By Max Campbell
Stampeders.com

From their days in the college ranks to their present-day careers in the pros, Glenn Love and Jeff Tedford are about to cross paths once again.

The 4-6 BC Lions are coming to town on Friday night and former UCLA Bruins defender Glenn Love and one-time California Golden Bears head coach Jeff Tedford will square off once again in regular-season action, although this time will be a CFL West Division showdown.

Their most recent meeting nearly seven years ago was won by Tedford’s Bears and marked the fourth time Love matched up against the now-Lions bench boss in the collegiate game.

The school’s all-time leader in wins and games coached, Tedford also guided Cal to five bowl victories and a No. 2 national ranking in 2007.

“They were all hard games for us,” Love remarked on facing the two-time Pac-10 coach of the year as an amateur. “He’s a good coach who ran a spread offence. His teams ran fast and went after it.”

After 11 seasons at Cal where he once tutored the likes of perennial Pro Bowlers Aaron Rodgers and Marshawn Lynch, Tedford was named offensive coordinator of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in January of 2014. However, he parted ways with the Bucs not long after undergoing an unexpected heart procedure following Tampa Bay’s third pre-season contest. After returning to full health, Tedford was hired by BC last December following the dismissal of Mike Benevides.

“I wasn’t expecting it, but it’s great for him to be up here,” offered Love when asked about Tedford’s opportunity north of the border. “It’s great to see anyone do good in life, so I’m glad to see him in the (CFL) game.”

A former quarterback at Fresno State, Tedford also played for the Tiger-Cats, Stampeders, Roughriders and Blue Bombers over six seasons before working as an offensive assistant with Calgary from 1989-91.

Love was unable to pick up a victory in four attempts against the Bears, but arguably his most memorable moment on the field for UCLA just happened to come against Tedford and Cal. Recovering a loose ball in the end zone back in 2008 for his lone touchdown as a Bruin is a memory fondly remembered by the Champaign, Ill., product.

“I think it was a blocked punt,” recalled the safety-turned-linebacker, who suited up for BC in 2012 for one game before signing a free-agent deal with the Stamps. “I think I was a freshman. One of our players, Sean Westgate, blocked it and I just returned it for a touchdown. Hopefully I can do it again.”