How about something that gives balanced conferences, but also tends to give more local fixtures. Important when teams are hard up after the enforced break.
Divide into groups of 4, same idea as the EoS did with groups of 3. The EoS put the 1sts in group together, then the 2nds etc,. Instead take the most northerly out of each group of 4. And call that Conference N. Then the most southerly, Conference S. Most easterly becomes Conference E and the remainder Conference W.
It won't be perfect geographically, but could give the best of both worlds?