It's a double-edged sword, for sure. You can find detrimental aspects any way you choose...but I think I have to side with the SEC team, even if it's a much hated rival. If the SEC thrives and keeps bringing home the big trophy every year...that's more revenue and prestige for every program in the conference. It's our responsibility therefore to displace them and put ourselves in their position instead. Sure it helps their recruiting, but it also indirectly helps ours as well.
It gives our program more money to spend on facilities and better coaches, and it attracts prospects to our conference, which improves our odds at cherry picking some of them. What's more, it helps us look more legit when we were the ONLY team that legitimately beat them on the field this year (just fell short on the scoreboard...due to us having a wus for a kicker).