Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia Issues Challenge to Auburn After Dominating Past Wins
Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze is about to face off against a quarterback who’s had his number for quite some time. Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia has never lost to a Freeze-led team, having gone 3-0 against him, dating back to Freeze’s tenure at Liberty.
In a recent appearance on Netflix Sports Club, Pavia discussed the cold reception he received from Freeze after his dominant performance against Auburn while playing for New Mexico State.
“It looked like the handshake was like, ‘Yeah, Coach, check me out for next season,’” host Dani Klupenger said. “But they didn’t. So, you get to go back and beat them again. Do you think Auburn finally respects you?”
Pavia responded with a grin: “Oh, I don’t think so. Actually, I’ve got a teammate who talks to some guys over at Auburn, and let’s just say, I’m looking forward to playing them this year.”
In 2023, Pavia outplayed Auburn’s Payton Thorne, leading New Mexico State to a 31-10 victory with three touchdowns. Despite Pavia’s success, Freeze opted to stick with Thorne for the 2024 season, while Pavia transferred to Vanderbilt.
Though Pavia threw for just 142 yards on 9 of 22 passing in that victory, it was more about Auburn’s struggles than his performance. However, Pavia still threw two touchdowns to secure the win, continuing his streak of success against Freeze’s teams.
At 5-foot-10, Pavia is well aware that he’s often overlooked by college football analysts who focus on hype and size over performance. “You look at some of the top QB lists, and I’m not on it,” he said. “They go off hype and size, but if you check the numbers and the tape… ain’t nobody better.”
Before facing Vanderbilt last season, Freeze admitted, “I’m sick of seeing that quarterback. I’ve had enough of him.”
At the 2025 SEC Media Days, Pavia was asked why he’s had such success against Freeze and Auburn over the years.
“Maybe they’ve got a spell on him or something,” Pavia joked. “Just kidding. Auburn is a really good team, and Coach Freeze is a great coach and a great person. I played against him at Liberty, and we were fortunate enough to beat him. That win helped us get to a bowl game.”
As for the upcoming matchup between Auburn and Vanderbilt, Pavia added, “Who knows what’ll happen in Nashville for game four?”
With a perfect record against Freeze’s teams, Pavia has a chance to extend his dominance when Auburn faces Vanderbilt on November 8th. Freeze will have one more opportunity to finally get the better of Pavia.
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