Worth the replay?

1. #1

   Notre DameatMiami

   CFB· ABCDown to the wire

   B+

   68/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings16/25

   Comeback4/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 70 × pre-game weight 0.97 (pre-game Watchability 95, estimated) = 68

2. #2

   Virginia TechatSouth Carolina

   CFB· ESPNOne-sided

   D

   19/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension14/30

   Swings10/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 24 × pre-game weight 0.82 (pre-game Watchability 65, estimated) = 19

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.