Worth the replay?

1. #1

   MissouriatKansas

   CFB· Fox

   D

   27/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension6/30

   Swings16/25

   Comeback5/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 33 × pre-game weight 0.82 (pre-game Watchability 65, estimated) = 27

2. #2

   RutgersatBoston College

   CFB· ESPN2

   D

   25/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension19/30

   Swings13/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late4/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

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

3. #3

   VillanovaatLouisville

   CFB· ACC NetworkOne-sided

   D

   2/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings0/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 3 × pre-game weight 0.82 (pre-game Watchability 65, estimated) = 2

4. #4

   Norfolk StatVirginia

   CFB· ACCNXOne-sided

   D

   0/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings0/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 0 × pre-game weight 0.82 (pre-game Watchability 65, estimated) = 0

5. #5

   RichmondatNC State

   CFB· ESPNUOne-sided

   D

   0/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings0/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 0 × pre-game weight 0.70 (pre-game Watchability 40, estimated) = 0

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.