If Texas quarterback Colt McCoy would have waited just a split-second longer to throw the ball out of bounds against Nebraska in the Big 12 title game, Cincinnati would have likely ended up in the national championship game against Alabama instead of playing Florida in the Sugar Bowl.

And if the Bearcats were in the championship game, there is one certainty -- Notre Dame would have had to wait to name Brian Kelly its football coach if the university wanted him to lead the Irish.

"I know I was going to coach in the national championship game. I made that really clear," Kelly said during a roundtable interview with a small group of reporters Tuesday. "Every job I've taken is because I want to play for a championship. When you have the opportunity to play for a national championship, I'm going to be on that sideline."

As far as Kelly coaching the Bearcats in a championship game before coming to Notre Dame being a dealbreaker, Kelly said that would have been athletic director Jack Swarbrick's decision.

"You know what I would have said. 'Heck, we can make this work. Let me coach this team. It will be fine, don't worry about it,'" Kelly said. "But those decisions would be made above me."

For more on the interview with Kelly, see The Journal Gazette on Wednesday and Sunday or visit www.journalgazette.net after 3 a.m. Fort Wayne time on those days.