Injury Severity of Vanderbilt Star Still Unknown After South Carolina Loss
The off week couldn’t come at a better time for the Vanderbilt Commodores.
The team is dealing with multiple lingering injuries, including start quarterback Diego Pavia who was re-injured on Saturday on the final offensive drive of the game for the Commodores.
Pavia needed help off the field during the last drive of the game and immediately went into the medical tent. He took a hard hit on his final drive of the game and was seen limping on the sideline once the game was coming to an end.
The Vandy quarterback finished the day going 16 for 31 with 166 yards passing. He also picked up 65 yards rushing on 13 carries, including a score. It wasn’t enough however as they fell to the South Carolina Gamecocks 28-7 in a soggy matchup on Saturday.
After the game, head coach Clark Lea spoke to the media about the performance of his team. When asked about Pavia’s status, he was unsure the severity at the time. During the postgame presser, the Vanderbilt quarterback was still being evaluated by medical staff.
Pavia has dealt with multiple injuries this season, including knee and shoulder issues. Having some extra time to heal up for a final push for a better bowl game could be exactly what the doctor ordered.
As long as it is not season ending, Pavia will have an extra week to prepare for his next opponent. Vanderbilt will be back in action on November 23rd as they will travel to Baton Rouge to take on the LSU Tigers. As of this weekend, both of the remaining teams on the Commodores schedule are ranked in the Top 25 of the most recent College Football Playoff Rankings.
The dream of reaching the first-ever 12-team playoff for the Commodores came to a close after the loss this weekend to the Gamecocks, but the season is still a huge success and a step in the right direction. Head coach Lea turned the program around by clinching a bowl game for the first time since 2018 when defeating the Auburn Tigers last week at Jordan-Hare Stadium. It's a big jump from where they were last season after finishing the year only 2-10.
One more win on the year will clinch the program's first winning season since 2013.
