TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — While there’s no doubt that the University of Alabama football team would like nothing better than to wipe the memory of last year’s Auburn game, or at least get some payback for the dramatic loss, no one may want redemption more than junior cornerback Cyrus Jones.

Granted, Chris Davis returned a missed field-goal attempt more than 100 yards for a touchdown on the final play, but perhaps just as important was the 39-yard touchdown pass to Sammie Coates that tied the score with 39 seconds remaining.

On it Nick Marshall started running to his left with the ball in his left hand and when Jones came off the receiver the quarterback switched hands and threw the pass without using the laces.

“I just try not to focus on it,” Jones said. “Obviously I know it was a big play in the game but that wasn’t the single play that defined the game.

“We’re just looking forward to this game coming up and just try to come out and compete for the whole game and come out on top at the end.”

It was one of just three pass attempts thrown his way that day, and every other play of the 65-yard, 2-minute drive was carry by running back Tre Mason. Yet Jones knows that he’ll probably again be in the thick of things when Alabama hosts Auburn on Saturday (7:45 p.m. ET, ESPN).

That’s been the strategy of nearly every Crimson Tide’s opponent this season: Line up its biggest receiver opposite Jones and hope for the best.

Only the Tigers don’t have just one, but a potent pair. D’haquille Williams, who was rated the nation’s top junior-college player last year, leads Auburn with 38 receptions with 609 yards and five touchdowns while Coates has 25 catches for 509 yards.

“I don’t know if he’s 100 percent, but we’re expecting him to play,” Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said this week about Williams, who sprained his right MCL against Texas A&M and missed the past two games.

Both receivers are listed as 6 foot 2.

“That’s one of the things that is a real challenge for any team that plays these types of receivers,” Nick Saban said, “Mississippi State had a couple of guys like that who were very challenging, and these two guys are probably as good as anyone in the country in terms of size, vertical guys who can make great catches, have great catch radius, really good hands and can separate from you, and are very physical.

“It’s going to be a challenge for our guys, they’re going to have to use great technique, really good eye control in terms of what they’re doing, but it’s got to be a team thing, you know? These guys make a lot of plays because the quarterback extends plays and does a really goof job of getting the ball to them. How you affect the quarterback up front, how you cover people, how you disguise things, all these things contribute to trying to slow these guys down a little bit in terms of their big, physical receivers.”

Jones is 5-10 while sophomore cornerback Eddie Jackson is 6-foot.

“You just can’t let them manhandle you,” he said. “You’ve got to be physical right back with them, especially if you’re a smaller guy such as myself. It’s just important just to be in position at all times to kind of be ready to make a play when the ball’s in the air and not letting them get on top of you down the field. It’s going to be a good challenge but I’m excited about it.”

Just as important will defending against Auburn’s running game, which leads the Southeastern Conference while the passing attack is eighth.

Cameron Artis-Payne leads the league with 252 carries for 1,405 yards, while Marshall is second with 133 attempts for 731 yards. Both have run in 11 touchdowns.

“It’s going to be a challenge to get off those guys’ blocks because they’re big, they take up a lot of space, you really can’t see around them a lot of the time,” Jones said. “You just definitely got to do a good job of getting your hands inside and striking back at them and trying to get off the blocks when necessary.”

Jones has been credited with 35 tackles including two for a loss, along with 11 passes defended, two interceptions, two forced fumbles and one recovered this season. The picks came against Tennessee and Mississippi State, off quarterbacks who were similar in style to Marshall.

This time last year the converted wide receiver had made just four starts. Additionally, Alabama’s defense shouldn’t have as much of a problem with the rapid pace that Auburn likes to play – at least in theory. With couple of exceptions every offense the Crimson Tide faced this season has been spread, up-tempo.

“A lot of teams felt like that was our weakness, so we faced that a lot this season,” senior safety Nick Perry said. “I don’t think they’re anywhere, nowhere as good as Auburn at doing it, so Auburn’s still going to be a tough task for us, but we’re still well prepared.”

As for if it is a weakness, Perry said, “Definitely not.”