Worth the replay?

1. #1

   South AlabamaatMarshall

   CFB· ESPN2Down to the wire

   B

   58/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback12/20

   Decided late14/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 82 × pre-game weight 0.71 (pre-game Watchability 42) = 58

2. #2

   MTSUatFIU

   CFB· CBSSNBig comeback

   C+

   49/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback16/20

   Decided late10/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 79 × pre-game weight 0.62 (pre-game Watchability 25) = 49

3. #3

   Missouri StatDelaware

   CFB· ESPNUBack and forth

   D

   24/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings20/25

   Comeback10/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 40 × pre-game weight 0.60 (pre-game Watchability 21) = 24

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.