Today's sports betting picks: Why Minnesota will crush New Mexico State, plus more college football and MLB best bets for Thursday

Host Jonathan Coachman is joined by sports betting experts Mike McClure, Emory Hunt and Allie O'Neill on The Early Edge podcast. They give you their best bets for college football and MLB for Thursday, Sept. 1.

It's the first official night of college football, and Mike is jumping right in with a pick from The Backyard Brawl, He is taking First Quarter Under 10.5 (-115) on the Pittsburgh vs. West Virginia game (7 p.m. ET). "Look, both of these teams are going to be just a little bit stronger on defense, McClure says. Pitt's strength on offense is its line, and it is going to be running the ball. The rivals will play conservatively and try to avoid turnovers, so Mike doesn't expect any offensive fireworks.

Emory has a college football pick of his own, and he is locked in on New Mexico State vs. Minnesota (9 p.m. ET). He is confident in Minnesota and is laying the 36.5 points (-110). "They are one of my dark-horse teams to come out of the Big Ten and meet Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship Game," Hunt says of the Golden Gophers.

Micah Roberts chimes in via text really wanting to get a college football pick in, and it's the SportsLine Play of the Day. He is backing Pittsburgh -7 (-120) against the Mountaineers. The Panthers have won seven straight season openers and went 10-4 against the spread last season, so Roberts feels good about them covering Thursday night.

Allie is sticking with baseball, and her MLB pick is Milwaukee -135 in Brewers vs. Diamondbacks (9:40 p.m. ET). Arizona allowed 18 runs to the Phillies on Wednesday night and "went through a ton of relievers" and won't have many options later in the game, O'Neill says. "I think that bullpen advantage is gonna be huge," she says.

The host's Cash with the Coach is also an MLB pick from that game, and he is taking Over 7.5 (-110) because of that huge bullpen advantage. "I think the Brewers could cover this by themselves," Coachman says. "That's how bad the D-backs' pitching is gonna be."

Allan Bell joins the show with his AB3, and they're all college football picks. First, he is taking Tennessee -9.5 in the First Quarter (-130) in Tennessee vs. Ball State (7 p.m. ET). The other two plays are Under 53.5 in Penn State vs. Purdue (8 p.m. ET) and Under 58 (-110) in Central Michigan vs. Oklahoma State (7 p.m. ET).  

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Follow our crew on Twitter: @TheCoachrules, @Mike5754, @FBallGameplan, @allie_sports and @AllanBell247. You can listen to The Early Edge on your smart speakers! Simply say "Alexa, play the latest episode of the Early Edge podcast" or "Hey Google, play the latest episode of The Early Edge podcast." For more betting picks and analysis, visit SportsLine.com. To hear more from the CBS Sports Podcast Network, visit CBSSports.com/podcasts.