CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) — Brandyn Hillman and Kam Robinson each returned interceptions for touchdowns and Virginia snapped its three-game losing streak with a 36-7 win over visiting California on Saturday at Scott Stadium.

UVA was coming off an open date after getting beat 51-7 by Wake Forest on Oct. 31.

“They had a decision to make when we showed back up on Monday after Wake Forest on what they want to do as a team," Virginia coach Tony Elliott said.

"But also individually, what kind of a person are you going to choose to be. Are you going to say, ‘All is lost. The sky is falling.’ Or are you going to be a person that digs your feet in and say ’I’m going to focus on what I can control. I believe in the best to come ahead of me and I’m going to go fight for that.' And that’s what you saw,” he said.

Robinson finished with 12 tackles as UVA (5-5, 3-4 ACC) held the Golden Bears (3-7, 2-4) to 201 yards of total offense.

Cal, which lost its fourth straight, got a 5-yard rushing touchdown from Adam Mohammed with 14 seconds left in the first half for its only score. Virginia recorded four sacks and forced three turnovers after the Golden Bears had spent the week emphasizing ball security.

“Obviously didn’t accomplish that,” Cal coach Tosh Lupoi said. “It’s really difficult to win to have two pick-6s, and turn the ball over three times and not achieve takeaways. The defense caused two fumbles and didn’t recover either of them. So, very difficult to perform well if we lose the turnover battle like that.”

Coming off a bye week, UVA opened the game with an impressive 13-play, 80-yard scoring drive that saw quarterback Beau Pribula go 5-for-8 passing for 51 yards, including a 12-yard touchdown pass to Da'Shawn Martin for the game's first points.

“I thought we made a lot of progress during the bye week, and it showed up tonight," Pribula said.

Cal had a shot to get back in the game with two minutes left in the first half, but on a fourth-and-goal play at the 4-yard line, it ran a fake field goal that Hillman intercepted at the goal line and returned 99 yards for a touchdown and a 16-0 lead.

It was a play design Hillman said the Cavaliers were ready for.

“I was 100% prepared for it," he said. "I know any time they do a field goal or extra point they’re going to come out in the swinging gate. So, we were expecting that. I seen exactly that I seen on film and executed the play.”

Trailing 19-7 late in the third quarter, Sagapolutele tried to throw a short pass, but Robinson jumped up and snared it at the line of scrimmage, then ran it back 33 yards for the touchdown and a 26-7 UVA lead.

Virginia kicker Will Bettridge made three field goal attempts.

The takeaway

Cal: Sagapolutele and the Golden Bears' offense could not get in gear, squandering a mostly strong outing by the Cal defense. But it was the fake punt decision that really doomed the slumping Bears.

Virginia: The Cavaliers emerged from their bye week with a defensive effort reminiscent of their opening-season win over NC State. The win over Cal means UVA needs one more victory in its final two outings to become bowl eligible.

Up next

Cal: Hosts rival Stanford on Saturday night.

Virginia: Hosts North Carolina on Saturday.

___

Sign up for Top 25 poll alerts here. Visit the Top 25 here and see AP’s full college football coverage here.