When you have two legitimate Top 20 teams testing each other, it’s never inevitable.
Tennessee
Cucumber recall: Tennessee among states impacted by salmonella outbreak that has left 26 people sick
Listeria outbreak sickens at least 10 across US
At least 10 people in the U.S. have been sickened in a listeria outbreak linked to ready-to-eat food products, with a producer voluntarily recalling several products.
Scripps News
Cucumbers are being recalled nationwide after a salmonella outbreak sickened 26 people and hospitalized nine across 15 states, including Tennessee. On May 19, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that the outbreak has been linked to cucumbers grown by Florida-based Bedner Growers and distributed by Fresh Start Produce Sales.
As part of a follow-up inspection in April 2025, FDA investigators collected an environmental sample from Bedner Growers that tested positive for salmonella and matched recent clinical samples from ill people, reported USA TODAY.
In Tennessee, the outbreak has sickened between 1-2 people, according to the FDA. No deaths have been reported so far.
Here’s what else to know.
What cucumbers are recalled?
Bedner Growers is voluntarily recalling cucumbers sold at Bedner’s Farm Fresh Market between April 29 and May 14, 2025. Cucumbers may have been sold “individually or in smaller packages,” wrote the FDA, and with or without a label that may not bear the same brand, product name or best by date.
The product was also sold to retailers, distribution centers, wholesalers, and food service distributors throughout spring. The agency did not identify specifically where the cucumbers were sold. According to the FDA, the products were labeled as either being “supers,” “selects,” or “plains” for distributors, restaurants and retailers who purchased the cucumbers.
“Do not sell or serve whole cucumbers grown by Bedner Growers Inc. and distributed by Fresh Start Produce Inc. between April 29, 2025 to May 19, 2025,” the FDA wrote.
What to do if you think you may have recalled cucumbers
According to the FDA, if you have cucumbers at home and can’t tell where they are from, throw them away. When eating out over the next week, consumers should ask if cucumbers were from Bedner Growers or Fresh Start Produce Sales Inc.
The FDA also advises thoroughly cleaning any surfaces or utensils that may have come into contact with cucumbers using hot, soapy water or a dishwasher.
Businesses should not sell or serve cucumbers grown by Bedner Growers and distributed by Fresh Start Produce Inc. between April 29 and May 19, 2025. They are also urged to sanitize all potentially contaminated areas and notify customers if they may have purchased the affected cucumbers.
What states are affected by the salmonella outbreak? See complete list
As of May 20, the salmonella outbreak linked to cucumbers has sickened 26 people in the following 15 states:
- Alabama
- California
- Colorado
- Florida
- Illinois
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Michigan
- North Carolina
- New York
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Virginia
Symptoms of salmonella infection
According to the FDA, illness usually occurs within 12 to 72 hours after eating food that is contaminated with salmonella, and the symptoms usually last four to seven days. Symptoms include diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps.
Children younger than five, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems are more likely to have severe infections, the FDA says. Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you think you may have symptoms of a salmonella infection.
Contributing: USA TODAY
Diana Leyva covers trending news and service journalism for The Tennessean. Contact her at Dleyva@gannett.com or follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, at @_leyvadiana
Tennessee
Tennessee football QB Jake Merklinger plans to enter transfer portal
Tennessee quarterback Jake Merklinger plans to enter the transfer portal, Knox News has confirmed.
On3.com and Rivals.com were the first to report Merklinger’s decision. The transfer portal opens on Jan. 2.
Merklinger has also opted out of the Music City Bowl. No. 23 Tennessee (8-4) plays Illinois (8-4) on Dec. 30 (5:30 p.m. ET, ESPN) in Nashville. Starter Joey Aguilar will play in the bowl game, so Merklinger was not expected to be a factor. Freshman George MacIntyre will serve as the backup.
Merklinger spent two seasons at Tennessee but barely played and failed to win the starting job. He played six games and went 19-of-33 passing for 221 yards and two touchdowns.
In 2024, Merklinger was a third-string freshman when Nico Iamaleava started. In 2025, he competed for the starting job but lost to transfer Joey Aguilar.
By the end of the 2025 season, Merklinger was neck and neck with freshman George MacIntyre for the backup job. And it didn’t appear that Merklinger would factor in the starting job in 2026.
Merklinger, a native of Savannah, Georgia, was a four-star recruit in the 2024 class. He has three seasons of eligibility remaining.
Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Email adam.sparks@knoxnews.com. X, formerly known as Twitter@AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe.
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Tennessee
Seedy K’s GameCap: Tennessee
But this U of L task in Knoxville against tall favorite Tennessee sure seemed close to that heading in.
Well coached top level foe at its sold out home.
One whose strength — inside scoring and rebounding — made it a bad matchup for the Cards, whose lack of inside depth and strength has been an Achilles heel from the get go.
That the Vols were hungry and angry coming off three straight Ls made a U of L victory seem an almost impossible task.
Then we learned that back issue of Mikel Brown’s is a problem.
Cards were toast before tip.
It was all evident by halftime — actually well before then.
It just takes a peek at a couple statistics.
Tennessee led by only 7, thanks to some tough Cardinal D. And UT’s woeful FT shooting.
That inside game issue: Volunteers 28 points in the paint. Cardinals 10.
That’s right, Tennessee had more points in the paint at the break than Louisville had points total.
That lack of point guard issue: U of L had 9 FGs at intermission. Tennessee had that many assists on 15 buckets.
Louisville’s strength is depth. At least usually.
During the first 20 Tuesday, the Cards had zero points off the pine. Vols 22. (For the game, the disparity was 34-3. Khani Rooths hit a FT. Wild Man Zougris a garbage time slam.)
Another opening stanza reality that might have you feeling the need to clean your glasses.
Only three guys scored. Adrian Wooley with 12, Ryan Conwell with 11, and Sananda Fru with 4.
Louisville’s second half performance is not worth the bandwidth, my time to write about, nor your time to read.
The final, in a lopsided disappointing loss: 83-62.
There is no sugar frosting this. Against teams with major size and inside presence, Louisville has and will continue to struggle.
When your most talented player doesn’t suit up, it makes it more impossible to overcome.
Tennessee
A look at new laws proposed in Tennessee
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