Mike Norvell is not often one to look ahead when talking to the Florida State media contingent or his own players.

Like most coaches, he often defers to the next game, the next moment, the next whatever is on the schedule.

But Norvell veered slightly early this week when he elected to tell his entire team what was on the line this weekend at Pittsburgh. With a win, the Seminoles would clinch the program's first ACC Championship Game berth since 2014.

That's exactly what the Seminoles did, pushing way past an early 7-0 hole to win 24-7 at Pittsburgh for their 15th straight win to improve to 9-0 (7-0 in ACC).

"I told them this week that if they put themselves in position, that if they won today, they'd get to play one more game together," Norvell said after the win. "They accomplished that. Am I proud of it? Absolutely...That win clinched a spot in the ACC Championship Game. Really proud of our guys for that. A lot of work that goes into it and to know that we're going to get another game at the end of the regular season is really big."

For some players like FSU linebacker Kalen DeLoach, this achievement marks a milestone years in the making. A 2019 high-school signee to FSU, DeLoach was there for the doomed final season of Willie Taggart's tenure, the start of Norvell's tenure and the gradual climb from his 3-6 debut season to the lofty place the Seminoles are now.

"It means a lot. I almost want to cry because we've put so much work from my first time getting here to where we are now," DeLoach said. "I appreciate all those guys who came in and bought into the process because it wasn't pretty all the time. For us to get to where we're at, it definitely means a lot."

For other players like FSU defensive tackle Braden Fiske, who transferred from Western Michigan last offseason, it's a justification of his decision to believe the vision Norvell sold him on and transfer to FSU.

"It's awesome. There are no words for it," Fiske said. "For me personally, it's a dream come true to be in this position. But as a team, as a community, for Florida State University, it's awesome. We couldn't be happier. It's really special."

The Seminoles will play in the Dec. 2 conference championship game at Charlotte's Bank of America Stadium against a yet-to-be-determined opponent. Louisville did take command of the driver's seat for the other spot in the game with its home win over Virginia Tech Saturday and the Cardinals are now the only ACC team with exactly one conference loss.

It's just as well for Norvell and FSU that they don't yet know who their opponent in the ACCCG will be. Because there are three games left on the Seminoles' schedule -- two against rivals -- before then and Norvell wasted no time getting firmly back into his next-game-up mindset with Miami lurking next weekend in Tallahassee.

"We were able to respond and put ourselves in a position to win (Saturday), which now allows us an opportunity to go and play in a championship game here at the end of the year," Norvell said. "But we've got one game this week, obviously it's a huge game and that's going to be 100% of our focus from the minute we get back leading up to next Saturday."

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