Worth the replay?

1. #1

   TCUatArizona

   CFB· ESPNDown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth

   A

   82/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback17/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 97 × pre-game weight 0.85 (pre-game Watchability 69) = 82

2. #2

   South FloridaatEast Carolina

   CFB· ESPN2Down to the wire

   B

   59/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback9/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 78 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 51) = 59

3. #3

   NebraskaatIllinois

   CFB· Fox

   D

   34/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension6/30

   Swings16/25

   Comeback13/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 39 × pre-game weight 0.88 (pre-game Watchability 77) = 34

4. #4

   Virginia TechatSMU

   CFB· ESPNOne-sided

   D

   4/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings4/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 4 × pre-game weight 0.88 (pre-game Watchability 77) = 4

5. #5

   New MexicoatNevada

   CFB· CBSSNOne-sided

   D

   2/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings2/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 3 × pre-game weight 0.71 (pre-game Watchability 43) = 2

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.