DETROIT — Jordan Lynch ran for three touchdowns, including a 2-yarder in the second overtime, and Demetrius Stone’s interception in the end zone gave No. 19 Northern Illinois a 44-37 victory over No. 18 Kent State in a stirring Mid-American Conference championship game Friday night.

Both teams were hoping a win would boost them into the top 16 of the BCS rankings and give them a berth in a marquee bowls. Northern Illinois dominated for much of the night, but the Golden Flashes tied the score at 34 in the final minute of regulation.

Kent State trailed 27-13 earlier in the fourth before scoring two touchdowns in a 15-second span.

Kent State came in ranked 17th in the BCS standings, meaning a win might have put the Golden Flashes in the top 16 and in position for a bid to a top bowl. The Huskies are 21st in the BCS standings.

STANFORD 27, UCLA 24

At Stanford, Calif., Kevin Hogan threw for 155 yards and a touchdown and ran for 47 yards and another score to help the Cardinal win the Pac-12 championship game.

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. The Cardinal will play the winner of the Big Ten title game between Nebraska and Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl.

UCLA’s Ka’imi Fairbairn missed a 52-yard field goal wide left in closing moments.

Judge dismisses child porn case against coach in Minnesota

A Minnesota coach sidelined by accusations of child pornography involving his own children reacted with relief after a judge dismissed the case, saying he was “thankful to be waking up from this nightmare.”

Todd Hoffner, the coach at Minnesota State-Mankato, was effectively cleared when a judge agreed with his assertion that innocent family videos had been misinterpreted. He had been escorted off a football practice field and arrested in August after a university employee came across cellphone videos of his children dancing and playing naked.

Georgia State hires coach

Trent Miles is leaving Indiana State to replace Bill Curry as Georgia State’s coach. Curry, who launched the Georgia State program in 2008, is retiring. Miles, a former assistant at Stanford, Notre Dame and Washington, led Indiana State to a 7-4 record this year, his third straight winning season at the school. Georgia State is moving to the Sun Belt Conference in 2013.

Military Bowl will feature San Jose vs. MAC

The Dec. 27 Military Bowl will feature San Jose State and a team from the Mid-American Conference. The Spartans have accepted an invitation, and the MAC announced it reached an agreement to play in the game at RFK Stadium. This year’s game was supposed to be Army against an ACC team, but Army isn’t eligible, and the ACC has six bowl-eligible teams.