It came against a horrible team. I get it. You don't have to remind me.

But just because UMass might literally be the worst FBS team to ever step foot in Doak Campbell Stadium, and I'm talking about going back to the old old days -- like pre-Burt Reynolds days -- that doesn't mean what happened on Saturday wasn't important.

Or that it didn't mean anything.

First and foremost, when you're 2-4 on the season, ALL wins are important. Even against a team that might be an underdog to some high schools in this state.

But what happened on Saturday was a positive sign because of what it says about the growth and maturity of this Florida State football team.

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The Seminoles were in virtually the same position about six weeks ago. Feeling good. Coming off an impressive performance, albeit in an overtime loss, and they were a heavy favorite at home.

FSU struggled that entire night, and then collapsed in the final few minutes.

Well, lesson learned.

Because even after Travis Jay handed the ball to UMass on the first play of the game, even after Ontaria "Pokey" Wilson dropped a TD pass, even after Jarvis Brownlee dropped a potential pick-6, the Seminoles didn't let things spiral down that familiar drain.

They went out and went all 2013 FSU on Walt Bell's Minutemen, pounding the bejesus out of them for three hours (which was something Bell never saw in person when he was on the Seminoles' sideline).

It turns out Florida State could have beaten UMass by four touchdowns even if it played a C-minus game. But you know what? Florida State didn't play a C-minus game. For the first time in seemingly forever, the Seminoles kept some positive momentum and had a second straight impressive performance.

I don't know if was an A-plus, because UMass is so bad it tips the grading curve on its side, but it was a very good game. On both sides of the ball.

That's a positive. Being mature enough to take a bad opponent seriously, having enough pride to go out and dominate, to come back from some early mistakes, those are signs of growth in a program that has been stagnant for too many years.

"Good to see the confidence growing," FSU head coach Mike Norvell said. "And the confidence is coming from the work."

There were two plays on Saturday I want to focus on for the remainder of this column. Because, friends, if you're looking for a detailed analysis of a 59-3 win over UMass, you've clicked on the wrong link!

The first was the interception Brownlee DID make, because it says a lot about his maturity and what Norvell is always preaching: Response, response, response.

When Brownlee dropped an easy pick in the first quarter, he looked legitimately heartbroken. Like even after the drive was over and the Seminoles' defense had held, he was still being consoled by teammates on the sidelines. He took the drop really, really hard.

"I think I took it pretty hard, too," Norvell said with a smile. "That's part of it. At the end of the day, you're not always going to make every play. But you learn your lessons from it, make sure you focus in a little bit more, finish things to the catch, and I was just pleased he got that opportunity."

So was Brownlee.

"I tried to run without securing the ball," he said of the drop. "That's something that I've got to work on, but God gave me another opportunity and I took advantage of it. That's all it was. I took advantage of the opportunity again and made sure I didn't drop this one."

Just like Wilson came back later in the first half and made a leaping catch after dropping the easy one earlier in the game.

Response matters.

A year ago, who knows how FSU would have handled a start like it had on Saturday, with Travis Jay playing Santa Claus on the opening kickoff? This year, the defense went out and got a three-and-out.

And when Brownlee dropped a pick, the defense still got a stop. And when Wilson dropped a TD pass, Camm McDonald came right back and made a tough catch to continue a drive that wound up in the end zone.

This team isn't perfect. This team likely isn't going to win out. But it's a team that sure does seem to believe in itself and the direction it's going.

Which brings me to the second play I wanted to address.

Chubba Purdy, who was only in the game in the third quarter because back-up McKenzie Milton suggested to the coaches that he would rather see the two younger QBs get a chance to play, hit veteran wide receiver Jordan Young in the end zone for a touchdown.

Keyshawn Helton immediately sprinted off the sideline into the end zone to celebrate with Young. A lot of guys did. Even Jermaine Johnson. They were truly, truly happy for one of their guys, their teammates, their friends, getting into the end zone for the first time.

Helton's reaction was as if Young's catch had just won the national championship.

What it reminded me of, honestly, is watching the Florida State men's basketball players celebrate when one of their lesser-used teammates scores late in a game.

That's because those dudes care for each other. That's the culture Leonard Hamilton has built over there.

And, maybe, just maybe, it's what Norvell is in the process of building as well.

If you think I'm being too optimistic, or putting too much stock in a meaningless touchdown in a blowout over UMass, here's what Jordan Travis had to say when I asked him about that celebration.

"It just shows what kind of team we're becoming," Travis said. "We're brothers. Last year, you would not have seen that at all. Guys like seeing other guys making plays, and that's what is so special about this stuff.

"It's a team game. And we're a team. For once. It feel like a team this year. A bunch of guys that just love each other and that would do whatever for the guy next to him. And it's really special."

According to Florida State Sports Information, the Seminoles are the first team in ACC history to lose its first four games of the season and then follow that up with a three-game winning streak.

This truly does feel like a team that is improving exponentially in front of our eyes. We'll learn more over these final five weeks, but right now this is a confident football team, one that believes in each other, plays hard for each other, believes in the coaching staff and can actually respond to adversity.

It's like a new day in Tallahassee.

That ugly night in September, in the second week of the season, is beginning to feel like a distant memory.

Contact senior writer Corey Clark at corey@warchant.com and follow @Corey_Clark on Twitter.

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