Welcome back Bret Bielema into the lives of Ohio State fans; Jeremiah Smith and a touchdown record; the 11 active coaches to beat Ohio State: Doug Rants

Thoughts on the Illinois coach, the Buckeyes' star WR, USC coach Lincoln Riley, Georgia football and more

Illinois coach Bret Bielema has a career record of 130-81, including 1-5 against Ohio State. (Photo courtesy of the University of Illinois)

Ten thoughts on Ohio State and college football, as the No. 1 Buckeyes prepare to visit No. 17 Illinois on Saturday.

1. Bret Bielema is back in the lives of Ohio State fans! Man, didn’t you miss the guy?

   One of my favorite questions was to Urban Meyer in 2013, as the Buckeyes prepared to face Wisconsin, now coached by Meyer friend Gary Andersen, the year after Bielema left the Badgers for Arkansas. I asked Meyer if he missed Bielema.

   “I’m good with Gary,” Meyer said with a smile that I can still picture in my head.

   Then Bielema was asked on ESPN about it, and Bielema said, “The feeling’s mutual.”

   Honestly, I was probably a little obsessed with Bielema because he was a pretty good coach and he wasn’t afraid to speak his mind. He was a great Big Ten villain, fun for opposing fans to hate, but as a thorn in Ohio State’s side, he didn’t hurt too much. He was 1-5 against the Buckeyes. Jim Harbaugh started out the same way against Ohio State — antagonistic but unsuccessful at 0-5 — before winning his last three against the Buckeyes.

   Bielema’s not Harbaugh, but he’s a fun guy who has elevated Illinois and stuck it to the SEC on the field and on social media.

   He makes Big Ten life more interesting.

   As the coach at Illinois, he’s facing Ohio State on Saturday for the first time since the Buckeyes beat Wisconsin 21-14 in overtime in 2012.

2. Beating Ohio State doesn’t happen that often. There are only 11 active college football coaches who have beaten the Buckeyes, and this is the point where we turn this into a trivia question invite and tell you DON’T LOOK DOWN IF YOU WANT TO TRY TO GUESS THE ANSWERS.