JRSec,

I would have to admit that lineup for the East is intriguing. You'd have at least two football powers, at least three historical basketball powers and the old Big Ten fans find a way to shuffle Purdue off somewhere. However, I think you could switch out Northwestern with Purdue and we might have something. Both Purdue and Michigan State value their in-state rivalries, while both have had good relations with the Domers. Northwestern, being private, doesn't have that same issue with Illinois as intensely as the other two. Maybe have a guaranteed game between the two every year. Yet I could see why Northwestern and Notre Dame could be in separate divisions, as each would be the "Chicago representative" of the two.

Then there's the NC/Duke conundrum. Is there space for both? Can the two be separated? I could see Duke, as it is a private and leans more towards the Northeast but the COP/C would prefer a state school in that state. Duke in the SEC would look awkward, for sure.

I have heard that the PAC may have similar issues against Baylor, which is why, like with BYU, they aren't keen on taking them. Maybe Baylor and TCU can switch places or Houston takes the PAC spot and Baylor goes to the SEC with TCU, Louisville and West Virginia.

TCU, Baylor, A&M, LSU, Arkansas, Mizzou
Ole Miss, MSU, AL, Aub, Van, FSU
KY, TN, Louisville, West Virginia, VT, NCSU
Clemson, GT, GA, FL, Miami, SCar

A "Best of the Rest" conference might look like this:

UConn, Temple, East Carolina, USF, UCF, Navy, Memphis, Cincinnati
BYU, San Diego State, New Mexico, Colorado State, Fresno State, Boise State, UNLV, Air Force

"New" Big East could look like this:

Georgetown, St. John's, Providence, Wake Forest, Duke, Villanova, Richmond, Seton Hall
Creighton, DePaul, Dayton, St. Louis, Marquette, Butler, Xavier, Duquense

This would get a much-improved media contract with Fox with ESPN getting back into airing BE basketball games with Duke being a marquee program.