A year ago today, the mere prospect of kicking off during the 2020 calendar year was dim. Northwestern undergraduates were barely allowed to step foot on campus, let alone in the stands at Ryan Field. Downtown Evanston resembled somewhat of a ghost town, and Northwestern was not just coming off a bad season, but their worst during the entire tenure of Pat Fitzgerald.
Flash forward 12 months, a Big Ten West title, a Citrus Bowl victory, two first round draft picks and some “Good Clean American Fun” later, and the ‘Cats are back for more — oh, and so are the fans, but this time in person.