AUBURN, Ala. – Coming off a 48-11 victory over LSU, Auburn was just hitting their stride as the calendar turned to November. However, between a bye week and a game postponed against Mississippi State, the Tigers have yet to play this month. On Saturday, they will make their long-awaited return to the field at home against Tennessee.
The key for this Auburn team will be regaining the momentum from their win over LSU.
Next Game:
Tennessee
11/21
6 PM
TV: ESPN
Radio: Auburn Sports Network
"We did play our best game against LSU, and we just need to keep building on that," head coach Gus Malzahn said. "What we're telling our guys is we need to play our best game again. We're looking forward to playing at home, excited it will be a night game, and really encourage our students to bring their 'A' game. It's got a chance to be a really good one."
Tennessee comes in 2-4, losers of four straight games, but there will be no overlooking the Volunteers on Saturday. The visitors will eager to snap the streak, and Auburn still remembers what happened two years ago when Tennessee last visited Jordan-Hare Stadium.
"We are taking it one week at a time, and it's not just coach-speak. That's exactly what we're doing," Malzahn said. "We have respect for them. Two years ago, they came here and knocked us off. This is our next game up. Our guys will not be overlooking anyone. They'll be ready to play."
For Malzahn, this will be his 100th game as the Auburn head coach.
"When I think of just how blessed I am to be the head coach at Auburn and all the great players I've been able to coach and win some football games -- I'm just real blessed and honored," he said. "I'm looking forward to coaching in my 100th game."
Auburn and Tennessee will kick off at 6 p.m. CT from Jordan-Hare Stadium. The game will be televised on ESPN with Joe Tessitore, Greg McElroy and Allison Williams on the call. You can also listen to Andy Burcham, Stan White and Ronnie Brown who will have the radio call on 93.9 Tiger FM, online at AuburnTigers.com and on the TuneIn app.
THREE QUESTIONS WITH … DB JORDYN PETERS
Q: The defense is creating more explosive, scoring plays this year. What's been the key?
A: That's just what the Auburn defense is built upon. Making plays on the ball, creating turnovers, creating havoc. We want to come out there and put fear in the heart of opposing offenses. For us to get those, whether they get called back or not, that's still going to put fear in anybody's heart – seeing us attacking and our defense flying around to the ball. That causes a lot of frustrations for offenses.
Q: What do you say to the young guys on special teams to get them motivated?
A: With special teams, I would say it's effort. A lot of people forget about special teams. It's the forgotten play in football nowadays. With my play and my coaches consistently saying, 'Let's make plays on special teams,' I hope that changes the stereotype for special teams – for people to come out there and actually want to be a star on special teams just like you would have an offensive star or defensive star. For the young guys, special teams is a lot of want to. Not a lot of can. It's a lot of want to. If you want to do it, you can do it.
Q: How much do you pride yourself in being a leader of the secondary?
A: I pride myself a lot. Coming in, I was the same. I was looking up to those guys like Jeremiah Dinson, Daniel Thomas, Carlton Davis, Jamel Dean, people like that. Fast forward – that seems like yesterday – and now I'm in those guys' shoes with the young guys who came in. I try to think back to those days when I was a freshman and something didn't make sense because when you get here, things are spinning. On top of that, these young guys are coming into a whole different type of college than we came into dealing with COVID and things like that. I try to be the best big brother I can because at the end of the day these guys are away from home and this stuff is hard. I know that. That's my job to not only be there for them on the football field but off the football field – mentally, physically, emotionally. Anything like that, I'm here for those guys. They all know I love them. They know they can come to me about anything.
INSIDE THE SERIES: TENNESSEE
Gameday Program
The Tigers hold a 28-22-3 lead in the all-time series and lead 7-3-1 in all games played at Auburn. They have won six of the last seven games in the series, though UT was a 30-24 winner in 2018 in Auburn in the teams' most recent meeting. Auburn leads 11-5 in neutral-site games while Tennessee has a 14-10-2 advantage in all games played in Knoxville.
Auburn and Tennessee played every year from 1956-91 but didn't play from 1991 until the 1997 SEC championship game because of league expansion and the rotating opponents' setup. The two played in 1998-99 and 2003-04 before rotating off each other's schedule until 2008-09.
From 1956-91, every meeting except 1968 was on the last Saturday of September. The two
schools dominated the SEC in the mid-to-late '80s. In six of the eight seasons from 1983-90, either Auburn (1983-87-88-89) or Tennessee (1985-89-90) claimed an SEC championship.
Series: Auburn leads 28-22-3
At Auburn: Auburn leads 7-3-1
At Knoxville: Tennessee leads 14-10-2
At Neutral Sites: Auburn leads 11-5
First Meeting: 1900 (Auburn, 23-0)
Most AU points: 55 (2013)
Current Streak: Tennessee, W1
BY THE NUMBERS
32: The last time out, Auburn's defense held LSU to 32 rushing yards, the third-fewest yards in the long-time series. It was the 19th time against an SEC opponent that the Tigers allowed 32 rushing yards or fewer – the last was vs. Arkansas (25 yards) in 2016.
87: Wide receiver Seth Williams is now in this third year at Auburn. In that time, 87 of his 113 catches have resulted in either a first down or a touchdown. All but four of his receptions this season have gone for a first down or TD. Williams hauled in the game-winning touchdown from Bo Nix with 1:14 remaining at Ole Miss, a 58-yard completion.
100: Auburn has produced a 100-yard rusher in 58 of 99 games under head coach Gus Malzahn, including three games this season. The Tigers' record with a 100-yard rusher under Malzahn is 45-13. With two 100-yard rushers in the same game, Auburn is 13-0 under Malzahn and 1-0 with three 100-yard rushers.