Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck has the University of Stanford off to a perfect start, on the way to a possible shot at a national championship. But some of his teammates are working on an even bigger prize.
The Cardinal are working to help medical experts better understand head injuries.
Researchers from the Stanford School of Medicine have
outfitted a group of Cardinal football players with specifically designed mouth guards that keep track of every blow to the head during games.
Dr. Dan Garza tells KCBS Radio that the goal of the study is to understand why some collisions are much more serious than others. "What we're looking at really is the amount of G-forces that an athlete is getting during a game," Garza told the TV station.
The scientists are trying to understand the size and frequency of hits taken during games and practices. Stanford researchers believe hits that result in concussions can lead to more serious consequences.
On the field, the 4-0 Stanford football team puts its No. 7 ranking on the line this week in a Pac-12 game against visiting Colorado.
The Cardinal have the nation's longest win streak, at 12 in a row, while the Buffaloes have lost 18 straight road games.
