The Football Forge Power Rankings: Week 26One big mover up; one big mover down
Another unpredictable week in the ever-changing USL Championship. Your Three Sparks did poorly yet again, but the-team-that-shall-not-be-mentioned did way worse. Satisfaction comes in the little things, I guess.
| Rank | Team | Previous | Change | Record | Forge Factor | Note | This Week |
| 1 | Louisville City | 2 | 1 | 18-5-2 | 20.31 | Game of the year? Definitely the wildest. 3 braces, 3 own goals and a PK. Lou City wins a crazy one 6-4 in North Carolina. | v. Loudoun (Fri.) |
| 2 | Charleston Battery | 1 | -1 | 15-4-8 | 18.10 | The 1-1 draw in San Antonio was a slight bump in an otherwise very smooth road. Chasing Louisville remains a very tough assignment. | v. Sacramento (Sat.) |
| 3 | Colorado Springs Switchbacks | 20 | 17 | 11-10-5 | 17.32 | A very good week: they demolish Memphis 3-1 and Tulsa 4-1. One point out of the home playoff spots with a game in hand. | v. Tampa Bay (Sat.) |
| 4 | Oakland Roots | 7 | 3 | 12-10-4 | 16.25 | A 1-0 win over West leaders New Mexico is a good way to celebrate your 5th anniversary. Up to 3rd with 2nd not too far off. | @ North Carolina (Sat.) |
| 5 | Pittsburgh Riverhounds | 5 | 0 | 7-9-11 | 15.88 | Pittsburgh were a man down virtually the entire game but still led for a while in the 1-1 draw with Indy. 2 points out of the playoffs and short on games left, but looking better. | v. Rhode Island (Sat.) |
| 6 | Hartford Athletic | 10 | 4 | 8-12-5 | 15.39 | Spoiler or late playoff surge? Unlucky not to get a 3rd straight win in Detroit, drawing 1-1. Looking good but they are running out of time. | v. Indy (Sat.) |
| 7 | Rhode Island FC | 11 | 4 | 8-5-13 | 14.55 | Rhode Island had little difficulty dispatching the Legion in the 2-0 win for the season double. Up to 5th with home playoff spots in sight. | @ Pittsburgh (Sat.) |
| 8 | New Mexico United | 3 | -5 | 15-7-3 | 14.52 | 2 shots on goal were not enough in Oakland as the best in the West go down 0-1. Still 7 points clear at the top. | v. Miami (Fri.) |
| 9 | Sacramento Republic | 8 | -1 | 11-5-8 | 13.93 | Sacramento Republic were on a bye this week. | @ Charleston (Sat.) |
| 10 | Las Vegas Lights | 14 | 4 | 10-8-8 | 13.43 | Las Vegas gave up a 2-goal lead early but bounced back to win 3-2 in Orange County. 7 points shy of their best-ever season | Bye |
| 11 | Detroit City | 6 | -5 | 10-8-8 | 12.89 | Detroit needed some heroics from keeper Carlos Saldaña to preserve a 1-1 draw with Hartford. They hold on to 4th in the East, but just barely. | @ El Paso (Sat.) |
| 12 | Phoenix Rising | 18 | 6 | 7-8-9 | 12.60 | Phoenix and Loudoun played a very cagey and even game, but a deflected shot gave the Rising a 1-0 win. They move into the final Western playoff spot. | v. Tulsa (Fri.) |
| 13 | Loudoun United | 9 | -4 | 9-9-7 | 12.38 | Loudoun should consider themselves unlucky in the 0-1 loss to Phoenix. They miss the chance to pass the Legion but could do so this week. | @ Louisville (Fri.) |
| 14 | Memphis 901 | 4 | -10 | 11-10-6 | 11.76 | Memphis gave up 2 goals in the first 6 minutes, were gifted an own goal but then gave up a PK to lose 1-3 in Colorado Springs. Oh, and 2 red cards (one to the just subbed-off Marlon). | Bye |
| 15 | San Antonio | 16 | 1 | 6-12-7 | 11.43 | A 1-1 draw with the Battery should be considered a positive note in an otherwise poor season. They can creep into the playoffs yet. | @ Monterey Bay (Sat.) |
| 16 | El Paso Locomotive | 15 | -1 | 5-15-5 | 9.67 | El Paso Locomotive were on a bye this week. | v. Detroit (Sat.) |
| 17 | North Carolina FC | 13 | -4 | 7-9-9 | 8.65 | They led the game 3 times, but giving up 2 own goals and a PK are not the way to beat Louisville. They lose 4-6 but went down fighting, | v. Oakland (Sat.) |
| 18 | FC Tulsa | 12 | -6 | 7-8-9 | 6.78 | Tulsa were entirely inept in the 1-4 loss to Colorado Springs, but did get a consolation goal right as time expired. Still in the playoffs though. | @ Phoenix (Fri.) |
| 19 | Tampa Bay Rowdies | 19 | 0 | 12-6-7 | 5.98 | Tampa Bay Rowdies were on a bye this week. | @ Colorado Springs (Sat.) |
| 20 | Indy Eleven | 21 | 1 | 10-9-6 | 4.46 | Up a man for 85 minutes Indy still needed a last-gasp equalizer to finish 1-1 with Pittsburgh. Also out of the US Open Cup this week and they are not playing well. At all. | @ Hartford (Sat.) |
| 21 | Birmingham Legion | 17 | -4 | 10-11-5 | 1.23 | Three straight losses without scoring and 7 given up since the last goal. The Legion is floundering. | Bye |
| 22 | The Miami FC | 24 | 2 | 3-21-2 | 0.91 | Miami were actually the better team even before the red card and finish 1-0 over Monterey Bay. First win since April 27th; death postponed. | @ New Mexico (Fri.) |
| 23 | Monterey Bay Union | 22 | -1 | 7-12-7 | 0.47 | The Union did not look good at all, losing 0-1 in Miami. Just 2 points from the last 6 games and they have slid down the standings. | v. San Antonio (Sat.) |
| 24 | Orange County | 23 | -1 | 8-14-4 | -4.03 | Orange County scores for the first time in 6 games but also gives up a PK and an own goal to lose 2-3 to Las Vegas. 1 point since July 20th. | Bye |
