They're not meaningless. That's just something people say. But they're not meaningful either, they're just bowl games. If you want to, in your own imagination, to deem them to be important and a big deal and something to care about, or however else you want to think of them, of course you should go for it.
But as far as what society at large thinks about bowl games, if you will..... they don't care as much anymore. So you're just going to have to accept that much I suppose. Obviously they really are just exhibition games. It's not really possible to seriously claim much more than that about their character. Back in the day, they of course had an effect on who was voted the mythical national champion. But they haven't had that direct influence in a while. And with top players routine opting out of playing in them, so as to avoid Jaylon Smith's fate, it takes even more of the shine off of them.....
But if you yourself want to really get fired up about them, have at it!