Heroes are not made in a day. It takes belief, determination, and persistent hard work to reach that status. The story of Vanderbilt Commodores and their hero, Diego Pavia, this season has been an arc nothing short of redemption and determination. They finished the season with a 7-6 record, which is their first winning season since 2013. And Pavia? Well, his story has been like pages taken out of those superhero comics. The ingredients? Well, there is everything you can imagine and more. So, let’s dissect the journey piece by piece.

Vanderbilt went into the match against Alabama on 6th October 2024, in Nashville, Tennessee, having lost all 60 games against the top 5 AP teams. And, so Vanderbilt’s loss was already written on the clouds beaming down on the FirstBank Stadium. But Vanderbilt was screaming defiance. And so began the most dreaded 60 minutes in Alabama’s 40-year period. Sedrick Alexander, the Vanderbilt running back, started to run riot as Diego Pavia cut passes through the Alabama defense like a hot knife through butter. And after 2 lethal turnovers and 6 Touchdowns, the score read 40-35.

“This is the dream, right here, and for the next 12 hours, I’m going to enjoy the dream. We’ve got more ahead of us, but this is what Vanderbilt football needs to be about: Big wins on big stages. We’re going to get some more,” said Clark Lea, the head coach. The feat executed by Vanderbilt and Pavia is nothing short of a miracle, which ultimately has the potential to change the fortunes of the team and Pavia, who might be a millionaire now.

Well, Michael Bratton and Steve Lassan, SEC insiders who run a podcast on YouTube provide the answer, ” Vanderbilt beating Alabama was the best game of the year, it’s the first time in 40 years they have done so. Vanderbilt is a college, like double number beating number one, being unranked, Diego Pavia probably made a million dollars just off that one win and more.” So, it seems that it’s all sunny in Nashville. After all, the win is expected to make them more threatening in the future and will certainly help Pavia in his NIL exploits. Michael and Steve also provide an insight into the future of Vanderbilt.

“Not only from the on-field production impact but the off-field belief that Vanderbilt has it, changed the culture, I think every time that Vanderbilt steps on the field with Pavia at QB they believe they can win those games, so there’s a whole mindset change. Vanderbilt is no longer a cupcake in this league in fact they’ve won multiple conference games for the first time in a decade“. Of course, the impact is undoubtedly exponential, and with NIL in play, they can certainly bank on their victory and build a solid foundation from there. So, let’s analyze how Vanderbilt can exploit their NIL space and build a solid team going into the 2025 season.

Future ventures for Vanderbilt and Pavia

Just after the win, the Vanderbilt QB didn’t leave an opportunity to jump on the opportunity to get himself heard in the NIL conversations. He shared on X, ” For NIL inquiries hit my agent …5055447267… Vandy we turn!! “. And if the statement looks less persuading then hear this. Before going into the game Pavia had an undisclosed NIL value estimated to be around $711,00, which still was substantial. But, as of now, his NIL is estimated to be over $1 Million with various brand deals lining up his door. Notably, On3 also reposted his post on their Instagram account about various brands Pavia would be interested in collaborating. That included prominent brands like Ferrari, Dr. Pepper, and Nike.

Vanderbilt has also gained a lot after their season. That is evident from the fact that after the match against Alabama T-shirts and Merchandise commemorating the win were sold for as high as $33. Furthermore, Michael Bratton and Steve Lassan also shared how they can bank on the NIL space, “ I think there’s a belief that Vanderbilt can also play in the NIL space. They can do a good job of evaluating they got the right OC and Jerry Kill is a big part of that“. Jerry is currently the chief consultant to the head coach, Clark Lea. Notably, he is credited with turning around teams and taking several relatively new programs to their pinnacle. 

Going into the 2025 season, they have some good fixtures to play. That will see them facing the likes of Virginia Tech, South Carolina, LSU, Kentucky, and Alabama again.  So, it’s looking more and more clear that after the change in the fortunes of the team, they can dream again. And going into the next season they can certainly build from the solid foundations and climb through the ranks of college football. And Diego Pavia? Well, he will certainly be their hero, because not all heroes wear capes, some wear Black and Gold too!!