The streets and sidewalks around Fenway Park are cluttered with college students moving back in for another school year. Kenmore Square was clogged with U-Haul trucks and boxes being lugged into BU housing.

Not far away, a group of slightly older men were acing their first big test of the final semester.

The Red Sox steamrolled over the once-mighty Anaheim Angels in a three-game sweep at Fenway Park, sparking a renewed passion in Red Sox Nation. Wednesday night’s 12-7 pounding of Anaheim was the highest rated telecast in the 20-year history of NESN — a remarkable fact for a game that wasn’t against the Yankees.

The Sox tuned up for the series with a six-game winning streak and 12 wins in 13 games, but fans were still skeptical. Those wins came against teams that were a combined 36 games under .500 entering the weekend. After fattening up on the late-August feat, the Sox were ready to show the world they can play well against the Big Boys.

Did they ever. Boston hitters pounded out 26 runs on 44 hits, and knocked each Angels starter out before the fifth inning. They even made quick work of Anaheim ace Bartolo Colon — who had fattened up on his own feast.

Just like that, the Sox opened up their biggest wild-card cushion of the year, and started a two-front war by bringing the A.L. East race back within reach. The Yankees — who got one win out of a starting pitcher over a two-week span — dropped to earth quicker than a pair of synchronized divers in Athens. The Sox made up seven games on the Yankees in two-and-a-half weeks.

These are giddy times in The Nation. Fans are talking about reversing 1978. There are obvious differences – in ’78 the Sox saw their seemingly insurmountable division lead erode over the course of two months. That lead peaked on July 17, when the Sox held a 14-game edge over the Yankees. It was nearly seven weeks later when the infamous “Boston Massacre” happened at Fenway Park — the Yanks sweeping a four-game series from the Sox while outscoring them 42-9.

“This is meteoric” said Boston Globe columnist Dan Shaughnessy. With six games to go against the New Yorkers, the Red Sox have a chance to not finish as runners-up to the Yanks for the first time since 1997.

Does it matter if the Sox win the division?

No. The most important thing is that the Sox make it to the playoffs one way or another. But if that’s a given (and despite their recent success nothing is a given on Labor Day weekend), it’s certainly better to be a division winner. Boston could open up the playoffs at home against the Division winner with the lesser record instead of traveling to Oakland or Minnesota (or even Anaheim.)

It’s a remarkable fact that we’re even talking about the division. This team has gone through a remarkable transformation. Since the infamous No More Nomar trade on July 31, the Sox have played a more exciting brand of baseball. They’re playing better defense, they’re bunting and stealing and generally being more aggressive. It’s a fun team to watch, and that’s not something we were saying back in June.

Yes, the Sox have passed the early test of the Fall semester. The bigger tests are still to come. For the first time in four months, Sox fans are starting to think about this team acing the Final.

Lewiston native Tom Caron cover the Red Sox for NESN.