Worth the replay?

1. #1

   MichiganatTexas

   CFB· ABCDown to the wireBack and forth

   B+

   70/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback7/20

   Decided late9/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 73 × pre-game weight 0.95 (pre-game Watchability 90, estimated) = 70

2. #2

   MiamiatOhio State

   CFB· ESPNDown to the wire

   B+

   67/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback9/20

   Decided late11/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 69 × pre-game weight 0.97 (pre-game Watchability 95, estimated) = 67

3. #3

   Arizona StatDuke

   CFB· CBSDown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth

   B+

   67/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback15/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 95 × pre-game weight 0.70 (pre-game Watchability 40, estimated) = 67

4. #4

   IowaatVanderbilt

   CFB· ESPN

   D

   27/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension12/30

   Swings13/25

   Comeback4/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 29 × pre-game weight 0.95 (pre-game Watchability 90, estimated) = 27

5. #5

   NebraskaatUtah

   CFB· ESPNOne-sided

   D

   11/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings8/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 13 × pre-game weight 0.82 (pre-game Watchability 65, estimated) = 11

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.