Games like UT-Martin matter for the Gators, and here's why

It is all about winning reps. 

Yes, I get it, Tennessee Martin does not say much about where Florida currently is as football team. The same goes for Texas A&M beating Texas State, LSU beating Georgia Southern, etc. 

But just winning the game by a lot of points is not all that matters. Until the final game of the season, wherever and whenever that game may be: Winning is never all that matters. 

This is a game with a wonderful opportunity for guys to go make mistakes. If you have ever played football at any competitive level, you have made mistakes that could cost your team the game if it is close. Wouldn't you rather Emory Jones throw that lousy interception against UT Martin when the game is already decided than throw it next year if he is the starter against Georgia? Wouldn't you rather Brad Stewart be out of position in his first game back in this game than against LSU? 

I am also not claiming that this game is only good for mistakes. This game is could for guys to win plays and win big. It is good for confidence and it is good for seeing the technique the coaches have drilled into their heads actually pay off and contribute to a positive play. 

Could you imagine what a 50-yard touchdown run with a few broken tackles could do for Malik Davis's confidence in this game? What about Dameon Pierce? I have seemingly talked this to death since the Miami game ended. There will come a point in the season when the Gators need those two to step up. Breaking off a few big runs can help them exponentially in becoming those backups to Lamical Perine that teams are afraid of. 

Also, a week to run an extremely vanilla, basic offense should work wonders for an offense and a quarterback that looked extremely sloppy against the Hurricanes. Feleipe Franks needs a few nice, easy seam routes for huge gains and a few big QB runs, if nothing more than to clean up everything. 

No, UT Martin is not a formidable opponent. I am not going to sit here and tell you that Florida needs to be worried because Tennessee lost to Georgia State so "anything can happen." Tennessee is an absolute joke of a program right now and to think UF will have any performance like that at all is asinine. 

However, the Gators can use this game to get a lot better. Think of this as 2019's Charleston Southern. You can't tell me that five touchdowns in the very first half of the season last year did not work wonders for him, and UT Martin is no different.