Worth the replay?

1. #1

   Hawai'iatStanford

   CFB· ACC NetworkDown to the wireBack and forth

   B

   63/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback10/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 90 × pre-game weight 0.70 (pre-game Watchability 40, estimated) = 63

2. #2

   MemphisatUNLV

   CFB· FoxDown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth

   B

   57/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings16/25

   Comeback15/20

   Decided late11/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 82 × pre-game weight 0.70 (pre-game Watchability 40, estimated) = 57

3. #3

   North CarolinaatTCU

   CFB· ESPN/Disney+Down to the wireBack and forth

   C+

   53/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings16/25

   Comeback9/20

   Decided late11/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

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

4. #4

   New Mexico StatFlorida St

   CFB· CWOne-sided

   D

   10/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension3/30

   Swings12/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 15 × pre-game weight 0.70 (pre-game Watchability 40, estimated) = 10

5. #5

   Jax StateatN Dakota St

   CFB· CBSSNOne-sided

   D

   9/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings11/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 13 × pre-game weight 0.70 (pre-game Watchability 40, estimated) = 9

6. #6

   Sacramento StatE Michigan

   CFB· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   7/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension4/30

   Swings6/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 10 × pre-game weight 0.70 (pre-game Watchability 40, estimated) = 7

7. #7

   San José StatUSC

   CFB· NBCOne-sided

   D

   5/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings5/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 5 × pre-game weight 0.82 (pre-game Watchability 65, estimated) = 5

8. #8

   NC StateatVirginia

   CFB· ESPNOne-sided

   D

   4/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings6/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 6 × pre-game weight 0.70 (pre-game Watchability 40, estimated) = 4

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.