BRUINS STILL REELING IN WAKE OF DREAM-LIKE DAY.

Byline: Jon Wilner Daily News Staff Writer

UCLA coach Bob Toledo left the Rose Bowl Saturday evening and went straight to dinner at Monty's - the one in Pasadena, not Westwood.

Once there, he celebrated a 48-41 double-overtime victory over USC with Bruins coaches, staff and support personnel. He did a telephone interview with ESPN, then called his father, Manuel, in San Jose.

At home, he listened to a slew of congratulatory phone calls from friends, family and people he hadn't spoken to in years. His wife, Elaine, plans to save the answering machine tape as a keepsake from one of the greatest wins in UCLA history.

``It was an incredible day,'' he said. ``And it's a tribute to our kids, to never, never, never giving up. When you don't give up, something might happen.''

Something like a fourth-down conversion, a life-giving fumble, a diving catch by a second-string receiver, a desperation pass, a blocked field goal and, improbably, miraculously, a 17-point comeback in the final minutes to defeat the Trojans for the sixth consecutive year and salvage a 5-6 season.

``Against Arizona State and Stanford, we had them down, but we didn't finish them off,'' said Bruins receiver Jim McElroy, who tossed his shoes into the crowd when it was over. ``So we knew we'd have to play USC for 60 minutes. They thought they'd kick our butts early, that we'd give up. But nobody gives up in this game.''

Toledo presented the game ball to outgoing UCLA Chancellor Charles Young. But with six catches for 124 yards in the second half - including a 17-yarder on the first play of the game-tying drive - McElroy was certainly deserving of the honor.

So was tight end Mike Grieb, whose fourth-down catch preserved the drive that would pull the Bruins within 38-31.

And kicker Bjorn Merten, too. In his final game - and 42 days before his wedding - he made a 47-yard field goal with six minutes left and a 40-yarder to assure the second overtime.

``I'm above and beyond cloud nine,'' said Merten, who talked trout fishing with Toledo during the timeout preceding his overtime kick.

``To start the way I did (a freshman All-American), then have two horrendous seasons and then go through my senior year and be a contributor in the 'SC game. It's just amazing.''

Another important component to UCLA's comeback was reserve receiver Rodney Lee, a former walk-on from Rancho Cucamonga. He kept the game-tying drive alive with a spectacular, 23-yard diving catch on the right sideline to give the Bruins first down at the USC 11.

``I just said, `Go get it, Rod.' It was the kind of catch you dream about,'' Lee said.

It was his first catch this month.

``Just incredible,'' Toledo said. ``He came in as a walk-on, then we gave him a scholarship. Then he gets hurt, then we change his position. But that's what makes the rivalry exciting, players who aren't all that well-known making big plays.''

Toledo did his part in the comeback, as well. He usually leaves the play-calling to offensive coordinator Al Borges. But with 39 seconds left from the USC 11, the boss made the call: Hicks up the middle on a trap play.

``I felt they'd be coming up the field (on a pass rush), and it would be an opportunity to bust one up the middle,'' he said.

Center Shawn Stuart and guard Sean Gully split the Trojans defense, and Hicks indeed busted up the middle. In less than six minutes, the Bruins scored 17 points.

``I can't wait to read about this,'' safety Abdul McCullough said in the mayhem that was UCLA's locker room. ``I'm going to plaster my walls with the newspaper stories. Even my ride home (he lives in Newport) won't be bad tonight.''

Toledo's late night turned into a lazy Sunday morning. He ate breakfast, watched a replay of the game, fielded more calls, took his brother-in-law to the airport and, finally, fired up the barbecue.

``I just wanted to relax and enjoy it,'' he said.