Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia expressed disappointment after finishing second in the Heisman Trophy voting to Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza. Following the awards ceremony, Pavia shared a post from comedian Theo Von on his Instagram story that read, “F- all the voters but … family for life,” which reflected his frustration over the outcome.
On Sunday evening, Pavia took to social media to apologize. He acknowledged the honor of being a Heisman finalist, stating, “Being a part of the Heisman ceremony last night as a finalist was such an honor. As a competitor, just like in everything I do I wanted to win. To be so close to my dream and come up short was painful. I didn’t handle those emotions well at all and did not represent myself the way I wanted to.” He emphasized his respect for the Heisman voters and recognized Mendoza’s achievements, stating, “Fernando Mendoza is an elite competitor and a deserving winner of the award.”
Mendoza claimed the Heisman after leading the Indiana Hoosiers to a perfect 13-0 season and securing the Big Ten title, marking their first conference championship since 1967. The Hoosiers are the top seed in the College Football Playoff, achieving the winningest season in the program’s history.
Pavia also had a remarkable season with the No. 14 ranked Commodores, finishing 10-2 in the regular season, which marked the first time Vanderbilt has won ten games. He set a single-game passing record for the school with 484 yards against Kentucky and was the team’s leading rusher. Although both players had compelling cases for the Heisman, Mendoza won decisively with 2,362 points and 643 first-place votes compared to Pavia’s 1,435 points and 189 first-place votes.
This year’s Heisman voting saw Mendoza’s victory margin become the largest since 2021, indicating a significant impact of his performance throughout the season. Pavia’s acknowledgment of his emotions signals a growing maturity as a competitor, and both players exemplify the high level of talent present in college football today.