4 Diego Pavia transfer destinations after lawsuit makes him eligible to play in 2025

Diego Pavia has shaken up the college football world one more time, and this one figures to have an even wider impact than any upset of Alabama ever could. On Wednesday, a U.S. District Court judge granted Pavia's motion for a preliminary injunction that will allow the quarterback another year of eligibility in 2025.

Pavia had filed the motion last month, arguing that the NCAA's rules regarding junior college eligibility (essentially counting junior college seasons towards a player's NCAA eligibility and leaving them without the ability to redshirt) violated antitrust law. The upshot is that Pavia's two seasons at the New Mexico Military Institute have been wiped clean, allowing him at least one more year to play college football at the highest level.

Assuming it stands, it's a decision with far-reaching implications, allowing junior college players around the country to transfer to NCAA institutions and still play a full four years. In the immediate term, though, it means that college football will have one of its most entertaining quarterbacks back under center for 2025.

Of course, now that we know Pavia will be playing college football next season, the question becomes: for what team? He became a folk hero at Vanderbilt this season, slaying Alabama and leading the Commodores to an improbable 6-6 record. But while Pavia has expressed interest in returning to Nashville, he also left the door open to playing somewhere else. Or at least his lawyer did: "So long as he receives an appropriate NIL package," his lawyer, Ryan Downton, wrote, "I expect to see him in the black and gold for as long as he has eligibility remaining and Jerry Kill and Tim Beck are coaching in Nashville."

In other words: Vanderbilt was great, but Pavia will be available for the highest bidder. And given the demand for QBs around the country, the bidding figures to be intense. The Commodores should still be considered the odds-on favorite to retain Pavia in 2025, but should Vandy be unable to pay up, where could he be playing next season?

4. UCF

Sure, the Golden Knights might not play in the SEC, but they have a wide-open path to a College Football Playoff auto-bid thanks to the always-chaotic Big 12, and we know that this is a program unafraid to spend big money on its football program.

Granted, it's a program in flux right now, with Gus Malzahn bailing to take the offensive coordinator job at Florida State. But his replacement, Scott Frost, knows what it takes to win in Orlando — and more importantly, his spread offense would seem to be an ideal fit for Pavia's skill set. UCF can't offer the sort of exposure that Vanderbilt can, but if Pavia wants to make a ton of money while playing at a Power 4 school that can get him to the Playoff, he could do a lot worse.

3. Indiana

Speaking of the CFP: Curt Cignetti has gotten the Hoosiers all the way there in year one, but if he hopes for a repeat in 2025, he's going to need to find a replacement for star quarterback Kurtis Rourke.

We know that Coach Cig is already looking for a QB in the portal, and Pavia would seem to bring the exact sort of dual-threat dynamism that helped make Rourke so tough to deal with this season. Indiana has trips to Oregon and Penn State on the schedule next season, ideal national platforms for Pavia to shine, and Cignetti has earned the benefit of the doubt that he can keep this program competitive despite what should be significant roster turnover.

Oh, and before you roll your eyes at a "basketball school" splashing this sort of cash for a football transfer, remember that Cignetti's new contract came with substantive NIL commitments that should keep Indiana a national player in the portal.

2. Missouri

If Pavia has his heart set on staying in the SEC, he could jump ship to Mizzou, where Eli Drinkwitz is looking for a portal replacement to long-time starter Brady Cook. The Tigers got an up-close look at just what Pavia can do when he nearly led Vandy to an upset in Columbia back in September, and his legs will return a QB run element to an offense that desperately missed it once Cook became limited by an ankle injury.

Missouri has been among the most progressive schools in the country when it comes to embracing NIL, and several recent portal wins (led by Mississippi State wideout Kevin Coleman) should help keep this team competitive despite some notable losses. If Pavia values playing the toughest competition out there but wants to make a little more money (and have a bit better of a shot at winning big) while he's at it, this could be a fit.

1. Miami

Maybe it's because everything about Pavia's personality just screams The U, but this feels like the best possible fit. The 'Canes are loaded to the gills in NIL cash, and they're desperately searching for a quarterback to replace the departing Cam Ward and keep the good times rolling.

Pavia isn't quite as dynamic as Ward with his arm, but he can bring the same sort of running ability to Coral Gables, and offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson should have a lot of fun tweaking his Air Raid offense to match Pavia's skill set. There's still plenty of talent on this offense, and the ACC remains ripe for the taking. Plus, doesn't this sort of mic work belong in Miami?