Worth the replay?

1. #1

   TroyatJames Madison

   CFB· ESPN2OvertimeDown to the wireBig comeback

   B

   56/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings23/25

   Comeback19/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 98 × pre-game weight 0.57 (pre-game Watchability 15) = 56

2. #2

   FAUatNorth Texas

   CFB· ESPNBack and forth

   D

   21/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension18/30

   Swings8/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 36 × pre-game weight 0.59 (pre-game Watchability 18) = 21

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.