"On any given Saturday, anybody can get anybody" - Illinois coach Bret Bielema responds to Diego Pavia taking shots at Big Ten

On Tuesday, Vanderbilt Commodores quarterback Diego Pavia appeared on the "Bussin' With The Boys" podcast to talk about his historic win against No. 1 Alabama, the offers he received last season from multiple colleges and more. One SEC team reportedly offered him $4 million for next season.

The hosts, Will Compton and Taylor Lewan, who are Nebraska and Michigan alumni, respectively, asked him if a Big Ten team had offered him, to which the 5-foot-11 prospect bluntly dismissed the question and snubbed the conference.

"You want to play with the best. You don't want to play with the Big Ten," Pavia said.

Lewan reminded him that the last two national championships were won by the Big Ten teams. Pavia's reply prompted a bevvy of reactions from netizens, and Illinois coach Bret Bielema gave his opinion as well.

"I understand what he's saying, right? And he is regurgitating what's being said to him," Bielema told ESPN's Adam Rittenberg. "I think, probably ... listen that the Big Ten I grew up in this league, played this league, was very successful at Wisconsin, but my first bowl game, we beat an SEC team and actually ended working for later, right.

"On any given Saturday, anybody can get anybody and that was what laid out a whole game night and I know it was brought to my attention right there, there's no SEC returning team with ten wins and I'm not mistaken.

"We got three in the league right so like it, just kind of one of those moments where, I think in the last three years that evolution that college football, with a portal NIL, is created level playing field has never been seen before and I think it's trending more that way than going back to the way. A lot of people want ti stay by the rules of the past but I just don't see part of our future."

Pavia is fresh off his historic win against Kalen DeBoer's Crimson Tide last season. After a U.S. court gave an injunction in Pavia's favor to receive one more year of eligibility, he is scheduled to kick off the 2025 season against Charleston Southern on Aug. 30.

In 2024, Diego Pavia amassed 2,293 passing yards, 20 touchdowns and four interceptions. He is confident that, with the roster the Vanderbilts have presently, they can beat Alabama again and possibly win the national championship.

Diego Pavia gets candid on his 'real life beef' with New Mexico

On the "Bussin' With The Boys" podcast, Diego Pavia addressed the infamous urinating incident at the New Mexico Lobos' facility while he played for the New Mexico State Aggies.

"I urinated on their logo in the midfield of their indoor facility," Pavia said. "We went in there and wiped them out and the head coach was all sad and stuff."

Pavia lived in New Mexico his whole life and wished to play for the Lobos. He clarified that the frustration stemmed from the fact that New Mexico didn't recruit him, even after he won a national championship and the Lobos had been losing back then.

The incident wouldn't have been caught if not for the viral Snapchat video. Pavio tried to take it down, but it was too late. The video had gotten around and done the damage.

On the flip side, Pavia took home a 27-17 victory against the Lobos. He threw for 203 yards and two interceptions.