Deion Sanders is unsure about an impending rule change in college football after Vanderbilt star Diego Pavia won a landmark court ruling, even though Colorado stands to benefit.

Commodores quarterback Pavia appeared to be coming to the end of his college eligibility this season after playing for New Mexico Military Institute, New Mexico State and Vandy over the past five seasons – with the 2020 COVID-affected season not counting against his permitted four years of eligibility.

But the 23-year-old’s collegiate career is set to continue after he received an injunction from U.S. District Judge William L. Campbell on Wednesday that ruled that his two seasons spent playing at the junior college level should not count against his eligibility.

Pavia, the driving force behind Vandy’s best season in many years, had filed a lawsuit in Tennessee last month challenging NCAA rules, and his success is likely to lead to many other former JUCO players following suit and prolonging their collegiate careers.

Colorado head coach Sanders is among those who stand to benefit, with some of his players taking in stops in junior college on their football journey. Those players have been empowered to extend their eligibility after Pavia’s successful injunction.

Speaking on ‘The Rich Eisen Show,’ Sanders said he would gladly accept the benefits of having some players being able to prolong their eligibility, but he said the situation speaks to the wider problems in college football with the NCAA proving to be an ineffective watchdog.

Diego Pavia's collegiate career will continue in 2025 after receiving a court injunction

Diego Pavia’s collegiate career will continue in 2025 after receiving a court injunction ( 

Image:

Michael Chang/Getty Images)

Now they’re saying the kids that came from a junior college, they can get their time rededicated to them and if they played one year in junior college, they get one year back,” Sanders said. “Now the kid is going to be dern near 30 years old playing against an 18 or 17-year-old kids. You’ve got to think about these things.

“I don’t mind because we’ve got a couple of kids who played at junior college, and I pray to God this rule passes so they can get another year. And I’ve got kids who played for me in Jackson calling me right now who want that year back when they came from junior college.

“But there needs to be some kind of guidance and parameters and thought process that goes into this.”

Pavia’s injunction is a huge boost for the Commodores, who will play in their first bowl game since 2018 when they take on Georgia Tech in Friday’s Birmingham Bowl. Vandy finished the regular season with a 6-6 record, twice being ranked after victories over Alabama and Auburn.

The 40-35 triumph over then-No. 1 Bama in Nashville in October was the first win over a top-five team in Vanderbilt’s history. And with Pavia eligible to return to the program next season, Vanderbilt head coach Clark Lea has a golden opportunity to build upon the foundations of this year.