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Hugh Freeze sends sign of respect to QB who can solidify Auburn football as the new Vanderbilt

By Andrew Hughes

Hugh Freeze gave props to a man who can send Auburn football to terrifying lows in November
Hugh Freeze gave props to a man who can send Auburn football to terrifying lows in November / Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK
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Hugh Freeze is doing his media rounds all over the state of Alabama during Auburn football's bye week, making his way to the Monday Morning Quarterback Club in Birmingham before heading down to the 68 Ventures Bowl 1st & 10 Club in Mobile. On October 7, Freeze spoke highly of the Alabama-slayer, and the man who handed the Tigers head coach the most soul-crushing loss of his career, former New Mexico State starting QB and current Vanderbilt star Diego Pavia.

“I’ve seen him now twice, at Liberty and last year (at Auburn),” Freeze said (h/t AL.com). “The guy is just one of those freakish competitors, it seems. Just watching him; I don’t know him personally — but he’s tough, a winner — all those attributes seem to describe him pretty well. He seems to rise to the occasion when he needs to.”

Pavia was nearly perfect against the Crimson Tide defense, dicing up Kane Wommack's defense to the tune of 16/20 passing, 308 all-purpose yards, and a pair of touchdowns in a 40-35 win. It's not a stretch to say that Pavia delivered Vanderbilt its most legendary all-time win against No. 1 Alabama less than a year after giving New Mexico State its own, a shocking 31-10 shellacking under the lights at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Diego Pavia's New Mexico State Aggies have owned Hugh Freeze at both Liberty and Auburn football

Pavia owns two big wins over Freeze at two different stops.

In 2022, Pavia completed 16/21 passes 339 all-purpose yards and six TDs. That was his best performance against an FBS team of his career until the Alabama game.

Pavia's 201 passing yards and three touchdowns on 19/28 passing against Auburn in November 2023 put him on the map.

Vanderbilt already has a bad loss to Georgia State preventing them from being a true contender in the SEC if the magic continues in Nashville. But beating Alabama and Auburn in the same season could have 2024 going down in the history books as the greatest possible Commodores debut in the 12-team College Football Playoff era.

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