Diego Pavia slams Heisman voters after loss to Fernando Mendoza

While Fernando Mendoza savors his Heisman Trophy victory as he prepares for the Indiana Hoosiers’ College Football Playoff run, Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia, one of the Heisman finalists, is not happy with how voters reached their outcome Saturday night.

Pavia, the Commodores’ veteran signal-caller, was candid about what he thought of Mendoza’s victory in New York.

While posting a photo on his Instagram Stories with a few of his Commodores teammates, Pavie gave his thoughts on the voters.

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“F-All the voters,” he wrote with a thumbs-down emoji. “But… a family for life.”

Pavia, 23, finished in second place, although she was a distant second after receiving 189 votes for first place, compared to Mendoza’s 643.

INDIANA’S FERNANDO MENDOZA WINS 2025 HEISMAN TROPHY

On Sunday evening, Pavie apologized to X.

“Being a part of the Heisman ceremony last night as a finalist was such an honor. As a competitor, as in everything I do, I wanted to win,” he wrote. “Being so close to my dream and failing was painful. I didn’t handle those emotions well at all and I didn’t represent myself the way I wanted to. I have a lot of love and respect for the Heisman voters and the selection process, and I apologize for being disrespectful. It was a mistake and I’m sorry.

“Fernando Mendoza is an elite competitor and a deserving recipient of this award. I have nothing but respect for his accomplishments as well as the success of Jeremiyah and Julian this season. I have doubted myself my entire life.

“At every step of my journey, I’ve had to kick down doors and fight for myself, as I learned that nothing would be given to me. My family has always been by my side, and my teammates, coaches and staff have my six. I love them – I’m grateful for them – and I wouldn’t want anything to distract from that. I look forward to competing in front of my family and with my team once again in the ReliaQuest Bowl.”

Mendoza led the Hoosiers to a Big Ten Championship victory over Ohio State to remain undefeated, putting them in first place in the overall College Football Playoff standings.

However, Mendoza’s opponents pointed out that he only had 2,980 passing yards, despite throwing a Big Ten-leading 33 touchdowns with just six interceptions thrown in 13 games. Mendoza also added six rushing touchdowns on 69 attempts.

Vanderbilt running back Sedrick Alexander (28) celebrates with quarterback Diego Pavia (2) after scoring a touchdown during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Tennessee, Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, in Knoxville, Tennessee. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)

Meanwhile, Pavia, playing his sophomore season at Vanderbilt after starting at New Mexico State, led the SEC with a 71.2 percent passing rate with 27 touchdowns, 3,192 passing yards and nine rushing scores as well. He rushed for 826 yards on 152 attempts.

Pavia’s reaction to the voting results isn’t exactly a shock, as he was always confident in himself to the point where he kept telling voters to send him to New York because he felt he deserved the Heisman.

Heisman Trophy candidate quarterback Diego Pavia of the Vanderbilt Commodores poses with the Heisman Memorial Trophy before the 2025 Heisman Trophy presentation at the Marriott Marquis Hotel on December 13, 2025 in New York. (Adam Faim/Getty Images)

“The Heisman Trophy winner goes to the best player in college football,” Pavia said on OutKick’s “Hot Mic.” “I believe that to be myself, you have to check the numbers and above all, there are two things that don’t lie to you: the numbers and the tape. I’ve been taught that since I was young, you’re going to check that. I feel like I’m without a doubt the best player in college football.”

Vanderbilt was 10-2 this year, ranking 14th nationally at season’s end.