Kansas Jayhawks vs. West Virginia Mountaineers Betting Odds, Football Pick

The Kansas Jayhawks are the embarrassed owners of a 39-game road losing streak. To make things worse they're just 10-28-1 against the spread during that slide. Kansas probably stands little chance of snapping that streak when it takes on West Virginia in Morgantown on Saturday night.

Point spread: The Mountaineers opened as 31.5-point favorites, according to sportsbooks monitored by Odds Shark. Line updates and matchup report.

College football pick, via Odds Shark computer: 51.0-6.6 Mountaineers (College football picks on every game)

Why the Kansas Jayhawks can cover the spread

It's difficult to make a case for a team like Kansas. Even if a team is 1-7 on the season it should hover around .500 against the spread. Unfortunately, the Jayhawks are having trouble doing that, too, going just 2-6 ATS.

Last week Kansas lost at Oklahoma 56-3. The Jayhawks played the Sooners to a 7-3 score through the first quarter, but things got away from them after that. If KU hadn't given up touchdowns on a punt return and an interception return, it would have pushed the 39-point spread.

Two weeks ago the Jayhawks only trailed Oklahoma State 24-20 deep into the third quarter, before fading, and earlier this year they led TCU late in the fourth, before falling to a field goal with a minute to go. So Kansas has given a couple of good performances against quality opponents this year. Can it give the Mountaineers a decent battle this week?

Why the West Virginia Mountaineers can cover the spread

West Virginia is coming off its first loss of this season, a 37-20 setback at Oklahoma State last week. The Mountaineers led the Cowboys 10-6 in the second quarter but gave up three consecutive touchdowns to fall down by 17. They then pulled to within 27-20 midway through the fourth but could get no closer.

On the day West Virginia actually outgained Oklahoma State 421-358 and outrushed the Cowboys 209-85, but three turnovers led directly to 17 OSU points. The Mountaineers have now outgained and outrushed six of seven opponents this season

At 3-1 in Big 12 play West Virginia trails first-place Oklahoma by a game-and-a-half but gets the Sooners at home in a couple of weeks.

Smart pick

The problem with teams like Kansas is that eventually bookmakers have to post numbers so high, a cover is almost inevitable. Is that the case for this week's game? Hard to tell, but there's just no way anyone in good conscience could recommend betting on the Jayhawks on the college football point spreads at the moment.

Betting trends

West Virginia is 3-8 ATS in its last 11 games after losing as a favorite.

The total has gone under in 13 of West Virginia's last 15 games at home.

Kansas is 0-30 SU in its last 30 games on the road.

All college football betting lines and point spreads data courtesy of Bleacher Report’s official odds partner Odds Shark. All quotes gathered firsthand unless otherwise noted. Check out Twitter for injury and line movement updates and Odds Shark YouTube for picks and analysis, or download the free odds tracker app.