Final answer:
In the context of a sports game, the term 'rout' (option b) best describes a situation where the home team has no chance of winning, evident from the audience's escalating jeers.
Step-by-step explanation:
By the third quarter, the home team had lost any chance of emerging victorious, and the game had become an utter rout. This term, which is option b, best fits the context provided, indicating a decisive and overwhelming defeat in a sports contest.
Using rout in the sentence captures the essence of the situation, reinforced by the escalating jeers from the bleachers, which suggest a lopsided game where one team is clearly dominating the other.