The Ohio State Buckeyes are still national championship contenders, but they're also only 2-6 against the spread over their last eight home games, partly because they're always favored by so much. The Oregon State Beavers, meanwhile, own a 19-game road losing streak, which includes a 5-13-1 skid ATS. So something's gonna give when these two teams open their 2018 campaigns Saturday afternoon at the Horseshoe in Columbus, Ohio.

College football point spread: The Buckeyes opened as 38-point favorites, according to sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark. (Line updates and matchup report)

College football betting pick, via OddsShark computer: 55.4-2.0 Buckeyes (College football picks on every game)

Why the Oregon State Beavers can cover the spread

Oregon State is a tough case to make at the moment, coming off a 1-11 season with another newhead coach at the helm. However, the Beavers do get 15 starters back for this season, their first under Jonathan Smith, the former Oregon State quarterback who most recently served (successfully) as Washington's offensive coordinator. Seven starters are back on offense, led by four along the offensive line. And eight starters are back on defense, following the loss of just one of last year's top nine tacklers.

The last time Oregon State was dogged by this many points came last October, when the Beavers actually gave USC a decent game in Los Angeles and covered a 33-point spread.

Why the Ohio State Buckeyes can cover the spread

The Buckeyes return 12 starters this year from a team that finished 12-2 SU and 8-6 ATS and thumped Southern Cal in the Cotton