MIAMI -- They were hoping to stick a happy ending on their storybook season. Instead, the Maryland Terrapins put on a performance that played like a Stephen King novel.

Burned for 360 yards and 28 points in the first half alone, sixth-ranked Maryland fell to No. 5 Florida 56-23 Wednesday night in the Orange Bowl.

In the process, the Terrapins showed the nation that they're not quite ready to play with the big boys. It was a total horror show for Maryland (10-2), which simply didn't have enough talent to compete with the faster, stronger and more talented Gators.

Led by Taylor Jacobs, who had 10 catches for 170 yards and two scores, Florida's fleet receivers did more dancing in the end zone than the light-footed performers in the halftime show.

The Maryland offense wasn't much better. Quarterback Shaun Hill was forced to run for his own safety on many occasions, and tailback Bruce Perry managed only 22 yards on 11 carries before leaving with a strained abdominal muscle late in the third quarter.

Thousands of despondent Maryland fans left Pro Player Stadium soon after that.

The Terrapins entered the game knowing that Florida quarterback Rex Grossman, the Heisman Trophy runner-up, would not start for missing curfew. He was replaced by Brock Berlin, who threw for 196 yards and a touchdown before leaving late in the second quarter.

Berlin also tossed two interceptions, which helped Maryland stay in the game for a while. But Grossman produced touchdowns on each of his first four drives, giving Florida a 42-10 lead midway through the third quarter.

End of story.

Days before the game, Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen was asked if a loss in the Orange Bowl would taint a season in which the Terrapins won the Atlantic Coast Conference title and earned a bowl berth for the first time since 1990.

"I don't think if we lose the game it's going to deter from the kids' effort this year. It's been a heck of a year," Friedgen said.

True enough. But the Terrapins' embarrassing showing certainly took some of the luster off their accomplishments over the previous four months.

Berlin's assault began on Florida's first possession. The Terrapins talked for weeks about the importance of stopping the big play, but Berlin completed passes of 23, 21 and 34 yards in an 83-yard drive that put the Gators ahead for good with just over five minutes elapsed.

Florida had five plays of at least 20 yards in the first half and scored four touchdowns despite committing three turnovers.

The game took on the look of a blowout when Berlin lofted a 46-yard touchdown pass to Jacobs to make it 14-0 with 12 seconds left in the first quarter.

That's when the Terrapins finally provided some excitement for the more than 20,000 fans who followed them from Maryland. Hill hit Jafar Williams for a 64-yard touchdown, and an interception by Dennard Wilson gave the Terrapins a first-and-goal at the Florida 3.

But two runs and a pass failed, and the Terrapins settled for a field goal to close to 14-10.

Maryland wouldn't score again until the fourth quarter, following a run of 35 straight Florida points.

Underdogs for much of the season, this was one time that the Terrapins couldn't buck the odds.