The San Francisco 49ers beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sunday, but they lost an All-Pro defensive back in the process.

Safety Talanoa Hufanga suffered a torn right ACL during the team’s 27-14 win over the Bucs, 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan announced Monday. Hufanga sustained the knee injury in the third quarter when his right leg buckled as he attempted to tackle Bucs running back Rachaad White.

Hufanga’s injury will keep him out for the rest of the season.

Rookie Ji’Ayir Brown stepped in for Hufanga at strong safety and will replace him in the starting lineup going forward.

Hufanga earned first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors in 2022.

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The USC product was again having a strong campaign this year. His three interceptions were tied for a 49ers team-lead and his 52 tackles were fourth on the squad. He’s helped the 49ers have the fifth-ranked defense in the NFL this season.

Hufanga’s registered 181 tackles, 14 passes defensed and seven interceptions in 42 career games. The 49ers drafted Hufanga in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL draft.

The 49ers have a championship-caliber team but the loss of Hufanga is a big blog for their defense.

Florida State will be without quarterback Jordan Travis as it continues its quest to reach the College Football Playoff. The school confirmed the news Monday after Travis went down with a serious leg injury against North Alabama. posting a message from Travis that his college career is over.

No. 4 Florida State has yet to lose this season and has already clinched a spot in the ACC championship game against No. 10 Louisville. Travis, a sixth-year senior and three-year starter for the Seminoles, has been a huge reason for success in 2023, entering Saturday with 2,734 passing yards with 20 touchdowns to two interceptions. Travis has also rushed for seven touchdowns.

The injury came in his final game in Tallahassee, as Saturday’s matchup marked Florida State’s senior night.

Jordan Travis injury update

Travis exited Saturday’s game against North Alabama with a leg injury that was severe enough for him to need to be carted off the field and taken away in an ambulance. No official diagnosis has been issued, but video shows Travis’ ankle at an awkward position.

Players from both programs met at midfield following Travis’ injury as he left the game. Travis has shown pictures of himself and teammates at the hospital, via his Instagram story.

He also provided an update early Sunday, also via his Instagram story:

‘Just wanted to let y’all know I’m doing good, feeling good. Got a smile on my face,’ Travis said. ‘Just going to follow God’s plan. God has a journey for me, and I’m going to trust him every step of the way. I appreciate y’all for all the messages. Go Noles.’

On Monday, Travis confirmed that his career as Florida State quarterback is over. Via the Seminoles’ official football X (formerly Twitter) account:

Mike Norvell comments on Jordan Travis injury

Speaking after the game, Florida State coach Mike Norvell spoke at length about Travis’ injury and how it affected the team emotionally.

What Jameis Winston said of Jordan Travis’ injury

‘Just want to encourage him to stay resilient and continue to persevere,’ said Winston, a quarterback for the NFL’s New Orleans Saints who was wearing a Travis jersey at the game. ‘I think he’s the epitome of that with his journey, his college football career. He was having one of the best years ever in college football and I’m grateful to be rocking his jersey and the significance of his number with us winning a championship in 2013 and him being one of the best quarterbacks this year.

‘I just want to continue to lift him up. And just say ‘keep your head up, stand firm, be strong and courageous. Like the Lord has a plan for you that no man, nobody can ever even imagine. So just stay resilient.’ And he has done that. So I know that to him and his family I just wanna pray for his family and their well — he’s gonna be fine. I know he will.’

Tate Rodemaker now the Florida State starter

Rodemaker entered for the Seminoles in relief of Travis after the injury Saturday.

Rodemaker is a redshirt junior who has spent all four years of his college career at Florida State, passing for 550 yards and five touchdowns in four seasons. In Week 3 of the 2022 season, Rodemaker entered for Travis after an injury and led Florida State to a 35-31 win over Louisville after passing for 109 yards and two touchdowns on 6-of-10 passing.

Rodemaker was a three-star recruit in the 2020 recruiting class, according to 247Sports’ Composite rankings. The 6-4 passer was also rated the No. 652 player nationally and No. 25 pro-style quarterback.

Upon further review, go ahead, NFL: Just ban the damn hip-drop tackle.

This is hardly knee-jerk fallout from the potentially season-ending injury that star Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews suffered on Thursday night, seemingly caused by the controversial tactic that apparently is becoming an increasing danger.

The NFL’s competition committee pushed for action on the tactic last spring in the name of safety – drawing rebuke from defensive players, coaches, some analysts and, of all entities, the NFL Players Association – yet never officially proposed a new rule.

The matter was tabled for further review.

Well, how much more needs to be reviewed? Andrews, who, per multiple reports, sustained a cracked fibula and left ankle ligament damage when Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Logan Wilson took him to the grass and landed on the tight end with his body weight, is the latest exhibit that advances the case.

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No doubt, the debate is intensifying. A person with knowledge of the situation who asked not to be identified told USA TODAY Sports that at least one member of the NFL’s competition committee in recent days has suggested the highly unusual measure of instituting a rule now – during the season – to ban the tactic. The person did not want to be identified due to the sensitivity of the issue.

During the season? That seems absurd, given the way the NFL does its business with the rules. Typically, potential rule changes go through the wringer during the offseason, which includes getting input from veteran players at the combine and vetting during competition committee meetings that extend for more than a week. Proposals are debated, tweaked, debated, sampled with straw votes and then some before the final verdict of owners’ votes.

As much as the league should have pushed harder last offseason, a fast track is needed in this case.

Of course, that doesn’t always happen, given NFL politics can move slower than getting a bill passed on Capitol Hill. Just think (Dez Bryant) of all the back-and-forth that went into defining a catch.

But it’s coming. Even with the pushback and the difficulty of officiating it in real-time, it’s a no-brainer that the NFL needs to get the tactic out of the game. No, the NFL hasn’t shown much interest in requiring that all stadiums use natural grass, as many players suggest, but I’m guessing that Roger Goodell sees the hip-drop tackle in the same vein as the horse collar tackle that was banned in 2005. With the hip-drop technique, defenders typically land on ball-carriers with the body weight as they yank them to the turf.

Ask Dallas Cowboys running back Tony Pollard, who suffered a fractured leg and ankle as he was knocked out of an NFC divisional playoff game at San Francisco in January on a hip-drop tackle. Or Kansas City Chiefs MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who on that same weekend suffered a high ankle sprain on a takedown by a Jacksonville Jaguars defender in an AFC divisional playoff.

During league meetings in New York last month, an NFL spokesman contended that the injury rate linked to hip-drop tackles is 25 times higher than for a normal tackle. That’s an uptick from the “20 times higher” figure NFL executive vice president Troy Vincent cited during the spring.

In any event, the lines are drawn. One NFL head coach, who requested anonymity, told USA TODAY Sports that he favors outlawing the hip-drop tackle because, in addition to the injury risk, ball-carriers can’t defend themselves. The coach did not want to be identified due to the sensitivity of the issue.

‘And it wasn’t used in the game until two, three years ago,’ the coach said. ‘Now it’s been copycatted by players.’

In Week 4, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith was penalized for a personal foul during a Monday night game at the New York Giants when he was involved in a scuffle. While it was unusual to see a quarterback engage in a heated exchange, Smith was in retaliation mode after suffering a knee injury on a hip-drop tackle by Isaiah Simmons.

‘A dirty play,’ Smith told ESPN’s Lisa Salters after the game. ‘There’s no place in the sport for that. And you know, hopefully something happens. But other than that, the grace of God allowed me to come back into this game.’

After Thursday’s game, Ravens coach John Harbaugh left little doubt that he thought Andrews was sidelined by the hip-drop technique employed by Wilson.

‘It’s a tough tackle,’ Harbaugh said during his postgame news conference. ‘Was it even necessary in that situation?’

Interestingly, Wilson was also the defender who took Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson down at the sideline late in the first quarter with a hip-drop tackle. Jackson was shaken up but escaped serious injury and played the complete game.

Harbaugh said he intended to send in the video of both of the plays to the league for interpretation.

Bengals coach Zac Taylor, meanwhile, vehemently defended Wilson on Friday after updating reporters in Cincinnati on the season-ending injury to quarterback Joe Burrow.

‘One thing that’s frustrating was the narrative that’s been brought up about Logan Wilson,’ Taylor said. ‘Logan is everything we want to be about, in the way he plays the game. He plays with a toughness and a physicality that is important to that position.’

Taylor acknowledged the injury to Andrews is ‘unfortunate’ yet maintained that the narrative about Wilson has been ‘completely reckless.’

Wilson’s use of the hip-drop technique may be considered dirty … but it’s legal.

Your move, NFL.

Unless or until the NFL officially bans the tactic, more casualties loom.

And the debate will include those who believe that banning the tactic will put defenders at a further disadvantage in a game that includes emphasis to take the head out of the game with helmet-to-helmet hits on defenseless players and strict roughing-the-passer penalties.

Last spring, Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles told USA TODAY Sports that while he realizes the injury risks linked to the technique, he didn’t favor a ban.

‘There’s going to be collateral damage,’ Bowles said. ‘You want to limit it as much as possible. You don’t want nobody getting hurt, but it’s hard to tell somebody how to tackle. The angles are different. The speed is different. I don’t know how to stop it. ‘Don’t tackle high. Don’t tackle low. Don’t hip-drop.’ What are you going to tell a guy? Some guys are more athletic than others. Where does it stop?’

In the coming months, it will be interesting to see whether there is movement in the measure of support among coaches, team owners and other decision-makers. An idea that has been floated in lieu of a rule is that the technique can be “coached out of the game.”

Good luck with that in the ultra-competitive NFL, where merely defining the tactic is a precursor to banning it. Bottom line, the NFL needs to outlaw the hip-drop tackle.

If not now, then ASAP.

Purdue basketball’s first test outside of Mackey Arena was a resounding success.

For the most part.

The second-ranked Boilermakers struggled from 3-point range (4 of 17) and taking care of the basketball (13 turnovers), but was able to overcome some first half struggles and an anemic outside shooting performance to defeat No. 10 Gonzaga, 73-63, in the opening round of the Maui Invitational.

The trio of Zach Edey, Braden Smith and Lance Jones, along with some timely offense from Myles Colvin and Trey Kaufman-Renn combined with a ratcheted up second-half defense lifted the Boilermakers to a win over Gonzaga for the second straight season.

Purdue plays No. 8 Tennessee, which beat Syracuse, in the Maui Invitational semifinal at 8 p.m. Tuesday.

It was over when

When the game got tight late, Purdue coach Matt Painter opted to go with freshman Myles Colvin instead of sophomore Fletcher Loyer, who had an off day shooting, going 0-for-6 from the field.

Colvin hit consecutive 3s that put Purdue ahead by double digits. With Gonzaga needing to stop the bleeding, Caleb Furst stripped the ball and threw down a breakaway dunk to go up 71-57 with under three minutes remaining.

3 stars

Zach Edey, Purdue: Edey’s shot wasn’t falling in the first half. Still, he was able to fill the scoring column from the free throw line, while putting Gonzaga’s bigs in foul trouble. The defense was much better overall in the second half and Edey’s offense was better, too. He finished with 25 points, 14 rebounds and 3 blocks.

Lance Jones, Purdue: We’re rehashing the same sentence after every game, but Jones was what Purdue needed and didn’t have last season. His speed is going to be unmatched most every game and that leads to a lot of easy buckets. Jones had 13 points and two steals.

Braden Smith, Purdue: Mr. Consistent did it again. Anybody still questioning Smith’s value doesn’t understand basketball. After torching the Bulldogs a year ago, Smith did it again Monday with 13 points on 6 of 8 shooting to go with four rebounds, six assists and five steals.

Sam King covers sports for the Journal & Courier. Email him at sking@jconline.com and follow him on Twitter and Instagram @samueltking.

The New York Jets are making a change at starting quarterback.

The Jets are benching former No. 2 pick Zach Wilson in favor of veteran Tim Boyle, Jets coach Robert Saleh announced Monday. Trevor Siemian will be No. 2 on the depth chart and Wilson will be relegated to third-string quarterback.

‘Just to give him an opportunity. A different style of quarterback. So really it’s just to give him an opportunity and see if we can do something with the offense,’ Saleh said. ‘All three will be up on gameday, Trevor (Siemian) will be the immediate backup.’

Saleh was asked what Wilson’s future is with the Jets.

‘We’ll deal with in the offseason, guys,’ Saleh said. Right now, it’s really just about Miami.’

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Boyle’s first start will come on Friday against the Miami Dolphins in the NFL’s first Black Friday game, the day after its traditional Thanksgiving tripleheader.

The Jets hoped Aaron Rodgers would be their savior at quarterback, but his Achilles tear in the season opener on Sept. 11 thrust Wilson back into the starting job.

Jets coach Robert Saleh benched Wilson during the third quarter of the Jets’ 32-6 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.

Wilson was able to muster his sixth touchdown pass of the season just before halftime, a 9-yard pass to running back Breece Hall. But Wilson was just 7 of 15 for 81 yards with an interception against the Bills, and he was sacked five times.

‘It’s frustrating. I don’t know what to say – I’m sorry to the Jets fans. They don’t deserve this,’ Hall said in an interview with SNY after the game.

Zach Wilson stats

Wilson has completed 59.2% of his passes this season for 1,944 yards with six touchdowns and seven interceptions, while incurring 38 sacks.

The Jets offensive line has been a turnstile this season, starting seven different offensive line combinations with 13 different offensive linemen seeing playing time this season.

The Jets are 4-6 and in third place in the AFC East, ahead of the 2-8 New England Patriots, but trailing the Dolphins (7-3) and Bills (6-5).

Wilson has a 11-20 record as Jets starter since being the No. 2 pick out of BYU in 2021. He has completed 56.6 percent of his passes for 5,966 yards with 21 touchdowns, 25 interceptions and a 71.9 quarterback rating. He has been sacked 105 times in 32 games during his career.

Tim Boyle stats

Boyle, 29, was 7 of 14 for 33 yards with an interception and a sack in relief of Wilson against the Bills. He played only three drives: His first ended in a fumble, his second was a three-and-out, and his final drive was the interception with 2:30 left.

Boyle went undrafted in 2018 after playing at UConn (2013-15) and Eastern Kentucky (2016-17) in college. He was previously Rodgers’ backup with the Green Bay Packers from 2018-20. Boyle also spent time with the Detroit Lions (2021-22) and Chicago Bears (2022) before joining the Jets this season.

Boyle has played in 18 games during his NFL career, completing 73 of 120 passes for 607 yards with three touchdowns and nine interceptions. He is 0-3 in three previous starts.

There was minimal shakeup near the top of the USA TODAY Sports men’s basketball coaches poll. That will likely not be the case in the next poll with all the holiday tournaments on the horizon, including a particularly star-studded one in Hawaii.

The first nine teams hold steady, with No. 10 Gonzaga nudging ahead of Miami (Fla.) by a single poll point creating the only change in the top 10. Kansas remains No. 1, picking up 25 of 32 first-place votes this week. Purdue remains No. 2 with five firsts, with the other two No. 1 nods going to No. 3 Arizona. Connecticut and Marquette continue to round out the top five.

The loaded field in the Maui Invitational, featuring half of the top 10, will reshuffle things. The Jayhawks and Boilermakers are there along with Marquette, No. 8 Tennessee and Gonzaga. No. 24 UCLA is also in Honolulu and is also capable of making – waves.

Florida Atlantic tumbles 10 spots to No. 20 after a loss to Bryant but stays in the poll. No. 21 Colorado joins the rankings along with No. 23 Memphis and No. 25 Mississippi State.

That trio of newcomers creates four dropouts thanks to last week’s tie for 25th between UCLA and Virginia. They are Arkansas, Southern California, Villanova and Saint Mary’s.