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For the Nebraska football team, Wednesday marked the Huskers' final preparations for the 2010 Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl.
Bo Pelini met with the media Wednesday morning before the team conducted its walk-through Wednesday afternoon at the team hotel. The team was scheduled to conduct its walk-though at Qualcomm Stadium, but the rainy weather Wednesday forced a change in plans.
Pelini was complimentary of the outstanding treatment the Holiday Bowl has given Nebraska, but said the Huskers are ready to take the field for the first time since the Big 12 title game.
"It has been a great week for our football team," Pelini said. "This is a first-class bowl game and it has been a great experience for our team, but now it is time to dial in and play football. We are looking forward to playing a great game against a really good opponent. We have a tremendous amount of respect for Coach Sarkisian, his program, and what he has been able to do in a short time there."
The Huskers, who are shooting for their first 11-win season since 2001, will be facing a Washington team that is riding a three-game win streak and one Pelini says is much better than the team NU defeated 56-21 in September.
Pelini has leaned on his experience of playing teams twice as an NFL assistant for nine seasons to prepare for Thursday's game.
"You prepare for the opponent," Pelini said when asked if there was a lot he could take from the first matchup. "We are a different team than three months ago and Washington is a different team. They have gotten better as a team and have a lot of momentum. It will be a heckuva challenge."
Pelini said the team was healthy going into the matchup, including quarterback Taylor Martinez, who battled injuries during the second half of the season. Pelini said the Missouri is the last time Martinez was as healthy as he is for the bowl game.
"It's been a while," Pelini said. "I'm not sure he is 100 percent, but he's much better and is feeling good and confident. We are a pretty healthy football team going into the game."