It's not 100% symbolic as stated, it determines the party affiliation of the electors that vote on that state's behalf. But to you point, they could go against the popular vote of who they represent (it's been done before).
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Political parties often choose Electors for the slate to recognize their service and dedication to that political party. They may be state elected officials, state party leaders, or people in the state who have a personal or political affiliation with their party's Presidential candidate. (For specific information about how slates of potential Electors are chosen, contact the political parties in each state.)
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So yes... the popular vote does have quite an impact on "the who" part of the college pool's political values. The problem with "the who" part in this election is... BOTH major parties dislike Trump as a candidate. So no matter the mix of beliefs of the college, there is an above average chance that even if Trump wins the popular vote, he will lose the electoral vote. In order for him to be President, he not only has to win, but win BIG!
So for example; if Cali turned red, that is 55 votes that swing to the right vs the left by selection (vise versa for blue states). Electors are free to cast their votes as they see fit but is rare for them to break their pledge of voting biased toward the popular vote of the people. Many states have laws that require the electors to vote purely on the popular vote but not ALL 50.