I understand your point Peter, and with me it certainly isn't "all about Southern Pride". But mainly within the SEC, the members are the flagship universities of their respective states and their red-headed step-brothers.
Florida State was a girls school actually invited to join the SEC at the last expansion. But then again, Auburn, still is a girls school.

Geogia Tech used to be in the SEC but left, as did Tulane and Sewanee.
Miami deserves to be flattened like the Orange Bowl was.
I'll pull for a lot of other Southern schools in neutral games if I have to pick a side.
I guess it just comes down to "either you're with us, or you're against us". Or something. And again, you're not going to understand so go have a smoke instead and leave us to our crazy idiosyncracies.