re: I don’t get conference teams supporting one another in bowl season

There's a lot you don't get, Sad Knight, an awful lot.

Also...lsu and aub hurt their chances too

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Because unfortunately you have to in the current system. Alabama was screwed big time this season because Tennessee lost to Georgia State and a bunch of Mormons. Stronger the conference the stronger your team is.

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Alabama was screwed because they lost to LSU and Auburn.

SEC teams play each other. It helps everyone that win’s strength of schedule if the teams they have to play anyway are ranked. In the beginning of the year, the rankings come from the AP and Coaches’ poll. The two polls are a popularity contest based on perception. The playoff committee usually closely follows the AP poll.

It is to every team’s benefit that their wins against each other is perceived to be quality wins against ranked teams. Also, losses against ranked teams hurt your team’s standings less than a loss against an unranked team.

These rankings, especially early in the season, are from perceived strength and nothing promotes that more than all the SEC teams winning both their OCC games in the regular season and SEC teams winning in the bowls and playoffs.

It makes a team like Georgia look better when Florida and aTm, two of their wins, beat their opponents in the bowls. This gives Georgia a higher perceived strength of schedule and a higher final ranking. This helps with recruiting and in turn translates to a higher initial ranking NEXT YEAR.
Plus, we like it when southern boys beat the shite out of Yankees, goat ropers and west coast figs.

It just means more, fool.