EL PASO, Texas -- Pitt arrived at El Paso airport yesterday and was greeted by a mariachi band, the Sun Bowl Sun Queens and a local dancing group called the La Viva El Paso Folk Lorico, dressed in ethnic gowns.

Some of the Panthers then danced with the sun queens right in the lobby of the airport as the mariachi band played. There was even a point where Jan Wannstedt, wife of Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt, dawned a sombrero and was serenaded by one of the band members.

It was a fiesta, southwest Texas style, and the beginning of what Wannstedt hopes is an exciting week for his players, who, outside of a handful of fifth-year seniors and punter Dave Brytus, are experiencing their first bowl game.

"It is fun for our guys," Wannstedt said. "I think when you go to another state halfway across the country and people are putting out the red carpet for you and doing these kinds of things for you it is an eye-opener. And I think what makes this bowl special is that the entire city really goes out of its way to be gracious hosts.

"It is a great experience for our guys, this is a different part of the country and this will be a learning experience as well and will help these guys become more well rounded individuals. It is a reward for them, it is really neat for us and I just love to see them all having fun and with smiles on their face because they've earned this."

Wannstedt did say that while the experience will be enjoyable, especially for the first part of their week, he has reminded the players that they do have a game to try to win, so they'll get down to business and practice hard to get ready for Oregon State.

"We've got good guys," Wannstedt said. "They've been good all year at knowing when to get serious and buckle down so I don't think it will be a problem."

Wannstedt let his players go home Monday and they didn't have to return until yesterday -- either to Pittsburgh to fly to El Paso with the team or directly to El Paso. Pitt did some light conditioning yesterday and will begin practicing today.

Oregon State, however, practiced straight through the holiday, flew to El Paso as a team on Christmas Day and had a full practice yesterday.

"We had given them two full weeks off before the break," Oregon State coach Mike Riley said when asked about his decision to have the players work through Christmas. "Pitt finished the week after we did so we had a full week off then with finals the next week, and they were spread all the way from Hawaii to Florida with our team. So to think we could get them all back here on time -- we just decided to do it as we've been doing it for bowl games in the past, keep them all together and come down as a team."

One other difference in the approach of the two teams -- all of Oregon State's practices are open to the media; Pitt's practices are closed.

Pitt quarterback Bill Stull made the trip even though his grandfather passed away late last week. ... The wind was blowing so hard yesterday that balls thrown by Oregon State's quarterbacks were being blown off course. "This is like my old Winnipeg days out on the prairie," Riley joked. He coached the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the CFL from 1987-90. "But we got everything done we wanted to." ... One nice development for the Panthers yesterday was that senior linebacker Adam Gunn, who missed almost the entire season with a broken neck, ran wind sprints with the team yesterday. Gunn is not expected to play in the Sun Bowl, but he is at least back up and running again. ... Riley said injured defensive tackle Stephen Paea is progressing well and will play in the game.