Huskers Start Busy Weekend with Friday Practice

The Nebraska football team worked out for two hours on Friday afternoon as the Huskers continue preparations for the Dec. 26 Foster Farms Bowl matchup with UCLA.

The practice was the Huskers sixth in an eight-day span in Lincoln and kicked off a busy weekend of activities for the football program. Eleven current or former Huskers will go through graduation ceremonies on Saturday morning, including junior defensive tackle Vincent Valentine, who completes his undergraduate work in just seven semesters.

The Huskers will be back on the practice field on Saturday afternoon, and will also practice in Lincoln on Monday morning before departing for the Bay Area. Between the Saturday and Monday practices, Nebraska will hold its postseason banquet on Sunday afternoon.

Head Coach Mike Riley said the team managed the rigorous schedule of Finals Week and football practice well and he is pleased with his team's progress.

"They've done real well," Riley said of his team managing the week. "We've had to find windows to practice according to when finals were being taken. Today you could tell a little bit that it was the end of finals week."

Riley also said that Nebraska has its entire gameplan for the Bruins installed, and now focuses on repitition as the game approaches.

"My goal for bowl games is to  have all of the gameplan in before you leave," Riley said. "If you can get it all in, it becomes repetitive after you arrive at the site."

Nebraska is scheduled to depart Lincoln for the Bay Area on Monday afternoon, with the first practice in California at Laney College in Oakland on Tuesday morning.

The Foster Farms Bowl will be the first postseason matchup between Nebraska and UCLA and the 13th all-time meeting between the schools. Game time at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara is set for 8:15 p.m. on Dec. 26, with the game televised by ESPN.