Worth the replay?

1. #1

   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

2. #2

   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

3. #3

   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

4. #4

   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.