As I walked around the Ithaca College campus this past Monday, I couldn't shake the strange feeling of emptiness. And I wasn't even sure why it was happening. 

After all, I was thrilled to be back in the place that defined four of the greatest years of my life. Sure, there were new dorms, academic buildings and a state-of-the-art athletics center, but those structures have hardly altered the feel of the campus.

Buildings change, as do cars, people, landscapes -- seemingly everything. It's the reality of life. If I've lost you down this philosophical rabbit hole, take a second and reflect on your own college experience (or high school, or camp, or anything with a similar feeling of "home"). You probably don't remember the classes or the papers for those classes, but instead perhaps you think of the nights out with roommates and friends. Maybe you recall a hike through the woods, or a hilarious prank, or simply just that time you tried something new. Almost certainly, you will be flooded with a sense of love and camaraderie, a bond that only seems to form in high school, college or camp settings.

This, I realized, was the source of my emptiness. I visited Ithaca's campus on Labor Day with a great friend, one I shared a house with senior year and spent many hours with at the student newspaper. And yet, after spending the previous three days with more than a dozen other dear college friends during our annual Labor Day weekend visit, I found myself missing them on campus.

So, where does college football come into play with all of this? Simply put, it remains an annual, reliable way to stay connected with your alma mater and, by extension, many of your college friends. The players, coaches and uniforms will change over the years, just as things in your life will. But as an alumnus and fan, the passion for your team should never waver. Buy a shirt, wear a hat, proudly display that pennant at your work cubicle. Have fun, because what was college, at its root, if not fun?

I'm honored to return for a third season as D3football.com's Around the East columnist and I'm looking forward to another exciting year in the East region. To kick it off, here are my choices for the top games to circle on your calendar:

No. 9 St. John Fisher at Brockport State, 6 p.m., Sept. 20: After six years in the NJAC, Brockport State hosts St. John Fisher in its first conference matchup in the Empire 8. That's a stiff test in the conference opener, and the Golden Eagles will be coming off a tough pair of nonconference matchups in Oberlin and former NJAC rival Cortland State in the season's first two weeks. But it's fair to expect a close game between the upstart Golden Eagles and battle-tested Cardinals. Brockport closed out its NJAC stay with an eight-win season, and should immediately compete in the gauntlet that is the Empire 8.

Springfield at Union, noon, Oct. 4: These two proud programs combined to go just 10-10 last season. Springfield finished strong, winning its last four games, but a three-game losing streak in the middle of the season -- which included a 27-7 loss to Union -- virtually derailed any postseason hopes. Union finished with just three wins last season after posting back-to-back six-win campaigns. It's unlikely either team will seriously push Hobart for the Liberty League conference title, but this should at least be a competitive, fun game.

Albright at Delaware Valley, 1 p.m., Oct. 4: Both of these teams are annual contenders in the MAC and, if this year's matchup is anything like last year's, fans are in for another treat. Albright entered the fourth quarter with a 17-14 lead, but Delaware Valley pulled out a 20-17 win thanks to two Brandon Snyder field goals, including the game-winner as time expired. These two teams, along with Lycoming and Lebanon Valley, figure to again be the cream of the crop in the MAC, so the head-to-head matchups between the four are vital. Delaware Valley has dominated the series with Albright, but many of the games have been close. That should remain the case in 2014.

No. 15 Rowan at Cortland State, 1 p.m., Oct. 4: This is likely the game that will decide the NJAC champion. At the very least, it's always a contender for most competitive game in the conference. Simply look at the final scores of the last four meetings -- 10-9, 24-21, 31-28 and 20-17, with both teams winning twice. Some quick math tells me that's 81 points and two wins for Cortland, and 79 points and two wins for Rowan. It literally can't get any closer than that. Rowan enters the new year as the preseason favorite, but Cortland figures to bounce back after a disappointing 6-5 season. The Red Dragons would like to put one final NJAC conference title in the trophy case before they depart for the Empire 8 in 2015.

Morrisville State at No. 15 Rowan, 2 p.m., Oct. 18: A second straight game involving Rowan? Yes, and the reasoning is simple -- revenge. Rowan's only conference loss last season came at the hands of Morrisville State, an upstart program that finished 3-7 overall under then-first year coach Curt Fitzpatrick. The 41-21 win marked a program milestone for the Mustangs. Rowan, to its disappointment, played the role of Goliath to Morrisville State's David. Don't expect the players to forget so quickly.

Alfred at Salisbury, noon, Nov. 1: If St. John Fisher and Ithaca are the favorites to win the Empire 8, Salisbury and Alfred aren't far behind. After dominating the conference for most of their first two seasons, the Sea Gulls slipped to 7-4 last season (though three of the losses came by seven or fewer points). Alfred is a team in transition under first-year coach Bob Rankl, but there is plenty of talent left to push for a conference title. Alfred scored 10 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to pull away for a 31-21 win in last year's meeting. Expect this season's matchup to be similarly competitive.

No. 23 Ithaca at No. 9 St. John Fisher, noon, Nov. 8: If you choose to only watch one Empire 8 game this season, make sure it's this one. Of course, you'd be missing out on some great football in the process, but my money is on this matchup deciding the conference champion. Ithaca earned a hard-fought 25-22 win in last season's meeting, snapping a long losing skid in the series. It's a major reason the Bombers ended up with their first Empire 8 title since 2008. St. John Fisher, despite having to settle for a Pool C bid, went deeper in the NCAA playoffs, reaching the quarterfinals. One of these two squads seems likely to win the conference title, and a playoff run could follow that.

Lebanon Valley at Lycoming, 1 p.m., Nov. 8: These two teams shared the MAC conference title last season, so there's reason to expect this year's meeting to again have a major impact on the championship race. Lebanon Valley picked up a 14-7 win last season, ending Lycoming's run in the series at two. The games have been close though -- each of the last three meetings was decided by eight points or less. At the top of the MAC standings, a few points can decide the difference between the champion and fourth-place finisher. 

No. 12 Hobart at St. Lawrence, 1 p.m., Nov. 8: Hobart lost seem key pieces in the offseason, but it is still the king of the Liberty League. If upstart St. Lawrence, coming off a 7-3 season, wants the Statesmen's throne, they'll likely have to take it in the head-to-head meeting. St. Lawrence took a 37-7 loss in the matchup last season, by far its worst defeat of the season. Hobart, meanwhile, has put together back-to-back undefeated regular seasons with trips to the NCAA quarterfinals and second round in 2012 and 2013, respectively. The Statesmen remain a force this season.

No. 23 Ithaca at Cortland State, noon, Nov. 15: This is one of Division III's best rivalries, but it doesn't make the list simply because of a storied tradition. This matchup almost always carries playoff ramifications, as it's rare to find both Ithaca and Cortland with nothing to play for in the final week. This could be a meeting between conference champions. Starting next season, it will become a matchup of conference rivals, not just regional rivals, as the Red Dragons move into the Empire 8. Cortland has won the last four Cortaca Jug games, and six of the last nine overall. But six of those games were decided by one score. Expect more of the same this time around.

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I'm always happy to hear from you, whether its questions, feedback or story ideas. Please reach out to me by email at andrew.lovell@d3sports.com and follow me on Twitter (@andrew_lovell).