UCLA beats California, but it turns out to be a real bear, 36-34

First there was the wild celebration. Then there was the hand-wringing. Then there was the wiping of the brows.

UCLA’s 36-34 victory over California at Memorial Stadium on Saturday was a gantlet, and that was just the few minutes it took for replay officials to determine defensive back Marcus Rios had intercepted the Bears’ last gasp. It allowed the Bruins a collective sigh of relief.

Rios’ interception on a deep fade pattern at the two-yard line sealed the deal with 51 seconds left and kept the Bruins relevant another week. UCLA (5-2 overall, 2-2 in Pac-12 Conference play) rolled up 567 total yards, but still had to scrap because of three turnovers that led to California touchdowns.

“We’ll take it any way we can get it,” linebacker Eric Kendricks said.

The Bruins didn’t get it until officials ruled Rios had control of the ball with a foot inbounds. It was the high point for a player who had suffered through many low moments.

Rios was diagnosed with a fungal infection in his sinuses two years ago, an ailment from which few have ever recovered. He spent months in the UCLA Medical Center fighting for his life. At one point, doctors told Rios and his family that he probably would die.

His weight dropped to under 130 pounds, but he survived and began a long road back. He was cleared to return to football last spring.

“And here he was saving the day for us,” linebacker Myles Jack said.

It made for an emotional postgame, with Rios being given the game ball.

“We don’t give out game balls very often, but this was special,” Jack said.

Rios was in the game because cornerback Fabian Moreau had left with an undisclosed injury. His teammates had faith.

“That is one of the strongest kids I have ever met,” Kendricks said.

The near-death experience brought Rios back stronger.

“I keep it in mind every day,” Rios said. “I live every day to the fullest, because you never know when life will be over.”

It made waiting on the replay official easy.

“I knew I had it,” Rios said. “I knew. I believed. I knew.”

Others were more nervous.

“We were sitting there going, ‘Please, Jesus,’” quarterback Brett Hundley said.

A lot hung in the balance. This wasn’t the elusive marquee victory UCLA sought this season, but it will have to do for now. There were upsides to a win that kept flickering hopes of a Pac-12 title alive.

The Bruins don’t have to spend the week talking about three consecutive losses, having ended a two-game losing streak. And, they don’t have to explain why they again lost in Berkeley. The Bruins’ last win in Memorial Stadium had been in 1998.

Coach Jim Mora tried to frame the moment, saying, “There’ll be those that say we only beat them by two points, but to overcome the disappointment of the last two weeks, that was self-inflicted, and to come into an environment where UCLA has struggled and to overcome three turnovers is something to build on.”

Hundley was more succinct.

“We had to come out with a win today,” Hundley said.

The Bruins had to overcome themselves to get it.

UCLA flirted with a more convincing victory, but kept handing the Bears (4-3, 2-3) silver-platter moments.

Hundley threw for 330 yards and two touchdowns, but he also fumbled and had a pass intercepted. Running back Paul Perkins caught two touchdown passes, but also fumbled. Those turnovers led to 20 California points.

Mora gambled on a fourth-and-inches play at the start of the second half, with the Bruins leading, 24-14. The Bears held and then scored a touchdown.

“I hung on to that one until I got back to the locker room,” Mora said. “If we had not won that game, I would have felt like I let the kids down.”

Giving the Bears the ball was handing opportunities to quarterback Jared Goff. He threw for 303 yards and two touchdowns. His last one, a 23-yard pass to Kenny Lawler, gave the Bears a 34-33 lead with 6 minutes 50 seconds left.

The Bruins answered, getting close enough for Ka’imi Fairbairn to chip a 26-yard field goal with 3:40 left.

Rios made it stand up . . . upon further review.

“At one point, Marcus was in UCLA Medical Center and was told there was a pretty good chance he was never going to walk out,” Mora said. “To get the game-saving, or winning, interception, however you want to put it, is unbelievable. That resolve and resilience just epitomizes what we have become about.”

chris.foster@latimes.com

Twitter: @cfosterlatimes