Tennessee
What ‘CJ2K’ means and how it got former Titans RB Chris Johnson into Tennessee Sports HOF
Former Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson was asked on the red carpet at the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony Saturday night if it was OK to still call him CJ2K?
“It will always be OK to call me that,” he said with a big smile.
Johnson acquired the rhythmic moniker 15 years ago after accomplishing a remarkable feat that has been done by just seven other NFL players. He rushed for more than 2,000 yards in the 2009 season on the way to being named the NFL offensive player of the year and an All-Pro.
Such a rare achievement went a long way in helping Johnson become the youngest member of the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame 2024 class, and at 38, one of the youngest ever enshrined.
“Going into that last game knowing how many yards I needed to get 2,000 and going into that meeting with coach Jeff Fisher, the whole coaching staff, the whole entire team was behind me,” Johnson said at the Omni Nashville Hotel. “They had my back. Everybody was doing everything in their power so I could break 2,000 yards.”
Johnson, who never hid his desire to be an NFL megastar, crossed the 2,000-yard plateau at 2,006 after rushing for 134 yards on 36 carries in a 17-13 win over the Seattle Seahawks. He had broken Earl Campbell’s single-season franchise record for rushing yards (1,934) in the first half.
Johnson gathered on the field after the game with his offensive linemen, fellow running back LenDale White and running backs coach Earnest Byner for a photo to mark the memorable occasion. He later purchased watches with “2000-Yard Season” engraved on them for the starting offensive linemen and tight end Alge Crumpler.
The Buffalo Bills’ O.J. Simpson was the first player to rush for 2,000 yards when he did it in 1973. Derrick Henry is the most recent to do it, in 2020, making the Titans the only team to have two 2,000-yard rushers.
The franchise has long been known for producing outstanding running backs, and Johnson said he was honored to be among the best in that group. With 7,965 career yards, he is the franchise’s fourth all-time leading rusher behind Eddie George (10,009), Henry (9,502) and Campbell (8,574).
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“You see it on the internet all the time, questions like, ‘Who’s got the best running backs of all-time as a franchise?’ ” Johnson said. “When you’ve got guys like Earl Campbell, Eddie George, Derrick Henry and myself, I feel like we’re the best. To be amongst that group is amazing.”
Johnson said he is close to those three players, as well as with White. Johnson and White established themselves as “Smash and Dash,” and Johnson is quick to give White credit for helping him be as productive as he was on the field.
“C.J. is my best friend, but more than that he’s like a brother. He’s family,” said White, who attended Johnson’s induction ceremony. “I’m amazed to see where he took his life. I’m blessed and I’m thankful to be his friend. I don’t see how I couldn’t have been here tonight when you look back at our time on the field — Smash and Dash, the combo.”
Reach Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 or on X @MikeOrganWriter.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) – The first measles case of 2025 has been confirmed in the state, and it’s in Middle Tennessee, according to the Tennessee Department of Health.
Health officials said the infected person is recovering in their home, while doctors and people worry about the viral infection spreading.
The measles is an infection some people said they weren’t too surprise was spreading, Breanna Thomas said she almost expected it.
“I’m going to be honest I wasn’t too shocked because a lot of mothers and fathers are very hesitant to vaccinate their children,” Thomas said.
Doctor Joseph Gigante with the Monroe Carole Junior Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt said the spread of measles seemed to be moving fast.
“Unfortunately, the most recent outbreak that started in west Texas has now spread,” Dr. Gigante said.
The Tennessee Department of Health announced a measles case was found in Middle Tennessee in March on Friday.
“This is where you get really worried and really concerned,” Dr. Gigante said.
Tennessee health officials said measles is highly infectious. The virus spreads through the air when an infected person speaks, coughs or sneezes.
Officials said the person in Middle Tennessee was infected in early March, but they’re investigating to find out where or how they got the virus.
“It’s a tragedy, but it’s so easy to prevent measles. The best thing parents could do is to vaccinate your child,” Dr. Gigante said.
Doctors said watch out for symptoms of small bumps, high fever, cough and a runny noise. Measles can also be fatal.
“There could definitely be a mini epidemic here in Tennessee for sure,” Thomas said.
The department reports that there’s an active national measles outbreak with over 300 cases in 11 states, including two deaths.
“I would hope that the cases are quarantined very well and even put in isolation rooms if they do have to go unfortunately to the hospital,” Thomas said.
Copyright 2025 WSMV. All rights reserved.
Tennessee
UCLA vs. Tennessee Prediction: Odds, Expert Picks, Betting Trends and Stats for 2025 March Madness Round 2
The UCLA Bruins (23-10) take the court against the Tennessee Volunteers (28-7) in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday in Lexington, KY.
UCLA thumped Utah State, 72-47, on Thursday in the first round. Eric Dailey, Jr. and Skyy Clark paced the Bruins’ attack with 14 points apiece. UCLA was 10-24 from beyond the arc (41.7%).
Tennessee advanced to Saturday’s second round with a decisive victory of their own, dominating Wofford, 77-62. Chaz Lanier had 29 for the Vols in the win and the Tennessee defense allowed Wofford a mere 27 first half points.
The winner of this game earns a ticket to the Sweet 16.
Lets dive into the matchup and offer some information and possibly a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch the opening tip, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
Game details & how to watch UCLA vs. Tennessee
- Date: Saturday, March 22, 2025
- Time: 9:40PM EST
- Site: Rupp Arena
- City: Lexington, KY
- Network/Streaming: TBS / truTV
Never miss a second of the action and stay up to date with all the latest scores and player news. Check out our day-by-day NCAA Basketball Schedule Page that includes live game updates.
Game odds for UCLA vs. Tennessee
The latest odds as of Friday courtesy of BetMGM:
- Odds: UCLA Bruins (+170), Tennessee Volunteers (-210)
- Spread: Volunteers -4.5
- Total: 132.5 points
Expert picks & predictions for UCLA vs. Tennessee
NBC Sports Bet Best Bet
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NCAA calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, injuries, and the schedule.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Saturday’s Bruins & Volunteers game:
- Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
- Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on Tennessee -4.5.
- Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total OVER 132.5.
UCLA vs. Tennessee: Top betting trends and recent stats
- UCLA has covered the spread in 3 of their last 4 games
- UCLA Game Totals have cashed to the OVER in 3 of their last 4 games
- Tennessee did not cover as 18.5-point favorites against Wofford
- Tennessee is now 3-7 against the spread in their last 10 games
- The OVER has cashed in 5 of Tennessee’s last 6 games
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our NCAA Basketball Top Trends Tool on NBCSports.com!
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
· Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
· Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
· Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
· Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)
LEXINGTON, Ky. − Tennessee basketball and UCLA are playing for a spot in the Sweet 16.
The No. 2 seed Vols (27-8) face the No. 10 seed Bruins (23-10) at 9:40 p.m. ET on Saturday on TNT/TruTV at Rupp Arena.
Tennessee advanced with a 77-62 win against No. 15 Wofford on Thursday then the Bruins walloped No. 10 Utah State 72-47. UT is playing for its third straight trip to the Sweet 16 under coach Rick Barnes, including last season’s Elite Eight berth. It also went to the Sweet 16 in 2019.
How Tennessee basketball advanced in the NCAA Tournament
Chaz Lanier starred in his first NCAA Tournament game. He scored 29 points, which is the third-most in an NCAA Tournament game UT history. He hit six 3-pointers, which matched Dalton Knecht, Santiago Vescovi and Chris Lofton for the most in an NCAA Tournament game by a Vol.
Zakai Zeigler had 12 points and 12 assists. He broke Johnny Darden’s career assists record with his second assist against Wofford.
Jahmai Mashack had nine points and seven rebounds.
How UCLA advanced in the NCAA Tournament to face Tennessee
The Bruins easily handed Utah State in the nightcap Thursday. Skyy Clark and Eric Dailey Jr. had 14 points each. Kobe Johnson had eight points and eight rebounds.
UCLA limited the Aggies to 4-for-31 3-point shooting, while hitting 10-for-24.
Mike Wilson covers University of Tennessee athletics. Email him at michael.wilson@knoxnews.com and follow him on X @ByMikeWilson or Bluesky @bymikewilson.bsky.social. If you enjoy Mike’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that will allow you access to all of it.
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