EL PASO, Texas -- Pitt and Oregon State visited Fort Bliss, an Army base in El Paso, yesterday and then had dinner with the troops. The event is an annual part of the Sun Bowl pregame activities.

The players also got to take some photos and sit in or hold some military equipment -- such as tanks, helicopters and missile launchers.

Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt said the day was one of the most important events on the schedule because it gave the players a educational experience as well as an appreciation for the sacrifices military personnel have made.

"It [was] a great day, something that is very educational and very humbling," Wannstedt said. "We all talk about how good we have it in this country and why we have it so good in this country, and all of us have a tendency to take things for granted. But, hopefully, this will be a little bit of an eye-opener for a lot of different reasons."

Pitt middle linebacker Scott McKillop added: "I have so much respect for our troops. What they are doing right now and at any time really is far more important and far more courageous than anything else that anyone anywhere has done. Right now they are putting their lives on the line, fighting for our country and they aren't asking for too much in return."

Pitt senior defensive tackle Rashaad Duncan was quoted yesterday as saying that Oregon State's offensive line hadn't faced any defensive line as athletic and quick as Pitt's this season except for Penn State, which manhandled the Beavers.

That bulletin-board material apparently reached the Beavers as Oregon State guard Adam Speer told a reporter for the Oregonian: "That's kind of funny. Go ask USC, UCLA, ask them what they thought of us. I hope [Duncan] thinks we're not any good, and we'll see afterward what he really thought."

Wannstedt said: "As we always used to say, if you talk the talk, you better be able to walk the walk. But I wouldn't read anything more into it other than he is a senior, this is last game and he wants to play good ... and now he better be ready to play good."

The Oregon State athletic department announced yesterday that the school and head coach Mike Riley have agreed to a one-year contract extension that will keep him as the Beavers' coach at least through the 2015 season. "There is no question we are on the right track in all facets of the football program," Oregon State director of athletics Bob De Carolis said in a news release. "We have enjoyed some of our best seasons ever with coach Riley at the helm, and he has developed a program that continues to compete at the highest level." ...Yesterday was the Panthers' final practice before the game. They will have a walk-through at Sun Bowl Stadium today. ... Tonight there will be a Sun Bowl Fan Fiesta which includes the "University Battle of the Bands."