It's not often that the SEC on CBS Game of the Week will be broadcast live from Nashville, but Derek Mason has the Commodores surging with a 3-0 record after knocking off a ranked Kansas State team last week with Alabama coming to town on Saturday (3:30 p.m. ET, CBS, CBSSports.com, CBS Sports App). 

SEC on CBS lead analyst Gary Danielson joined Barton Simmons and I on the 247Sports College Football Podcast this week to share some insight on the game, the SEC at large and early surprises from around the country. One thing that makes Alabama different, Danielson said, was that Nick Saban is always grading Alabama with a bigger vision in mind. 

"Nick [Saban] has a bigger vision of what Alabama needs to do," Danielson said. "I think Alabama every week is competing, as he watches the tape, against Clemson Oklahoma, USC, Ohio State, Penn State, Oklahoma State. He knows the teams that he has to beat to win it all, and in his mind's eye he knows what he has to have to beat them. So every week, yeah you've got to get this week. You don't want a South Carolina to pop up, like in 2010. But Alabama's playing a different game than everyone else."

"Yeah they might yawn for a couple games and not look quite as good, but I still think they're the team to beat and there's a clear step between them and the rest of the conference."

With this being Alabama's first appearance on CBS and first Power Five opponent since the season opening win against Florida State, we discussed what to watch from Alabama's offense as it evolves under first-year coordinator Brian Daboll. 

"Can they use all their weapons and not just Jalen Hurts? I think [Saban] is looking there and saying, 'Yeah we may score with some big plays and our quarterback and get a lot of yards, but can we run the ball when we have to run the ball to keep another quarterback on the sideline.' 

"Because what's going to happen. When they get there in the playoff games, they're going to be playing against a Mason Rudolph, or a Baker Mayfield, or a Sam Darnold, or a Trace McSorely. They're going to want to keep them on the sidelines a little bit, because even the great Alabama defense can't play 90-plus plays and shut down a good football team."

While Vanderbilt has been steadily improving under Derek Mason with a good formula in place, the "bell rings" for the Commodores this week, according to Danielson. If they can make this a football game, it will be a great week for Vanderbilt football. 

"Ever since Derek Mason has taken over the defensive coordinator position a year ago the team has done nothing but get better. They've got a really nice formula going right now. They don't rush players on the field. They let these players come in -- they're not four or five-star players that can play right away -- so they have to go in the weight room, they have to mature a little bit, they've got to learn the techniques that Derek wants. He's very aggressive, he's plays a lot of man-to-man, he drops that safety in the box so he puts pressure on his corners. I like their defense, but the bell rings this week."

Alabama at Vanderbilt will kick off at 3:30 p.m. ET and can be watched on CBS, CBSSports.com and the CBS Sports App across all mobile and OTT devices.