The Texas Longhorns face a new challenge after a dramatic fourth-quarter comeback against Mississippi State. Quarterback Arch Manning, the hero of last week’s 45-38 overtime victory, is in concussion protocol and unlikely to play.
This situation leaves Texas vulnerable as it prepares to face the Vanderbilt Commodores and their star quarterback, Diego Pavia, in a pivotal Week 10 matchup.
How Can Texas Exploit Diego Pavia’s Tendencies?
Ahead of Saturday’s game, analyst Greg McElroy highlighted a potential weakness in Pavia’s game that the No. 20 Longhorns could use to their advantage. During a “Always College Football” segment, McElroy suggested that Pavia’s aggressive style can lead to crucial mistakes against top-tier opponents.
“Question number one: Will Diego Pavia try to play hero ball? He’s a true dual-threat,” McElroy said. “He leads Vandy obviously in passing with 1,700 yards, but he also leads the team in rushing. We’ve already seen a quarterback try to play hero ball against Texas and it did not go very well. That was John Mateer.”
McElroy pointed out that Pavia’s performance tends to dip when facing elite competition. This tendency could be a key factor for the Texas defense.
“If you look at how Diego Pavia’s played against the best competition, against Alabama, against Missouri, they didn’t do quite as much,” he explained. “When you have better competition, Diego Pavia has a tendency to try to do too much, which can lead to the occasional sloppiness or a big mistake.”
Texas coach Steve Sarkisian expressed deep respect for Pavia despite those potential weaknesses during his weekly media availability. Sarkisian praised the confident quarterback for elevating the Commodores into the AP Top 25’s top 10 and his leadership under coach Clark Lea.
“Obviously, the quarterback is the tip of the spear,” Sarkisian said. “He’s one of the more competitive players that I’ve competed against. He’s their leading rusher. He obviously passes the ball; he makes plays at critical moments when they need to have it.”
The Longhorns’ coach also commended Pavia’s impact on the entire program. “And so he’s a guy that you know, he’s getting all the praise that he’s getting is well deserved. He’s a very good football player. It’s about instilling belief in your teammates and instilling belief in your organization and instilling belief in your fan base.”
As the Commodores prepare for their trip to Austin, Pavia is the fourth-favorite (+850) to win the 2025 Heisman Trophy. He trails only Texas A&M’s Marcel Reed, Indiana Hoosiers’ Fernando Mendoza, and Alabama’s Ty Simpson.
With Manning’s status uncertain, fans may miss a showdown between two of the sport’s most-watched quarterbacks, as Manning’s inconsistent season has seen him fall out of the Heisman conversation.
