密歇根新闻广播 赛季中期密歇根足球报道

When we last checked in with the Michigan football team four weeks ago, the Wolverines had just lost to 12th-ranked Notre Dame¹, then crushed Western Michigan.

But the Wolverines still had more questions than answers, especially after coming off a disappointing 8-5 season the year before.

The Wolverines answered some of those questions in their last four games, all victories. But the most important might've been the one that impressed the public the least: a come-from-behind victory over Northwestern.

After the Wolverines beat up Southern Methodist and Nebraska, they traveled to Evanston, Illinois, to take on Northwestern.

On paper, it didn't look too hard. Northwestern had already lost to the Akron Zips, for crying out loud, a team that annually² shoots for mediocrity, and only occasionally achieves it.

But the Wildcats often give the Wolverines fits, forcing them to pull out dramatic, last-minute victories.

It showed.

Before the Wolverines knew what hit 'em, the Wildcats were up 17 to nothing. Just getting to overtime³ looked like a longshot for the Wolverines.

Many Michigan fans vented⁴ their spleens on Twitter, complaining their team was no better than last year's, and they'd never return to the promised land.

But unlike last year's Michigan team, which would have folded under such pressure, this year's version stayed calm, got focused, and went to work.

Michigan's defense⁵ could not afford to give up another point – and didn't. The Wolverines punctuated⁶ most of their defensive⁷ stands by sacking the quarterback.

With ten minutes left in the game, the Wolverines marched down field with confidence and precision. They gobbled up seven minutes before scoring a touchdown to go ahead 20-17, with just three minutes left.

After the Wolverines stuffed Northwestern's offense⁸ again, they had secured another exciting comeback – the second biggest comeback on the road in school history, going backto 1879.

The players knew such a narrow victory over a battered⁹ opponent wouldn't play well with their fans, who were still grumbling¹⁰ on Twitter, or the media, which was bound toknock them down another notch¹¹ in the rankings.

But they didn't care. The locker¹² room celebration was the best they'd had. They werethrilled to keep their winning streak¹³ alive – and showed it last weekend, when they stretched it to five straight victories by waxing a decent Maryland team, 42-21.

That sets up a huge game this weekend against tenth-ranked Wisconsin. The TV gods have deemed it big enough to bring ESPN's College Gameday to town, and play the game atnight.

I get the feeling the fans and the media are still holding back, reluctant to jump on the Michigan bandwagon until the Wolverines knock off a serious squad¹⁴ like Wisconsin.

The players don't care. They never stopped believing this team was different, and they've become more convinced of that every week.

They're about to get their chance to prove it.

1 dame   

n.女士

参考例句：

• The dame tell of her experience as a wife and mother.这位年长妇女讲了她作妻子和母亲的经验。
• If you stick around,you'll have to marry that dame.如果再逗留多一会，你就要跟那个夫人结婚。

2 annually   

adv.一年一次，每年

参考例句：

• Many migratory birds visit this lake annually.许多候鸟每年到这个湖上作短期逗留。
• They celebrate their wedding anniversary annually.他们每年庆祝一番结婚纪念日。

3 overtime   

adj.超时的，加班的；adv.加班地

参考例句：

• They are working overtime to finish the work.为了完成任务他们正在加班加点地工作。
• He was paid for the overtime he worked.他领到了加班费。

4 vented   

表达，发泄（感情，尤指愤怒）( vent的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He vented his frustration on his wife. 他受到挫折却把气发泄到妻子身上。
• He vented his anger on his secretary. 他朝秘书发泄怒气。

5 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

6 punctuated   

v.（在文字中）加标点符号，加标点( punctuate的过去式和过去分词 )；不时打断某事物

参考例句：

• Her speech was punctuated by bursts of applause. 她的讲演不时被阵阵掌声打断。
• The audience punctuated his speech by outbursts of applause. 听众不时以阵阵掌声打断他的讲话。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 defensive   

adj.防御的；防卫的；防守的

参考例句：

• Their questions about the money put her on the defensive.他们问到钱的问题，使她警觉起来。
• The Government hastily organized defensive measures against the raids.政府急忙布置了防卫措施抵御空袭。

8 offense   

n.犯规，违法行为；冒犯，得罪

参考例句：

• I hope you will not take any offense at my words. 对我讲的话请别见怪。
• His words gave great offense to everybody present.他的发言冲犯了在场的所有人。

9 battered   

adj.磨损的；v.连续猛击；磨损

参考例句：

• He drove up in a battered old car.他开着一辆又老又破的旧车。
• The world was brutally battered but it survived.这个世界遭受了惨重的创伤,但它还是生存下来了。

10 grumbling   

adj. 喃喃鸣不平的, 出怨言的

参考例句：

• She's always grumbling to me about how badly she's treated at work. 她总是向我抱怨她在工作中如何受亏待。
• We didn't hear any grumbling about the food. 我们没听到过对食物的抱怨。

11 notch   

n.(V字形)槽口，缺口，等级

参考例句：

• The peanuts they grow are top-notch.他们种的花生是拔尖的。
• He cut a notch in the stick with a sharp knife.他用利刃在棒上刻了一个凹痕。

12 locker   

n.更衣箱，储物柜，冷藏室，上锁的人

参考例句：

• At the swimming pool I put my clothes in a locker.在游泳池我把衣服锁在小柜里。
• He moved into the locker room and began to slip out of his scrub suit.他走进更衣室把手术服脱下来。

13 streak   

n.条理，斑纹，倾向，少许，痕迹；v.加条纹，变成条纹，奔驰，快速移动

参考例句：

• The Indians used to streak their faces with paint.印第安人过去常用颜料在脸上涂条纹。
• Why did you streak the tree?你为什么在树上刻条纹？

14 squad   

n.班，小队，小团体；vt.把…编成班或小组

参考例句：

• The squad leader ordered the men to mark time.班长命令战士们原地踏步。
• A squad is the smallest unit in an army.班是军队的最小构成单位。