Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt come up short in bowl game as star QB's NCAA eligibility lawsuit ramps up

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Vanderbilt Commodores quarterback Diego Pavia came up short in his pursuit of a ReliaQuest Bowl win over the Iowa Hawkeyes on Wednesday afternoon.

Iowa won the game, 34-27.

Pavia was 25 of 38 for 347 yards with three total touchdowns — two passing and one rushing. The Heisman Trophy finalist had an 11-yard touchdown run to cut the deficit to seven points. Iowa and Vanderbilt then traded field goals, but the Commodores couldn’t get the ball back.

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Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia throws a pass against Iowa during the first half of the ReliaQuest Bowl Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

The loss to end Vanderbilt’s season comes as Pavia fights the NCAA over its eligibility rules. Although he may end up entering the NFL Draft, the lawsuit is continuing in hopes of helping other junior college players. The lawsuit challenges the NCAA rule that counts seasons spent at junior colleges against players’ eligibility for Division I football.

Last week, a lawyer for Pavia and 26 other football players cited the NCAA’s decision to allow an NBA Draft pick to return to college basketball as a reason a federal judge should let his clients play in 2026 and 2027.

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Vanderbilt Commodores quarterback Diego Pavia throws a pass against the Iowa Hawkeyes in the first quarter during the ReliaQuest Bowl at Raymond James Stadium Dec. 31,