Former Heisman Trophy runner-up Diego Pavia made an appearance at Folsom Field on Saturday night to watch Deion Sanders and Colorado take on No. 11 Utah. Although Pavia never played under Sanders, he has a connection to the Colorado head coach that dates back to Sanders’ time at Jackson State.

Diego Pavia Credits Deion Sanders for Opening Doors For Him

Pavia previously received a scholarship offer from Sanders while playing at the junior college level. Looking back on that opportunity, the quarterback admitted that he sometimes wishes he had played for the NFL legend.

“I do wish I could play for Coach Prime,” Pavia said.

Pavia explained that Sanders’ early interest in him helped attract attention from other programs. “I feel like when you get offered in football, more offers come. So, in a way, I wouldn’t be here without Coach Prime’s offer. So, I came to support him and his team,” Pavia added.

Pavia ultimately decided against joining Jackson State. He wanted an opportunity to compete for a starting job rather than risk sitting behind Shedeur Sanders, who was the team’s starting quarterback.

Pavia instead continued his college career at New Mexico State before transferring to Vanderbilt in 2024. That decision worked out well, as he became one of the most talked-about quarterbacks in college football.

He had an impressive 2025 season at Vanderbilt, throwing for 3,539 yards and 29 touchdowns. His performance earned him second place in the Heisman Trophy voting, making him the first player from Vanderbilt to become a Heisman finalist. He racked up a 94.8 PFN QB Impact Grade that year, which was the highest mark in the nation.

However, he narrowly missed out on the award, which went to Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza.

Following his college career, Pavia signed with the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent. His time with the team was short, as he was waived before the start of the 2026 season.

Pavia is now working as a digital content creator and streamer.

Colorado Looks to Turn Its Season Around

Pavia’s visit came as Colorado continued to search for consistency under Deion Sanders. The Buffaloes entered their matchup against Utah with a 2-3 record after a 29-7 loss to Texas Tech.

Colorado hoped former Utah quarterback Isaac Wilson could help get the offense back on track. However, Utah’s strong rushing attack and efficient offense posed a major challenge for the Buffaloes’ rebuilt transfer defense.

The Buffaloes were also looking to avoid a repeat of last season’s 53-7 blowout loss to Utah.