Worth the replay?

1. #1

   TulaneatCharlotte

   CFB· ESPN2OvertimeDown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth

   B

   56/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback18/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 100 × pre-game weight 0.56 (pre-game Watchability 13) = 56

2. #2

   Kent StateatSacramento St

   CFB· ESPNUBig comeback

   D

   20/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension5/30

   Swings13/25

   Comeback14/20

   Decided late3/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 38 × pre-game weight 0.51 (pre-game Watchability 3) = 20

3. #3

   BayloratUCF

   CFB· ESPNOne-sided

   D

   8/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings7/25

   Comeback2/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 9 × pre-game weight 0.89 (pre-game Watchability 78) = 8

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.