AUBURN, Ala. - Coaching in his 100th game at Auburn on Saturday, head coach Gus Malzahn notched another victory as the Tigers beat Tennessee, 30-17, inside Jordan-Hare Stadium.

It was Auburn's first game in 21 days, and there might have been a little rust early as the home team fell behind 10-0 in the first quarter. But the Tigers responded with 27 unanswered points and made plays in all three phases to pull away for their third straight win.

The biggest play of the night came late in the third quarter from the Auburn defense. With the Tigers leading 13-10 and Tennessee threatening to score, junior safety Smoke Monday intercepted a pass in the end zone and returned it 100 yards for a touchdown.

It was the second career pick-six for Monday, and it was the longest by an Auburn player since Zakoby McClain retuned an interception 100 yards last year against Alabama.

After the defense held again on the next drive, it was the offense's turn to put the game away. The Tigers went 80 yards on 12 plays, and D.J. Williams capped the drive with a 9-yard touchdown run to make it 27-10 midway through the fourth quarter. Williams had 38 yards on the drive and led Auburn's ground attack with 66 yards on 11 carries.

Williams and fellow running back Shaun Shivers, who finished with 65 yards rushing, picked up the slack when freshman Tank Bigsby left the game due to injury.

INDIVIDUAL NOTES/OFFENSE

• Seth Williams now has 1,927 career receiving yards, ranking 9th among Auburn career leaders; next is Freddy Weygand (1,946 from 1984-88
• Seth Williams is 8th all-time in career receptions with 118, two ahead of teammate Eli Stove (116); they have passed Darvin Adams (115 from 2008-10), and Rodgeriqus Smith (114 from 2004-08). Anthony Schwartz is 12th in Auburn career receptions with 104, passing Greg Taylor (102 from 1987-90)
• Schwartz ranks 23rd in Auburn career receiving yardage with 1,303 yards, passing Thomas Bailey (1,243 from 1991-94)
• Schwartz' 54-yard touchdown reception from Bo Nix was his second longest of the season (91 vs. LSU) and the second-longest reception of his career vs. Tennessee (76 yds from Jarrett Stidham vs. Tennessee in 2018)
• Bo Nix has 10 touchdown passes for the season and 26 for his career This was Nix' ninth career 200-yard passing game
• Eli Stove ranks 27th in Auburn career receiving yardage with 1,076 yards, passing Willie Gosha (1,048 from 1993-96)
• D.J. Williams scored his second rushing touchdown of the season and the fourth of his career

INDIVIDUAL NOTES/DEFENSE

• Smoke Monday's 100-yard interception touchdown was the longest of his career and his second career pick six; the first was a 29-yard INT touchdown against Alabama last season. It was the longest interception touchdown by an Auburn player since Zakoby McClain against Alabama last season
• Owen Pappoe records double-digit tackles for the fourth game in his career and was Auburn's leading tackler for the fourth time in his career
• Jamien Sherwood now has 2.5 career sacks
• Big Kat Bryant now has 8.0 career sacks

INDIVIDUAL NOTES/SPECIAL TEAMS

• Anders Carlson is now 8th in career scoring at Auburn with 243 points, passing Al Del Greco (236 from 1980-83)
• Carlson is now 6th in career PAT made at Auburn with 111, passing Al Del Greco (110 from 1980-83)
• Carlson is 6th in Auburn career field goals made with 44, passing Al Del Greco (42 from 1980-83); next are Damon Duval (45 from 1999-2002) and Win Lyle (45 from 1987-89)
• Carlson's 50-yard field goal was his longest of the season and the fourth of 50 yards or longer in his career