Worth the replay?

Thursday, October 8's games ranked by how good they turned out to be: late drama, comebacks, lead swaps and overtime. No scores, no winners, so you can decide what to watch without spoilers.

Best games of the season →

#1
PelicansatHeat
NBADown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth
A
75/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings25/25
Comeback20/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Drama 100 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 75
#2
South FloridaatUTSA
CFB· ESPNDown to the wireBack and forth
B+
68/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings25/25
Comeback10/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Drama 89 × pre-game weight 0.76 (pre-game Watchability 53) = 68
#3
Maple LeafsatGolden Knights
NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire
B+
68/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings22/25
Comeback13/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Overtime+8
Drama 91 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 68
#4
SharksatBlues
NHL· Disney+/ESPN+/HuluOvertimeDown to the wire
B+
68/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings20/25
Comeback11/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth7/10
Overtime+8
Drama 90 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 68
#5
WizardsatKnicks
NBA· NBA TVDown to the wireBig comeback
B+
65/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings21/25
Comeback16/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth5/10
Drama 87 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 65
#6
PredatorsatCanadiens
NHL· ESPN+Down to the wireBig comeback
B
61/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings20/25
Comeback15/20
Decided late12/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 81 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 61
#7
HawksatSpurs
NBADown to the wireBig comeback
B
60/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings18/25
Comeback18/20
Decided late12/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 80 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 60
#8
76ersatNets
NBA
B
58/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings16/25
Comeback8/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth8/10
Drama 77 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 58
#9
BuccaneersatCowboys
NFL· Prime VideoBig comeback
C+
51/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension22/30
Swings17/25
Comeback17/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth5/10
Drama 76 × pre-game weight 0.67 (pre-game Watchability 34) = 51
#10
South AlabamaatArkansas St
CFB· ESPN2
C
37/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension13/30
Swings18/25
Comeback10/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth8/10
Drama 48 × pre-game weight 0.77 (pre-game Watchability 54) = 37
#11
FlyersatSenators
NHL· ESPN+Down to the wire
C
36/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings7/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late7/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 48 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 36
#12
CelticsatCavaliers
NBA
D
28/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension4/30
Swings17/25
Comeback8/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth8/10
Drama 37 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 28
#13
KingsatLakers
NBA· ESPN2
D
23/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension12/30
Swings12/25
Comeback4/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 30 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 23
#14
WildatLightning
NHL· ESPN+
D
19/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension19/30
Swings5/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late2/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 26 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 19
#15
Missouri StatWestern KY
CFB· CBSSNOne-sided
D
13/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension6/30
Swings12/25
Comeback4/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 22 × pre-game weight 0.58 (pre-game Watchability 16) = 13
#16
MammothatBruins
NHL· ESPN+One-sided
D
9/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30
Swings10/25
Comeback3/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 13 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 9
#17
AvalancheatFlames
NHL· ESPN+One-sided
D
7/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30
Swings6/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 10 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 7
#18
StarsatSabres
NHL· ESPN+One-sided
D
6/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30
Swings8/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 8 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 6
#19
BlackhawksatIslanders
NHL· ESPN+One-sided
D
5/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30
Swings7/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 7 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 5
#20
CanucksatHurricanes
NHL· ESPN+One-sided
D
3/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30
Swings4/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 4 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 3
#21
Sam HoustonatLiberty
CFB· ESPNUOne-sided
D
1/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30
Swings2/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 2 × pre-game weight 0.53 (pre-game Watchability 5) = 1

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.