One of Derek Mason’s trademarks is his candid responses to tough questions.

This week, he responded to the notion of Vanderbilt playing four straight games against top 25 opponents. It’s the first time in program history Vanderbilt has faced that kind of schedule. With No. 6 Georgia this week, Vanderbilt is 1-2 against No. 18 Kansas State, No. 1 Alabama and No. 20 Florida.

“We know it’s a tough stretch,” Mason said, according to the Tennessean. “But when you start excusing (struggles) because of a tough stretch of football, that defeats who you are working to be. We don’t excuse it.”

Those four teams are 16-2, but one of those losses, of course, came to Vanderbilt.

“Is it hard to figure out where the improvement is? Absolutely,” Mason said. “But that’s what the schedule said going into the season, so it’s really nothing new. It’s not like someone surprised me two weeks ago with what the schedule looked like.”

If there’s any consolation, the Commodores’ schedule gets considerably easier down the stretch against Ole Miss, South Carolina, Western Kentucky, Kentucky, Missouri and Tennessee, which are a combined 15-12.