Vanderbilt’s 40–35 victory over No. 1 Alabama on October 5, 2024, was a landmark moment in CFB history. When Kalen DeBoer’s Alabama squad rolled into town, nobody saw it coming—but Diego Pavia and the boys did. Vandy was on the rise, and the stage was set for something wild. “We’re back, airin’ out with Pavia,” the crew said, posted at Hydro Bar in Albuquerque. Pavia knew the Alabama weekend had to hit different. So he jumped on Turo and found a drop-top Jeep, and they pulled up to Broadway like a movie. Shots flowing. Music loud. The homie Real Deal popped out of the cut like a bonus track. The night stretched ‘til 4 a.m. Then came Saturday. The lights. The noise. And somehow, against the odds and through the haze, Vandy stunned Bama. DeBoer caught an L he didn’t see coming.
The win over Kalen DeBoer’s Bama wasn’t the end—it was just ignition. Momentum rolled straight into Sunday, hungover and half-awake. The night before had been legendary—they closed down Whiskey Bro and took no prisoners. When Vanderbilt’s players called for a ride to practice, the crew showed up still buzzing, still in last night’s clothes. The sideline quickly turned into a party. Javier Pavia was so amped up, the coach had to pull Diego aside, eyes wide, signaling for him to rein it in.
On the June 3rd episode of Air It Out, the celebration turned into a viral moment as Diego Pavia and the crew relived their wild post-Bama antics, throwing playful shade at Kalen DeBoer after Alabama’s stunning collapse. After practice, Diego Pavia hit the team shower—quick rinse, lotion up, and back in the same outfit. There’d been no time to clean up before; they were riding the wave. From there, it was straight to the bar, no skips. Then it happened. That one bar song hit—“Friends in Low Places,” remixed, loud, and gloriously off-key. The whole place erupted. Javier Pavia danced like nobody, and everybody—was watching.
However, the Alabama dub? Second-best night of the year. Virginia Tech still held the crown. But that night at the bar? Pure magic in a bottle, per Pavia and fam. The night Alabama fell, the vibes hit different.
Javier Pavia brought it up first—“Remember when we opened the bar, that one country artist started singing that song—’Alabama lost to Vandy’?” It was a remix, a full-blown bar anthem. Then Weish questioned, “What song is that?” That bar song—the whole crew felt it. Weish laughed, referring to Javi, “Bro, he was dancing with the geriatrics over there. He didn’t care.” Diego chimed in, “Old, young, middle-aged, Javi does not care at all.” “I don’t discriminate,” Javi grinned.
Things got so wild, the bar had to shut it down. Diego didn’t miss the action, either. Later that night, B and Javier were chopping it up with him. “Who would you rather go on a two-man with, Sea Dog or Hoff?” Diego Pavia asked. “Jobby,” B said, “at least I’ll be entertained.” Diego laughed. “What about me and Javi on a two-man?” Javier paused, shook his head. “Wouldn’t end well, bro. Wouldn’t end well.” So, the bar song? Iconic, and the memory? Locked in.
However, the win marked the Commodores’ first triumph over the Crimson Tide since 1984, ending a 23-game losing streak, and it was their first-ever victory over an AP No. 1-ranked team. Even more remarkable, it snapped a 60-game losing streak against top-five opponents—the longest such drought in the poll era since 1936. The celebration matched the magnitude of the moment: fans stormed the field, tore down a goalpost, paraded it through the streets of Nashville, and tossed it into the Cumberland River. It was more than just a win—it was a defining moment for Vanderbilt football, a symbol of resilience, and a night that will live forever in Commodore lore.
While that night was memorable, the Pavia ruling has turned JUCO eligibility into a source of confusion.
Diego Pavia got the green light, but others are still stuck in limbo
When a federal judge in Tennessee handed Diego Pavia an injunction, chaos followed. The ruling said his JUCO years shouldn’t count against NCAA eligibility, calling the limit an antitrust violation tied to NIL earnings. The NCAA scrambled, issuing a blanket waiver for others like Pavia. Simple fix? Not quite. A wave of JUCO players hit the portal, chasing that same extra year. But many, like Robinson, got denied. Why? The five-year clock. Pavia got through because he played four straight seasons—no redshirt, no gaps, just ball.
Kaedin Robinson was the most productive wideout in the portal. Over two seasons at App State, he racked up 120 catches, nearly 1,800 yards, and 12 TDs. When the Diego Pavia waiver dropped in December, JUCO guys saw a green light. Robinson jumped in, landed at UCLA by January, and looked set to finish strong. But March came, and the NCAA slammed the brakes. His extra year? Denied.
Well, Robinson started in 2019, and by 2025, he’d hit year six—even with the free COVID season in 2020. Now, he’s in limbo, lawyered up, and UCLA’s holding a spot, just in case. His attorney, Darren Heitner, says a lawsuit is on deck. He’s not alone; players like Rahsul Faison and Ashtyn Hawkins are tangled in the same web. The NCAA’s rulebook? Still murky, even months after the so-called blanket waiver dropped. Now, let’s see if Pavia can make that opportunity count.
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