How about putting Notre Dame in the Big 12 instead of So. Florida?
Move So. Florida to the CUSA, creating a natural rivalry with C. Florida, and put UTEP in the Big Sky. Or, put UTEP in the WCC and Denver in the Big Sky. This would put UTEP in an 'unnatural' conference, however, but they played in the WAC for almost 40 years anyway
Then move Chicago St. from the Big Sky to the Horizon League and DePaul to the Missouri Valley, giving them an in-state rivalry with Illinois St., So. Illinois, and Bradley. Chicago St would also benefit from inter-city rivals Ill-Chicago and Loyola. I suppose you could move Marquette instead of DePaul, thus keeping the 4 Chicago schools together. But it would break up the Wisconsin schools in the Horizon League
A minor change could involve moving Missouri-KC (SWAC), W. Illinois (MVC) and E. Tennessee St. (OVC) It might make better geographical sense to have Mo-KC in the MVC; W. Illinois in the OVC, and E. Tennessee St. in the SWAC. E. Tennessee already borders some of the SWAC states.
12/1/2010 2:43 PM (edited)