Worth the replay?

1. #1

   Ball StateatUMass

   CFB· ESPNUOvertimeDown to the wireBack and forth

   C+

   52/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings24/25

   Comeback7/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 94 × pre-game weight 0.55 (pre-game Watchability 11) = 52

2. #2

   ToledoatSacramento St

   CFB· CBSSNOne-sided

   D

   9/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension8/30

   Swings4/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 17 × pre-game weight 0.50 (pre-game Watchability 0) = 9

3. #3

   C MichiganatE Michigan

   CFB· ESPN2One-sided

   D

   4/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings6/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 6 × pre-game weight 0.65 (pre-game Watchability 29) = 4

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.