Worth the replay?

1. #1

   PittatVirginia Tech

   CFB· ESPNDown to the wire

   A

   79/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback12/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 85 × pre-game weight 0.93 (pre-game Watchability 85) = 79

2. #2

   BruinsatJets

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBack and forth

   B+

   73/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback9/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 97 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 73

3. #3

   RangersatRed Wings

   NHL· TNT/truTV

   D

   28/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension21/30

   Swings10/25

   Comeback1/20

   Decided late5/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 37 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 28

4. #4

   DucksatGolden Knights

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   21/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension11/30

   Swings11/25

   Comeback6/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 28 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 21

5. #5

   BluesatStars

   NHL· TNT/truTVOne-sided

   D

   16/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension6/30

   Swings11/25

   Comeback5/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 22 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 16

6. #6

   Penn StateatNorthwestern

   CFB· FoxOne-sided

   D

   14/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings13/25

   Comeback2/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 15 × pre-game weight 0.93 (pre-game Watchability 85) = 14

7. #7

   CapitalsatHurricanes

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   10/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension1/30

   Swings10/25

   Comeback3/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 14 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 10

8. #8

   LibertyatDelaware

   CFB· CBSSNOne-sided

   D

   4/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension1/30

   Swings5/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 5 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50) = 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.