For even the most die-hard sports fans, winning isn't everything. In fact, it isn't even always the best outcome.

So says recent research investigating fan behavior. Sports studies usually focus on the benefits of playing. But research has started examining what happens in the bodies of fans taking in high-stakes contests, like the millions who will watch the two most important games of this college football season: Thursday's Stanford-Oregon showdown and Saturday's Alabama-Louisiana State grudge match.

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