On paper, it appears to be a significant mismatch when Alabama visits Nashville on Saturday for a game against Vanderbilt. But don’t tell that to Commodores coach Derek Mason, who is aware of what his team is facing against the No. 1 team in the country.

In an interview on The Wake Up Zone on radio station 104.5 WGFX-FM in Nashville, Mason was asked about his rushing offense led by Ralph Webb, who is averaging about 2.5 yards per carry, facing the Alabama defense, which is yielding about the same yards per carry on average.

“I truly believe our guys are going to get to work today, hammer out the plan over the next couple of days, and we’ll have something for Alabama,” Mason said, who added that Alabama has one of the best run defenses in the country.

Mason admitted that the running problems are partly because opponents are stacking the line of scrimmage and forcing Vanderbilt to beat them by passing. Because of that, it’s up to the Commodores to win one-on-one battles.

“Do we have challenges? Yes,” Mason said. “But this team doesn’t fear anybody.

Vanderbilt is coming off its first win over a ranked non-conference opponent since 1946 when it beat No. 18 Kansas State 14-7.

In the win, Vanderbilt controlled K-State quarterback Jesse Ertz, and in this radio interview, Ertz was compared to Alabama quarterback Jalen Hurts in that they are both mobile threats to run for yards.

“Hurts is a young man who has the same attributes and his ability to extend plays,” Mason said. “His 10-yard scrambles can go for 30 or 40 yards. He can turn just a simple run into a long touchdown and that’s something that’s been tough for defenses to defend. You’ve got to tackle him, you’ve got to corral him, he’s got weapons outside. Alabama’s got weapons all around him. When it’s all said and done, it’s going to be a challenge.”

The game is set to kickoff at 3:30 p.m. and be televised on CBS. Mason said being “the main event” is the “coolest thing ever.”

“We get a chance to show exactly who we are, so we’re going to go out here and take advantage of it,” Mason said.