Lincoln, Neb. – The Nebraska football team practiced for 90 minutes inside the Hawks Championship Center on Thursday in preparation for its New Year’s Day bowl game against Georgia. Head Coach Bo Pelini spoke to the media following practice, as the Huskers finished their third of five practices this week.

“We have had a good week of practice so far, we started on Saturday and we have worked on through during finals week,” Pelini said. “These guys will wrap up finals tomorrow and we will practice with workouts tomorrow and Saturday. We will let them go for the holidays, and we will get them back here on Christmas night.”

Pelini mentioned that the Huskers have had some pretty good practices since starting Georgia prep last Saturday, noting that the majority of the Husker football team is finally getting healthy.

“I think they have hit the ground running. We were a little bit rusty obviously when we started last Saturday. I think we have picked it up and we have had good tempo and some good practices,” Pelini said. “Our health is getting back together, right now pretty much everyone has been practicing with the exception of Taylor (Martinez).”

Pelini added this about Martinez, who has only played in four games in his senior season.

“He (Martinez) will be out for the game—I should say not 100 percent, but it looks like he will be out for the game,” Pelini said.

With Martinez sidelined with an injury, most likely keeping him out of the bowl game, Pelini added that the situation this season has been tough for Martinez. Pelini said he feels for Martinez, who will most likely have to sit his final game opportunity in a Husker uniform.

“I think it is hard, this whole season has been hard on him and obviously it is not ideal, and not the way you want to see him go out,” Pelini said. “I feel for him, it has been a difficult deal, but he is not 100 percent yet.”

Pelini also discussed Nebraska’s schedule for bowl practice, and how it has fit into the month of December.

“I think for all of our young guys these practices are important, I think I said it is a little bit different schedule than the way the bowls used to be,” Pelini said. “You play so much later—you used to be your season was over in the middle of November so you could almost have a spring practice (Before the bowl game) It isn’t quite like that, the season, you have an extra bye week and it starts later.”

The Huskers and Bulldogs face off Wednesday, Jan. 1 in the Gator Bowl at noon (CST). The game will be televised on ESPN2.