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Los Angeles • Apparently, Utah State cornerback Daniel Gray was not seriously injured in Saturday's 45-7 loss at USC.

A senior from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Gray was carried off the field on a stretcher after tackling Trojan receiver Steven Mitchell Jr. late in the first quarter.

After the game, Aggie coach Matt Wells reported Gray was in the locker room with his teammates and all X-rays were negative.

"He seems OK," Wells said.

The Aggies aren't as sure about the status of star running back Devante Mays. After gaining five yards early in the third quarter, he limped off the field and was using crutches for a time on the Utah State sideline.

"We'll have to find out on Mays tonight or tomorrow," Wells said. "… I don't know yet."

Mays finished with 24 yards on eight carries, after rushing for 208 yards and three touchdowns in Utah State's opening 45-6 win over Weber State last week.

"We didn't get a whole lot of movement on the line of scrimmage," Wells said. "But that's a good front and a good defense. We weren't able to move them very much and they did a nice job of taking [Mays] away."

Not-so-grand entrance

USC made a routine entrance for the Utah State game, in contrast to its season opener.

Before their 52-6 loss at Alabama last week, a handful of Trojan came onto the field and dropped to their knees. They acted like angry dogs waiting be to unleashed. Some teammates pretended to restrain them.

Bad idea, according to coach Clay Helton.

"Good teams don't worry about the pageantry of games," he said. "They worry about doing their job."

Helton explained that the players were "over-excited."

Briefly

USC linebacker Porter Gustin, who attended Salem Hills High School, finished with six tackles. … Trojan nose guard Stevie Tu'ikolovatu, who transferred from the University of Utah, had three tackles. … Pro scouts from the Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, Carolina Panthers. New York Giants, B.C. Lions and Saskatchewan Roughriders attended the game.

Twitter: @sluhm