A request by Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia for a temporary restraining order that would allow him to play a sixth season has been denied by a federal judge.
Pavia filed suit against the NCAA on Friday, seeking another year of eligibility. His argument is that the two seasons he played at a junior college shouldn’t be held against his eligibility because he couldn’t benefit from name, image and likeness laws.
Still, the judge’s decision left a little wiggle room for Pavia. The judge agreed to expedite a hearing on a request for a preliminary injunction, which would allow the NCAA to state its case in court.
The quarterback was hoping the court would grant him a temporary restraining order to keep the NCAA from denying him another year of eligibility. With one more season, he could gain an NIL deal from Vanderbilt or enter the transfer portal when it opens Dec. 9.
Pavia started his career at the New Mexico Military Institute in 2020 and helped the team to the NJCAA National Championship in 2021. He played at New Mexico State (2022-23) before transferring to Vanderbilt this season.
“Given that Plaintiff has almost certainly been aware of the challenged bylaws and his ineligibility to play college football in the 2025-26 season for quite some time and has been discussing possible resolution with the NCAA, the Court is not persuaded that an ex parte order is justified,” William Campbell Jr., chief judge of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, wrote in his ruling, per ESPN. “This is particularly the case here where the Plaintiff seeks prospective injunctive relief, not merely preservation of the status quo.”
Per ESPN, Pavia contends in the case that junior college transfers are subject to eligibility restrictions that “are not placed on athletes who choose to delay entry to a Division I NCAA college to attend prep school, serve in the military, or even to compete professionally in another sport.”
With Pavia at quarterback, the Commodores are 6-4 — their first six-win season since 2018 and only their third since 2014. Their signature win of the season came Oct. 5 when they knocked off then-No. 1 Alabama 40-35. Their schedule also includes a pair of three-point losses to then-No. 7 Missouri on Sept.. 21 and to then-No. 5 Texas on Oct. 26.
They have two more ranked teams on the schedule to end the season — No. 22 LSU in Baton Rouge, La., on Nov. 23 and No. 7 Tennessee at home the following Saturday.
On the season, Pavia has completed 60.6 percent of his passes for 1,843 yards with 15 touchdowns and three interceptions.
