The 2026 Northwestern Essay No. 1--An Origin Story
Good evening. My name is Michael Boyle, and I am a fan of Northwestern University football. In a bit I will explain how I came to be a fan of this somewhat niche team in the Big Ten Conference of what is now referred to at "FBS" college football. But first, I want to share my vision for this project so that you, the reader, can have your expectations properly set for what I plan to provide over the course of the fall. Beginning on September 5, 2026, Northwestern will play a series of 12 games on a generally weekly basis. Before each game, on Friday, I will post an essay in connection with the game. I say "in connection with the game" because I anticipate these essays will have a varied degree of connection to the actual game that will be actually played on the field. Perhaps some essays will provide some sort of substantive analysis of the game, but I suspect many of them will be inspired by the game in a much looser fashion, on a more the...