NASHVILLE —A federal appeals panel has dismissed the NCAA’s eligibility case against Vanderbilt University quarterback Diego Pavia, who is playing this season under a preliminary injunction.
The announcement of that decision came Wednesday, and all three judges agreed with the dismissal for lack of jurisdiction in a quick ruling returned after hearing only oral arguments Sept. 16 in Nashville. Judge Amul R. Thapar noted Pavia won the preliminary injunction before the NCAA hurt its appeal by granting a waiver to athletes in his position.
“The NCAA gave Pavia exactly what he wanted — a waiver that guaranteed he could play for Vanderbilt in 2025,” Thapar wrote. “Because that waiver provides Pavia complete relief at the preliminary-injunction stage, we dismiss the NCAA’s appeal as moot.”
Pavia’s first football season after high school was at New Mexico Military Institute in 2020 (a year in which the NCAA did not count that season toward the eligibility of any football players because of the COVID-19 pandemic), and he led the Broncos to the National Junior College Athletic Association championship in 2021. He then played at New Mexico State in 2022 and 2023 before transferring to Vanderbilt in 2024, making this season his sixth overall in college football but only his fourth at the Division I level.
Pavia is a big reason why Vanderbilt is ranked No. 16 and 5-0 going into Saturday’s game at No. 10 Alabama (3-1). Each team is 1-0 in Southeastern Conference play.