Brett McMurphy of The Action Network recently released his never-too-early bowl projections for the 2022 season.

He projects Alabama to take down Ohio State in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game, which will be played in Los Angeles.

Why pick the Tide? Well, McMurphy joined “McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning” on WJOX on Tuesday to explain why he can’t pick against Alabama this year:

“You look at Alabama and it’s kind of a cookie-cutter, same thing,” McMurphy said. “They lost half a dozen guys to the first round of the NFL draft. OK. (Nick) Saban lost 2 or 3 assistant coaches or he lost both coordinators or 1 coordinator. They lost all this talent. How are they going to reload? And they just do it every year. …

“It looks like Saban is going to keep both coordinators. That could change, seeing what happens with Pete Golding and if Bill O’Brien finds something in the NFL. Who knows? Even if they do make changes there, I’ve learned you can be cute and pick against Alabama, but you’re going to be wrong. I just think Alabama, with Bryce Young coming back, they’re my pick to win it right now.”

We’ll see if McMurphy is ultimately proven right, but when you have a Heisman-winning QB coming back to school, that’s always a great start toward a Playoff berth.