Big 12 to experiment with eighth official this season

IRVING, Texas — In 1983, college football added another man to officiating crews. Went from six to seven.

Remember the 1983 game. Lots of power football, with tight ends and wingbacks and only occasional downfield passing. Lots of option football, heavy on the vertical, light on the horizontal.

Thirty years later, the game has changed. Formations stretch from sideline to shining sideline. Five receivers often zip into pass patterns ranging from deep to wide, with quarterbacks running every which way and players spread all over the field.

And we're still using seven officials.