Quarterback Diego Pavia brought life to the Vanderbilt Commodores football program in 2024. The New Mexico State transfer led the ‘Dores to the program’s first winning season since 2013, finishing 7-6 and capturing a Birmingham Bowl victory over Georgia Tech.
He has made headlines and received praise from analysts, including CBS Sports’ Josh Pate, who is feeling betrayed after the quarterback didn’t know who he was in a recent podcast appearance.
Analyst Josh Pate Goes Off on Vanderbilt, QB Diego Pavia in a Hilarious Rant
Since Diego Pavia’s emergence on the scene in the SEC last season, when he led Vanderbilt to a stunning 40-35 upset win over No. 1 Alabama on October 5, CBS Sports college football analyst Josh Pate has shown substantial public support for the quarterback.
The victory marked Vanderbilt’s first win over Alabama since 1984 and their first-ever victory against an AP top-five team after going 0-60 all-time against such opponents. Despite Pate’s unwavering support of Pavia, it appears that Pavia doesn’t even know about the analyst’s existence.
Pavia was interviewed by analysts Taylor Lewan and Will Compton in a recent episode of their podcast “Bussin’ With the Boys,” where Pate’s name was brought up. Pavia seemed to have no clue who Pate was.
Justice for Josh Pate pic.twitter.com/RJDkJWglme
— Bussin’ With The Boys (@BussinWTB) June 20, 2025
“Who’s Josh Pate?” Pavia asked.
In response to Pavia’s not knowing he existed, Pate went on a sarcastic and joke-filled rant on his show, “Josh Pate’s College Football Show,” targeting the Vanderbilt quarterback.
“We put Diego Pavia in our SEC quarterback power rankings the other day at the expense of Georgia and Alabama’s starting quarterbacks. Did we not? And what’s the thanks that we get? We get blindsided by treachery, not even on our show,” Pate joked.
Pate’s rant didn’t just target Pavia. The analyst also dragged Vanderbilt head coach Clark Lea into his mock outrage. “What kind of program is Clark Lea running when his players are not exposing themselves to the noise outside of the program?” Pate joked.
The sequence represents a hilarious exchange between Pate and Pavia, with Pate’s sense of humor about the whole situation being evident. Obviously, Pate doesn’t expect Pavia to know who he is, and he likely appreciates coaches who tell their players not to listen to outside media noise, as he suggests Clark Lea does.
As Pate mentions during his tirade, he actually listed Pavia above Gunner Stockton and Ty Simpson in his SEC quarterback rankings, which shows the kind of season he expects the Vanderbilt quarterback to have.
Pate, who hosts “The Late Kick with Josh Pate” and serves as a national college football analyst for 247Sports and CBS Sports, has been a vocal supporter of Pavia’s play throughout the 2024 season.
In 2025, Pavia will have the chance to lead the Commodores to their first back-to-back winning seasons in over a decade. He won a federal lawsuit in December 2024 that granted him an additional year of eligibility, arguing that his time at New Mexico Military Institute (a junior college) should not count against his Division I eligibility.
The quarterback hopes to be one of the best signal-callers in his conference and the country, which, despite Pate’s playful rant, is something the analyst genuinely believes he’s capable of achieving.
Pavia completed 59.4% of his passes for 2,293 yards, 20 touchdowns, and four interceptions in 2024, also earning SEC Newcomer of the Year honors. His leadership helped Vanderbilt secure its first bowl victory since 2013 and first winning season in 11 years under fourth-year head coach Clark Lea, who was named SEC Coach of the Year.
