Tap's Thursday Night Picks

Thursday night football can be entertaining, sloppy, and everything else under the sun honestly. I make picks to help clear your head. 

College Football 

12.) UCLA at Utah 9 pm. FOX Sports 1 - When Rick Neuheisel took over UCLA, their crosstown rival USC won their second straight Rose Bowl and had won a National Championship in the past five years. Neuheisel came in with a marketing and recruiting campaign titled 'The Football Monopoly is over in L.A.'  It was met with scoffs and people did not buy into Neuheisel's concept. USC continued to dominate the landscape for the time UCLA employed Neuheisel.

Both schools had new coaches since then. USC had Lane Kiffin while UCLA has Jim Mora Jr. It felt like the landscape of Los Angeles football was beginning to change last year. USC underwhelmed to the greatest degree including a 38-28 defeat against UCLA giving the Bruins the Pac-12 South title for the second consecutive year. This year, USC continued to scuffle their feet and it led to the firing of Kiffin over the weekend; UCLA is unbeaten and the 12th ranked team in the country including a big road comeback victory at Nebraska and the best player in L.A. in Brett Hundley. There is another football monopoly building in Los Angeles, but this time, it is with the Bruins.

They face a tough task this weekend taking on the Utah Utes. Dennis Erickson has came to the team and instilled his offensive wisdom. This will be a true test for the Bruins defense and it has a great chance to be a back-and-forth shootout.  At the end of the day, Brett Hundley is the best player on the field and he will make enough plays to preserve tough road win for the Bruins. UCLA 38-33

Texas at Iowa State 6:30 pm ESPN - The 'Fire Mack Brown Bowl!'  I am convinced if Texas finds a way to lose at Ames, Mack Brown might not have a job after the Oklahoma game.  I know there is such a thing as Ames magic and this crowd will be pumped up to have a nationally televised game (See: they will be really, really drunk) yet I cannot see where the Cyclones will pull off the upset. Texas looked better two weeks ago against Kansas State but they will be without David Ash again. This makes the Longhorns a bit vunerable. I think it gets tight for awhile, but the Horns pull away late. TEXAS 24-14

NFL 
Buffalo (2-2) at Cleveland (-4) (2-2) 7:25 pm NFLN - This whole TTNP could have been about Cleveland's recent success. The Browns have won two straight games since they were told the season was lost. I actually expect a fired up fanbase for this one at the Dawg Pound. Brian Hoyer and Jordan Cameron look like the best connection since Justin Timberlake and Timbaland. Their defense looked great against a Cincinnati team that some teams were picking to go to the Super Bowl. I love what Ray Horton is doing this year.

 As for the Bills, they have looked inconsistent so far. They played great against Carolina, had a lead against New England for most of it, and could not take advantage against New York then an impressive win at home against Baltimore. It is too early to criticize their road play, but that is the only thing I can point to right now. I have no idea what to think about their secondary right now after giving up mega yards to Geno Smith and then picking Joe Flacco off five times. I have Cleveland at home in a close, pretty good game.
CLEV 21-16

Charlie.