Diego Pavia apologizes for reaction to Heisman loss: 'It was a mistake' - ESPN

Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia, the Heisman Trophy runner-up, apologized Sunday for «being disrespectful» in a social media post he made after Indiana's Fernando Mendoza won the award for college football's best player.

«F-All THE VOTERS,» Pavia wrote Saturday night on his Instagram story with a thumbs-down emoji, «BUT.....FAMILY FOR LIFE.»

The caption accompanied a photo of Pavia with his offensive linemen at the ceremony in New York.

Pavia faced criticism for his reaction, and on Sunday he posted a statement saying he didn't handle his emotions well after losing.

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...

«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,» Pavia wrote on X. «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.

»I have much love and respect for the Heisman voters and the selection process, and I apologize for being disrespectful. It was a mistake, and I am sorry."

Pavia struck the Heisman pose several times this season while throwing for 3,192 yards with 27 touchdowns and 8 interceptions. He also rushed for 826 yards and added nine more scores on the ground while leading Vanderbilt to a 10-2 record.

Mendoza became Indiana's first Heisman winner, leading the Hoosiers to their first No. 1 ranking and the top seed in the College Football Playoff bracket. He threw for 2,980 yards