My wife and I are season ticket holders(9 years) and sit with my in-laws(37 years). There is still a ton of interest for season tickets, as it is not easy to get 4 tickets together outside of the direct end zone, unless you are willing to pay for the extremely expensive Cougar Club(wish me could have, but am expecting our 1st little one after 13 years of trying) or go for the worst seats. We have great seats in the corner of the North West section, in a similar price range as yours, at few rows from the bottom. We tried to move over to a more, mid field section, so that we don't have to deal with some of the visiting fans that can get out of control with language and fighting; and could not find hardly anything. Our time to choose seats was not horrible, as we are under my in-laws(remember 37 years); but there were a ton of fans renewing. Even in our section, it was very difficult to move down any lower, and so we ended up choosing to keep our same seats for this season. So, there is still a pretty healthy group of loyal and long term fans outside the Cougar Club that by tickets, and a lot of new Season ticket holders that gladly took the seats of those who chose not to renew.
As for the $5 ticket, that fan you say by, had a heck of a deal. While we have a lot of the same fans that are season ticket holders and sit near us each year, we also have some that scalp their extra tickets. The fans who sat around us at the Texas game, paid over $100 or more each. Over the course of the past couple years, we have been surprised at just how much some games go for, by fans and the school, and how inexpensive others are. The S state game was easily the cheapest ticket, and $10 was not unheard of, but I never found a fan that paid under $50 for any of the others in our section. I am sure that is different at the upper part of the stadium, but as you paid around $300 per ticket; that is pretty shocking that someone found a $5 or $10 ticket to any of the games in your section. I hope that you are able to find a bit of rest in your season away, but have an even greater hope that you choose to return in the future. Just remember, tickets will be going up as the home schedule greatly starts to improve next season, and it would be good to find a friend a family member that can help you since you are losing your place in the renewal slot line.(I am not a fan of their new system) If you ever hear of any of your associate selling their tickets for $10 in your section; please let me know. I know a ton of fans in the Northern Utah area, that are willing to drive down there for much great prices.