The Georgia Tech series served a valuable recruiting opportunity into the metro Atlanta area every other year and Tech was not too dissimilar from Vanderbilt, occassionally rearing up and beating Tennessee, although more often than not, it was the other way around, provided a good weekend in Atlanta, Varsity hot dogs on the walk to the game, etc.
For similar purposes in the new age, I'd look seriously into the State of Texas or Louisiana, perhaps a TCU, Tulane or maybe the University of Houston, for an opportunity to showcase the program in realistic recruiting hotbeds, perhaps picking up some athletes along the way when they and their families have an opportunity to see the program live and up close, without having to make the trip to Knoxville.
The made for TV events tend to operate as one offs and don't necessarily create much buzz other than during the season the game is played, TV events in Las Vegas, Jerry World, the Benz or over in Charlotte should be a once every 4 years type thing and the exposure within the conference season will be a constant going forward.