AUBURN | It’s one of the worst losses of Gus Malzahn’s eight seasons at Auburn. But with COVID-19 disrupting this year’s schedule, Malzahn gets a rematch and an opportunity for redemption five years early.

Tennessee visits Jordan-Hare Stadium Saturday just two years after the Volunteers pulled off a huge upset with a 30-24 win over the Tigers.

Auburn and Tennessee weren’t originally scheduled to meet again until 2025 in Knoxville.

“Yeah, that was a very, very tough loss, there's no doubt,” Malzahn said. “We turned the ball over, they made some plays when they had to. We didn't play real well that day, and they had something to do with it and they played well. That was a tough loss. We're glad to have another chance to play them again.”

The Vols come into the game unranked and with a losing record just like two years ago. AU was ranked No. 21 in 2018 and is currently No. 23.

This year’s matchup comes three weeks after Auburn last played, a 48-11 win over LSU Oct. 31. The Tigers will come into the game with a shortened roster after a COVID-19 outbreak during the bye week sidelined 10 players and approximately 10 more with contact tracing.

“They are just ready to get back and play,” Malzahn said. “It was just really strange from the standpoint that we dealt with COVID and didn’t practice for a couple of days. Then we found out we weren’t playing and then you have a new opponent. That’s a lot of stuff.

“The best thing about it is we’re back in a game-week routine. We’re playing a team that I think is a talented team. A team that came in here and gave us a very, very tough loss two years ago for the older guys that were a part of that. We’re ready to get back on the field, especially playing at home and playing at night and playing against a team we’re looking forward to playing.”

The matchup is also Malzahn’s 100th as Auburn’s head coach. He’s now the third-longest tenured coach in the SEC behind only Nick Saban, who was hired in 2007 and Mark Stoops, who was hired by Kentucky just a week before AU brought in Malzahn on Dec. 4, 2012.

Malzahn won an SEC championship in 2013 and the SEC West in 2017.

“When I think of it that way of how blessed I am to be the head coach at Auburn -- so many great players that I've been able to coach and win some football games. I'm real blessed and real honored, and I'm looking forward to coaching the 100th game,” Malzahn said.

Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT on ESPN.