No. 5 LSU will be without Maason Smith against No. 8 Florida State

No. 5 LSU will be without standout defensive tackle Maason Smith when the the Tigers play their season opener against No. 8 Florida State in Orlando on Sept. 3.

Smith is suspended for one game after the NCAA determined that he had received an "improper benefit," despite cooperating in the investigation, according to the report.

The improper benefit took place before the start of NIL on July 1, 2021. Smith would have been suspended for a game last season for the offense, but he tore his ACL on the opening drive of LSU's season opener against Florida State. This year's rematch against Florida State was supposed to be Smith's return to the field.

With Smith out of the lineup, LSU will have to rely on veteran defensive tackle Jacobian Guillory and transfers Jordan Jefferson and Jalen Lee.

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: LSU's Maason Smith will miss Florida State game due to NIL violation