Stanford ekes out Rose Bowl berth

Kevin Hogan threw for 155 yards and a touchdown and ran for 47 yards to help host No. 8 Stanford beat No. 16 UCLA, 27-24, in the Pac-12 championship game last night.

As a defender barreled into him, Hogan hurled a tying 26-yard touchdown pass to Drew Terrell on third-and-15 early in the fourth quarter. Jordan Williamson kicked his second field goal, a 36-yarder with 6:49 remaining, for the go-ahead score as Stanford earned its first conference title since the 1999 season.

The Cardinal (11-2) will play the winner of tonight's 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. Johnathan Franklin ran for 194 yards for UCLA.

N. Illinois 44, Kent State 37: Jordan Lynch ran for three touchdowns, including a 2-yarder in the second overtime, and Demetrius Stone intercepted in the end zone to clinch the MAC championship in Detroit.

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. No. 21 Northern Illinois (12-1) led 27-13 early in the fourth quarter, but the No. 17 Golden Flashes (11-2) scored two touchdowns in a 15-second span to tie it at 34 in the final minute of regulation.

Spencer Keith's 5-yard touchdown run with 4:53 remaining capped a 96-yard drive for Kent. Then Lynch fumbled on what looked like a botched exchange with Akeem Daniels, and Zack Hitchens picked up the ball for the Golden Flashes and went 22 yards to the end zone.-- AP