The Brian Kelly era didn't quite start out the way LSU football fans hoped, as the Tigers were bested by the Florida State Seminoles 24-23 on Sunday night. To make matters worse, one of the Tigers' best players, defensive lineman Maason Smith, left the game with a knee injury that occurred while he was celebrating a stop on defense.

Unfortunately, the update the Tigers received on Smith was not a good one. The standout tackle will miss the remainder of the 2022 season with a torn ACL in his left knee, as reported by Brody Miller of The Athletic.

Just brutal news. Maason Smith's 2022 season is over just as it started for LSU football. Smith exited the game against Florida State in the first quarter, returning to the sideline after halftime.

The sophomore defensive tackle was wearing a brace on his leg and walking with the assistance of crutches, both observations that didn't bode well for his status as of Sunday night. Kelly had told the media that Smith would be undergoing an MRI on Monday.

Now, LSU football will have to face the harsh reality that they'll have to move forward without one of their very best players. The loss to Florida State was a tough pill to swallow but the Maason Smith injury is like a gut punch for Tigers fans.

A Freshman All-SEC selection in 2021, Smith tallied five tackles for loss and four sacks, though three of them came in one contest. Still, the hype surrounding the former top recruit was real, as ex-Tigers head coach Ed Orgeron called him his best interior pass rusher before he had even taken the field.

After just a quarter of football, Maason Smith's 2022 season is over. Just brutal news.