The sun is shining, flowers are in bloom and delusional fan bases are talking themselves into unrealistic expectations and eventual heartbreak. After a one-year absence, spring football is back.
And so were fans. Alabama had 47,218 in attendance at its spring game April 17, at the time the largest crowd at any domestic sporting event since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. After the Big Ten barred fans from attending any games in 2020, Nebraska's spring scrimmage came in front of a crowd of 36,406.
In more ways than one, the spring gave a glimpse into how the sport may look come August and September.