Vanderbilt Commodores Quarterback Already Has History with Tigers
The Vanderbilt Commodores are gearing up for their ninth game of the season, this one coming against the Auburn Tigers.
The Tigers are not a team that the Commodores play often, meeting only four times since 2008, and the meetings have had a mixed level of success for Vanderbilt as they won the first of those four in 2008 and 2012, but lost the next two in 2016 and 2023.
Now going on the road to meet Auburn at Jordan-Hare Stadium, there is a level of familiarity to this Tigers program that you may not expect when they are not played as often.
In fact, nine members of the Vandy team and coaching staff were members of the New Mexico State Aggies team that upset the Tigers at that same stadium just last year, the week before the Iron Bowl, including senior quarterback Diego Pavia.
Pavia was a big part of the Aggies' 31-10 win over Auburn, throwing for 201 yards and three touchdowns on 19 of 28 passing while adding 35 yards on the ground across eight attempts.
Pavia was not the only one partying at Jordan-Hare as their Group of Five team easily handled a Southeastern Conference mainstay, tight end Eli Stowers got in on the scoring as well, racking up four catches for 48 yards and receiving one of Pavia's three touchdown passes.
It was an all-around great, and surprising, showing for that New Mexico State team, who would finish the year with a 10-5 record, earning a trip to their sixth bowl game in program history, but would lose in that matchup, the Isleta New Mexico Bowl to the Fresno State Bulldogs 37-10.
Hugh Freeze was the coach of that Tigers team last year, and Freeze remains on the sidelines of Jordan-Hare today.
The level of familiarity that Pavia holds can only play in the Commodores' favor, as the quarterback has seen what Freeze's defense will try to do to contain him.
It is an interesting matchup to come for Vanderbilt, with a win making the program bowl-eligible for the first time since 2018.
Pavia has stepped up his game since his time with the Aggies and has proven himself to be a much better quarterback than he was then.
The familiarity that he has with Auburn can only be seen as a boon and could play a big part in Vandy's attempt at win number six.
