Worth the replay?

1. #1

   USCatTCU

   CFB· ESPNOvertimeDown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth

   A

   83/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings23/25

   Comeback18/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 100 × pre-game weight 0.82 (pre-game Watchability 65, estimated) = 83

2. #2

   TennesseeatIllinois

   CFB· ESPNDown to the wire

   B

   60/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings22/25

   Comeback12/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 86 × pre-game weight 0.70 (pre-game Watchability 40, estimated) = 60

3. #3

   CoastalatLouisiana Tech

   CFB· ESPN

   C+

   53/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension24/30

   Swings22/25

   Comeback13/20

   Decided late12/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 76 × pre-game weight 0.70 (pre-game Watchability 40, estimated) = 53

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.