NASHVILLE, Tenn. —Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia received a pair of accolades on Monday after he was named to both the Davey O’Brien Award’s Great 8 and a Manning Award Star of the Week, his first national honors of the season.
Commodore fans can vote here until 9 a.m. CT Wednesday for Pavia to be selected the Manning Award Quarterback of the Week.
He earned the recognition after accounting for 400 yards of total offense and six touchdowns in the Dores’ 55-35 win over Utah State, with his efforts helping Vandy to its first 5-0 start since 2008.
Pavia completed 26-of-34 passes for 321 yards and a school-record-tying five touchdowns against the Aggies, and he also led the Dores with 79 yards and a score on just nine carries while guiding a unit that finished with 543 yards of total offense. In addition to recording a career high in completions while posting 400 yards of total offense for the second time in his collegiate career, he became the only Commodore to account for six touchdowns against an NCAA FBS opponent since the start of the 1996 campaign.
Originally from Albuquerque, New Mexico, Pavia posted his most yards passing since joining the program while also moving up to sixth on Vandy’s all-time list with 33 career touchdown passes.
The graduate quarterback led a Dore offense that has scored 30-plus points in each of its first five games, and 50 or more points in consecutive contests, for the first time since the 1915 season.
Pavia currently ranks among the top 10 in the nation in passing touchdowns, pass efficiency rating, completion percentage, and points responsible for, and is also in the top 15 in total offense and yards per pass attempt.
He and the Commodores—now ranked 16th and 17th, respectively, in the Associated Press and AFCA coaches’ polls—return to SEC action Saturday at No. 10/11 Alabama. Kickoff at Bryant-Denny Stadium is set for 2:30 p.m. on ABC.
