarter, instead of pushing for a risky third rushing score, he slid just short of the goal line, killing the clock and showing off some serious game IQ. Plus, there is this one highlight that perfectly captured his swagger.

After a slick 21-yard touchdown dash in the third quarter, Pavia hit the Heisman pose in the end zone like he was announcing his arrival as a legitimate contender. So when all the good things were in Pavia’s favor, why wouldn’t he face the media? One possible speculation that may come across as an excuse for his absence is some kind of injury scare. Last season, Pavia was battling a torn hamstring he suffered during Vanderbilt’s win over Kentucky. But he fought through that, completing 15 of 18 passes for 143 yards with two touchdowns and rushing for 53 yards.

However, because of that condition, it made it pretty difficult for Pavia to reach his full potential for the rest of the season. Even in the 2025 preseason, he dealt with calf tightness that limited him in practice. So, keeping all this in mind, is it possible that Pavia might be feeling some kind of pain in his body after this staggering win?

Breaking a 35-Year drought

Now, Diego Pavia’s absence from the post-game presser wouldn’t really stop the Commodores’ celebration from a solid win. You know why? Because it was their first triumph over LSU since 1990. Yeah, breaking a 35-year drought that felt like an eternity for the Commodores. Vanderbilt moved to 6-1 and now boasts two Top 10 wins and two power-five road victories. In a world where many doubted Vanderbilt’s playoff chances, this game showed that this team is no joke.

LSU’s defense was completely demolished. Before Saturday, LSU’s defense had only ever given up a maximum of 24 points in a game. But Vanderbilt had already hit that mark before halftime. They scored on four of their first five drives and piled up 399 total yards. On top of that, Diego Pavia was a maestro, with fewer numbers this time. His jaw-dropping 4th and 1 escape, where he evaded a defender to complete a clutch 14-yard conversion to MK Young, was commendable.

On the other side, LSU’s offense put up its best performance of the season, with Garrett Nussmeier throwing for 225 yards and completing 19-of-28 passes. But despite LSU scoring 24, Vanderbilt’s defense played a major role in keeping the Tigers contained. TE Cole Spence portrayed grit even with a knee brace. He caught five passes for 56 yards and a touchdown. Clark Lea’s Vanderbilt is a force now, and the season feels like a genuine playoff chase.