STANFORD, Calif. (AP) - Kevin Hogan threw for 155 yards and a touchdown and ran for 47 yards and another score to help eighth-ranked Stanford beat No. 17 UCLA 27-24 in the Pac-12 championship game Friday night.
As a defender barreled into him, Hogan hurled a 26-yard tying touchdown to Drew Terrell on third-and-15 early in the fourth quarter. Jordan Williamson kicked his second field goal from 36 yards with 6:49 remaining for the go-ahead score to seal Stanford's first conference title since the 1999 season.
The Cardinal (11-2) will play the winner of the Big Ten title game between Nebraska and Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1.
UCLA's Brent Hundley threw for 177 yards and a costly interception that set up a Stanford touchdown. He still almost brought the Bruins (9-4) back, but Ka'imi Fairbairn missed a 52-yard field goal wide left in the closing moments for a disappointing loss.
Hogan completed 16 of 22 passes to beat a fourth ranked opponent in his fourth straight start since unseating Josh Nunes at quarterback. After the Cardinal rolled past UCLA 35-17 last Saturday at the Rose Bowl, it took all 60 minutes for another victory in the rare rematch.
The heavy rain that pounded the Bay Area most of the day relented most of the night, and a tarp that covered the field until about 3 hours before kickoff. Scattered showers still kept the grass slightly slick.
NO. 19 NORTHERN ILLINOIS 44, NO. 18 KENT STATE 37, 2OT
DETROIT (AP) - Jordan Lynch ran for three touchdowns, including a 2-yarder in the second overtime, and Demetrius Stone's interception in the end zone gave Northern Illinois the victory over Kent State in a stirring Mid-American Conference championship game.
Both teams were hoping a win would boost them into the top 16 of the BCS rankings and give them a berth in one of college football's marquee bowls. Northern Illinois (12-1) dominated for much of the night, but the Golden Flashes (11-2) tied it at 34 in the final minute of regulation.
Kent State trailed 27-13 in the fourth before scoring two touchdowns in a 15-second span. Keith had a 5-yard touchdown run with 4:53 remaining, then Lynch fumbled on what looked like a botched exchange with Daniels, and Zack Hitchens picked up the ball for the Golden Flashes and went 22 yards to the end zone.
It was 34-all at the end of regulation, and after the teams traded field goals in the first overtime, Northern Illinois needed only two plays to reach the end zone. A 23-yard run by Akeem Daniels set up Lynch's final TD. Kent State reached the 9, but on fourth down, Spencer Keith had to scramble to his right and throw a desperation pass that was picked off by Stone in the end zone.
Northern Illinois won its second straight MAC title.
Lynch threw for 212 yards and ran for 160 to break the major-college record for yards rushing by a quarterback in a season with 1,771. The previous mark was 1,702 by Michigan's Denard Robinson in 2010.