It's not an issue as an isolated thing.
When it's coupled with the bowl game charter being cancelled for the first time in years, declining bowl sales the years before that, and obvious splotches on game day, regardless of start times or cozy students, it could be an alarming trend.
I know the "bad bowl opponents/early games/crummy home opponents" reasoning is there, but the at times questionable play by the team has a lot to do with that.
I'd put HD TV's, ticket costs, time investment, fuel prices, airline prices, and the simple convenience of watching a game (or 6) at home miles ahead of the "questionable play" of the team.
It's no secret that attendance is dwindling all over, and AD's are trying to make live games more "fun" across the entire country, to put butts in seats.
Attendance in 2013 at NCAA football games tops 50 million for first time.
Pfft...
Your figures include all NCAA football from Division 3 up to FBS, in that article it said FBS attendance was up only 1% so the top level attendance is kind of stagnant.
The point is the excuse that attendance is down all over is completely bogus and as for you saying attendance is stagnant the 1% increase in attendance for FBS schools help set an all time attendance record last year for college football...