Worth the replay?

1. #1

   StanfordatHawai'i

   CFB· CBS/Paramount+Down to the wireBig comebackBack and forth

   B+

   68/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback17/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 97 × pre-game weight 0.70 (pre-game Watchability 40, estimated) = 68

2. #2

   Iowa StateatKansas St

   CFB· ESPN

   B

   61/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension27/30

   Swings16/25

   Comeback9/20

   Decided late8/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 64 × pre-game weight 0.95 (pre-game Watchability 90, estimated) = 61

3. #3

   Idaho StatUNLV

   CFBBack and forth

   C

   37/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension16/30

   Swings21/25

   Comeback3/20

   Decided late3/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 54 × pre-game weight 0.70 (pre-game Watchability 40, estimated) = 37

4. #4

   Sam HoustonatWestern KY

   CFB· CBSSNBack and forth

   D

   25/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings20/25

   Comeback5/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 36 × pre-game weight 0.70 (pre-game Watchability 40, estimated) = 25

5. #5

   Fresno StatKansas

   CFB· FoxOne-sided

   D

   5/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings3/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 8 × pre-game weight 0.70 (pre-game Watchability 40, estimated) = 5

Ranked from each game's win probability as it was played (ESPN's for football and basketball; ours, from the goals, for hockey): how in doubt it was near the end, how far the winner came back from, how late it was decided, how big its momentum swings were and how often a team erased a deficit, with a bonus for overtime. That drama is then weighted by how good a matchup it was going in (its pre-game Watchability score), so a thriller between top teams ranks above an equally wild game between minor ones.