Worth the replay?

1. #1

   ArmyatTulsa

   CFB· ESPN2Down to the wireBig comebackBack and forth

   A

   76/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback18/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 98 × pre-game weight 0.77 (pre-game Watchability 55) = 76

2. #2

   DukeatVirginia

   CFB· ESPNDown to the wire

   B+

   71/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings20/25

   Comeback12/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 85 × pre-game weight 0.83 (pre-game Watchability 67) = 71

3. #3

   Air ForceatWyoming

   CFB· CW

   D

   34/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension15/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback12/20

   Decided late3/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 48 × pre-game weight 0.70 (pre-game Watchability 40) = 34

4. #4

   NC StateatStanford

   CFB· ESPN

   D

   34/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension11/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback11/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 43 × pre-game weight 0.79 (pre-game Watchability 58) = 34

5. #5

   UMassatUConn

   CFB· CBSSNOne-sided

   D

   6/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings7/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 12 × pre-game weight 0.51 (pre-game Watchability 1) = 6

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.