The Football Forge Power Rankings: Week 6Changes galore in the rankings
Six weeks in and we still have 3 teams on only 4 games played. that will be fixed this upcoming week and so the Forge Factor will come into play. For now, here are our expert judgment rankings:
| Rank | Team | Previous | Change | Record | Note |
| 1 | Charleston Battery | 6 | 5 | 4-0-3 | Beating both sides of the LIPAFC in one week (Louisville City 3-2 and Indy Eleven 4-2) in convincing fashion is going to get you a boost in the rankings. Still unbeaten they head to Tulsa this week. |
| 2 | Louisville City | 1 | -1 | 4-1-0 | Lou City games continue to be the highest-scoring in the Championship at a hefty 4.6 per game, but this week they were finally not on top. They lose to the Charleston Battery 2-3 to fall from the ranks of the unbeaten. They head to Loudoun next. |
| 3 | Detroit City | 2 | -1 | 4-0-0 | Detroit City were on a bye this week and so remain the only perfect team in the Championship. Oakland at home this week. |
| 4 | Orange County | 4 | 0 | 3-0-3 | Orange County and San Antonio combined for just 5 shots on goal in a 0-0 draw. OC didn’t have any really good looks though. They stay on top of the West, but this was a yawner. SacRep coming up. |
| 5 | Tampa Bay Rowdies | 7 | 2 | 2-0-3 | The Rowdies blew by Miami 5-2 Thursday evening but are still only good for 5th in the competitive East. Unbeaten though, and that probably wont change against El Paso. |
| 6 | Monterey Bay Union | 11 | 5 | 3-1-2 | The Union got an early PK and never looked back in the 3-1 win over La Vegas, although it was perhaps closer than the scoreline. Riding high and they look like potential trounble in the West. They go to Memphis this week. |
| 7 | Las Vegas Lights | 5 | -2 | 3-3-0 | An off game for the Lights who saw their 3-game shutout win streak end 1-3 in Monterey, although it was fairly close. Emrah Klimenta also picked up a silly red card and will miss the cross-country trip to Rhode Island. |
| 8 | Sacramento Republic | 3 | -5 | 3-0-3 | SacRep pummeled 10-man Tulsa with 23 shots but got only 1 goal for their pains and ended in a 1-1 draw. Not good enough, even against a strong side. A big game in Orange County next. |
| 9 | FC Tulsa | 9 | 0 | 1-1-2 | Down a man for 74 minutes and just 26% possession in Sacramento usually means a heacvy defeat. But Tulsa managed an impressive 1-1 draw. A slowish start to the season bt they are finding their rhythm. Charleston next though. |
| 10 | San Antonio | 8 | -2 | 2-1-3 | San Antonio had probably the only good shot on goal in the 0-0 draw with Orange County. Neither side looked likely to score otherwise. They have yet to make an big impression. Up to Hartford next. |
| 11 | Hartford Athletic | 10 | -1 | 3-1-0 | Hartford Athletic were on a bye this week. They host San Antonio next. |
| 12 | New Mexico United | 14 | 2 | 3-1-1 | New Mexico United were on a bye this week. North Carolina away coming up. |
| 13 | Birmingham Legion | 13 | 0 | 2-2-1 | The Legion gave up a softish PK in the first minute but then had the better of the chances in a relatively tedious 1-1 draw in North Carolina. Off to Miami next. |
| 14 | North Carolina FC | 15 | 1 | 1-2-3 | North Carolina were lucky to get an early PK and rode that to a lifeless 1-1 home draw with the Legion. They stay home this week for New Mexico. |
| 15 | Indy Eleven | 12 | -3 | 1-4-1 | Indy generated 20 shots and 8 on target but fell to Charleston 2-4. They are giving up a league-high 2.5 goals a game, although 9 of those were the last two games. They need to fix the defense. A break in Colorado this week? |
| 16 | Phoenix Rising | 17 | 1 | 2-3-1 | The Rising needed 71 minutes t get a goal past the Switchbacks and got the 1-0 win. Not exactly an overwhelming display but it gets them to 7th in the West. The other low-scoring team, Pittsburgh, next up. |
| 17 | Loudoun United | 16 | -1 | 2-2-1 | Loudoun fell behind but rallied to beat Memphis 2-1 at home, benefitting from some wasteful play by the visitors. The two-game losing streak is broken but Lou City is coming to town. |
| 18 | Oakland Roots | 23 | 5 | 2-3-1 | Someone had to break a losing streak in the tilt with El Paso. Oakland were always the more likely. They emnerge 3-2 winners in South Texas. A tough assignment in rested Detroit this week. |
| 19 | Pittsburgh Riverhounds | 20 | 1 | 0-3-2 | For the 4th time in 5 games Pittsburgh failed to score; they have just 1 goal so far this season and are looking utterly lost in attack. A trip to typically stingy Phoenix next won’t help. |
| 20 | Rhode Island FC | 19 | -1 | 0-1-4 | Each side had one good chance in the 0-0 draw with Pittsburgh, but it took 80 minutes to produce them. Rhode Island is not living up to expectations yet. Out west to Las Vegas this week. |
| 21 | Memphis 901 | 22 | 1 | 1-4-0 | Memphis went ahead but blew the lead in Loudoun, losing 1-2. Several good scoring chances went wide and so the losing streak extends to 4. Home to Monterey Bay next and things may not improve. |
| 22 | The Miami FC | 18 | -4 | 1-4-1 | Miami’s losing streak extends to 3, 2-5 to the Rowdies. That 1 win? All the way back in Week 1. Against Colorado. The Legion may be rubbing their hands in anticipation. |
| 23 | El Paso Locomotive | 21 | -2 | 0-5-1 | El Paso led twice in the first half but gave up 2 goals in the first 5 minutes of the second to go down 2-3 to Oakland. Still no wins this season; don’t expect one in Tampa. |
| 24 | Colorado Springs Switchbacks | 24 | 0 | 0-5-0 | The Switchbacks still have just 1 goal on the season. Their only shot on target in Phoenix did not really test Rios Novo. The dire season continues. They play Indy next. |
