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Vanderbilt Commodores quarterback Diego Pavia is off to a rough start in his lawsuit against the NCAA seeking an extra season of eligibility. On Wednesday, a federal judge denied Pavia’s request for a temporary restraining order that would have immediately granted him an additional season.
However, the judge did not shut down the case altogether. Pavia attempted to expedite the case so that it would be decided before Dec. 9, which marks the first day the transfer portal window officially opens. Pavia’s representation claims that it would “place him between a rock and a hard place” should he have to wait any further according to ESPN’s Mark Schlabach.
Judge William Campbell Jr. didn’t see things the same way.
“Given that Plaintiff has almost certainly been aware of the challenged bylaws and his ineligibility to play college football in the 2025-26 season for quite some time and has been discussing possible resolution with the NCAA, the Court is not persuaded that an ex parte order is justified,” Campbell Jr. wrote. “This is particularly the case here where the Plaintiff seeks prospective injunctive relief, not merely preservation of the status quo.”
Diego Pavia Became One Of College Football’s Biggest Stars This Season
Pavia has been a revelation this season for the 6-4 Commodores. He spent the first two seasons of his college career playing junior college football at New Mexico Military Institute. He then transferred to New Mexico State University before following head coach Jerry Kill to Vanderbilt, where Kill works as an assistant.
In his first season with Vandy, Pavia has captured the hearts of college football fans everywhere. He’s completed 60.6 percent of his passes for 1,843 yards, 15 touchdowns and just three interceptions. Pavia also gets it done with his feet, rushing for 628 yards and five scores.
But it’s his attitude, as much as his play, that has turned him into a star. Pavia is a fiery competitor that thrives in the underdog role. He went from under-the-radar star to a household name after the Commodores upset Alabama for the first time in 40 years.
Now he’s looking to capitalize on that stardom. But it appears his legal battle is off to a shaky start.