FSU vs. Florida in 2021 NCAA Tournament?

The COVID-19 pandemic deprived us of the chance to witness a possible deep NCAA Tournament run for Florida State men's basketball in 2020, but according to a recent projection, we could be in for an early spectacle in 2021's Big Dance. 

ESPN's Joe Lunardi updated his Bracketology predictions today, and while he continues to have the Seminoles as a 4-seed in San Jose, he has the Florida Gators as a 5-seed. And with them both in the South Region, this means the two Sunshine State rivals would be on a collision course for a round-two matchup in northern California. Check it out:

The 'Noles would have to survive 13-seed Georgia State first, and UF would have to get by 12-seed Furman in the always upset-prone 5-12 matchup. But assuming each did, this would put the two schools, separated by just two hours, in a battle for a spot in the Sweet 16 and possibly the opportunity to play top-seeded Baylor in Memphis. 

Of course, the tourney is much more about matchups than seedings, and this matchup has really smiled on FSU of late. Although the teams play every season, the Seminoles haven't lost to the Gators since 2013, when they suffered a one-point defeat in Gainesville. Since then, the 'Noles have topped Florida on six straight occasions, their longest winning streak in the history of the rivalry, which dates back to 1951.

But the teams didn't play every year during the 50s-- then, starting in the early 60s, the rivals met twice a season, before suspending the matchup from '69-'77.