THE INTERSECTION OF RIDGE AND NOYES, EVANSTON — I can’t put my finger on the exact reason why, I just know that every year around this time, I start to think about college football again. Like clockwork, the butterflies return to my stomach and my mind peeks forward to the end of summer, wandering to stadiums and college-towns, to tailgates and Saturdays in the fall.
Maybe it’s the smell of hot dogs in a crowded parking lot or the omnipresent whiff of beer that only comes in racks of 30. Maybe it’s the sight of fans walking through the streets on their way to the game, still brimming with anticipatory excitement and an extra bounce in their step.