The Heisman Trophy race remains open. Could Diego Pavia rise up and grab the most popular individual award in sports if he leads Vanderbilt to a playoff berth after a 10-2 finish? That definitely feels possible. Kentucky will be tasked with slowing down one of the best players in college football this weekend.

Pavia (70% completion rate, 8.9 yards per attempt, 2,440 passing yards, 676 non-sack rushing yards, 28 total touchdowns) is leading the way for one of the best offenses in college football. The Commodores currently rank No. 1 in points per drive, No. 2 in red zone touchdown percentage, No. 3 in success rate, No. 4 in yards per play, and No. 5 in third down conversion percentage. Only Alabama and Missouri have held this group under 30 points.

This spread option offense dictates the pace, makes defenses defend the mesh, and finishes drives in the paint.

The veteran quarterback is the maestro and he distributes the football to a plethora of running backs, wide receivers, and tight ends. Vanderbilt creates some formational problems that will constantly challenge the defense’s pre-snap process. Diego Pavia will get his on Saturday against Kentucky. The Cats just have to make sure he doesn’t make very play.

“You can’t say enough good things about that young man,” Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops said about the Vanderbilt quarterback on Monday. “He is one heck of a ballplayer. He’s tough as nails.”

“He makes plays. He does it in every game he plays in. So for us, again, great team defensive, of course, but you know he’s going to make some plays. We just have to make ours as well.”

Vanderbilt is going to move the football and score points on Saturday. Kentucky has to make sure that they do not lose every high-leverage moment in this football game. The Commodores are going to do what they do but just a few stops could be what it takes to win this game.

Clark Lea‘s squad is a team that still wants to play a methodical brand of football with ball control being a huge part of their winning blueprint. The same is true of Kentucky. We can expect a shortened-possession game. That means any mistakes will be magnified. A turnover or red zone stop could count for two on Saturday afternoon in Nashville. That can only happen if UK finds a way to win a few battles against Diego Pavia.

“It’s impossible to totally just think you’re just gonna just completely contain him. Watch every game he plays — he makes plays. We just have to make enough on top of it,” said Stoops. “Yes, we have to be very organized in our pass rush lanes, and be very disciplined, win. Play very hard. Play all the way through the whistle. Cover guys down the field”

Diego Pavia will get his on Saturday afternoon. Kentucky just has to make sure they win a few plays as well.