There are two berths up for grabs in the 2024 USL Championship Playoffs presented by Terminix, and much more to be decided beyond that in terms of playoff positioning, but the regular season concludes with one of the more unique slates of the season with six interconference contests among the full 12-game slate on Saturday night.

If you haven’t checked it out yet, here’s where you can find where everyone stands in the Race to the 2024 USL Championship Playoffs. Here are three more storylines to know going in, three players to keep an eye on, and what else you need to know before tuning in on CBS Sports Golazo Network and ESPN+.

1. HITTING THE INTERCONFERENCE HIGHWAY

Which game could have the biggest potential impact on the final weekend of the season? There are a few options, but the first meeting between North Carolina FC and Las Vegas Lights FC at WakeMed Soccer Park (7 p.m. ET | ESPN+) has plenty to offer in terms of the final standings in both the Eastern and Western Conferences.

• EYES ON THE PRIZE: For both, victory is crucial. North Carolina would clinch a postseason berth with all three points, while the Lights would lock up the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference. Whichever side comes out on the short end faces an anxious wait until the end of the night to learn their fate.

• BY THE NUMBERS: So far this season, the Eastern Conference has held the edge in interconference matchups (58-45-35, +45 goal differential). North Carolina contributed to this, going 5-4-2 against the West including 4-1-0 at home. Las Vegas has held its own, going 4-4-3 against the Eastern Conference, but it has fared less well on the road, going 1-3-1 away at Eastern opposition.

• ALL ON THE LINE: Las Vegas has, at least, the consolation of knowing it will host a playoff game regardless of result this weekend – the farthest it can fall is to the No. 4 seed in the West. At the same time, after last week’s defeat at home to Oakland Roots, the visitors will likely be aiming to get a positive result under their belts, which would put plenty of pressure on North Carolina to deliver the result it needs to be in the postseason.

North Carolina has momentum after its victory last weekend against the Tampa Bay Rowdies, although it needed to capitalize on the Rowdies’ errors to break through on its only two shots on goal.

Las Vegas is unlikely to offer such opportunities. After some early chemistry problems led to breakdowns at the back, the Lights have allowed only one goal via defensive error over the past two months, meaning the onus is going to be on North Carolina to try and break down the visitors to earn their postseason berth.

2. HOUNDS AIM TO CARRY MOMENTUM

Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC is the other side in the Eastern Conference for which victory will ensure a postseason berth. The Hounds maintained control of their path to the playoffs with victory last week against Loudoun United FC, running their record to 8-1-6 over their last 15 outings.

• YES, BUT: Pittsburgh is rolling, but it is one of only two Eastern Conference teams to have a record below .500 against the Western Conference this season, sitting at 3-5-3 with an even goal differential. With El Paso Locomotive FC coming to Highmark Stadium (7 p.m. ET | CBS Sports Golazo Network), the hosts are still going to be favored to earn a result, but it might not be as automatic as it seems.

• PLAYING SPOILER: Locomotive has started to find its stride under the final 10 games of the season, picking up four wins and four draws in that span. It’s come too late to save El Paso’s playoff hopes, but as we saw in last weekend’s 2-1 victory against Sacramento Republic FC, Head Coach Wilmer Cabrera’s side is perfectly prepared to play spoiler.

• WAITE’S RETURN: The contest will also see the return to Highmark Stadium of Jahmali Waite, who starred for the Hounds over the past two seasons before joining Locomotive last offseason. The Jamaican international has had a solid season, recording 87 saves and a save percentage of 71.1 percent. He’s now set to stand between the Hounds and a seventh consecutive postseason berth.

The Hounds have their own man in form going into Saturday’s game with Edward Kizza having scored in four consecutive games, while Bertin Jacquesson has also come on strong in attack of late.

Pittsburgh will be hoping that momentum can carry them past their Western Conference nemesis. If the hosts don’t, it opens the door for Hartford Athletic to capitalize.

3. REPUBLIC FC, SWITCHBACKS FACE SHOWDOWN

Sacramento Republic FC and Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC begin Saturday in the top four in the Western Conference standings. Their clash on Saturday night at Heart Health Park (10 p.m. ET | CBS Sports Golazo Network) will determine which one will guarantee it stays there, with pressure on both sides to deliver a positive performance.

• POSITIVE UPLIFT: Sacramento took victory against the Switchbacks when the teams met at Weidner Field earlier this season when Trevor Amann and Russell Cicerone found the net in a 2-0 victory. That puts Republic FC somewhat in control of its path to a home playoff opener. They’d have the head-to-head tiebreaker should the game end all square, but with a catch.

• LIGHTS’ INFLUENCE: What result works out for Republic FC and the Switchbacks could change depending on the result for Las Vegas Lights earlier in the night at North Carolina FC. If the Lights lose, a draw would no longer be enough for Sacramento, as it would set up a three-way tiebreaker based on points-per-game against in-conference opposition.

• MAKE THE ASCENT: The Switchbacks would be the beneficiary under that scenario, coming out on top due to a 1.59ppg mark and 14 wins that would put it ahead of the Lights with Sacramento third in the tiebreaker. Of course, a Colorado Springs victory would keep everything in its control. It would also allow the side to build on its solid road win last week against Monterey Bay F.C. as it enters a fourth consecutive postseason.

The mood around Republic FC wasn’t good after last week’s defeat in El Paso, as noted earlier this week. That should put the impetus on the hosts to come out flying and secure not only a result and make a statement to the rest of the West going into the postseason.

If the Switchbacks can weather that and come through with a result on the road, it’s going to set up some very interesting storylines going into the first weekend of the postseason on both sides.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Jorge Hernández, San Antonio FC – Hernández can become only the second player after Solomon Asante in 2019 and 2020 to claim the Golden Playmaker award in consecutive USL Championship seasons as SAFC closes its season at home to Detroit City FC. He’ll need at least one assist to do it, though, as while he’s sitting tied with Rhode Island FC’s Noah Fuson on nine assists, Fuson would currently take the award on the assists-per-minute tiebreaker.

Matt Mahoney, Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC – Mahoney is the only outfield player that can complete the regular season having played every minute of every game – Switchbacks goalkeeper Christian Herrera and Loudoun United FC goalkeeper Hugo Fauroux are also in line to do so – and he could be a key figure as the Switchbacks look to earn victory on the road against Sacramento Republic FC to clinch a top-four finish in the West.

Danny Barrera, Hartford Athletic – Barrera has recorded assists in three consecutive games for Hartford. If there’s a path to the postseason for Athletic as it heads into its road game against Orange County SC, the veteran playmaker could be a key factor as the side looks to earn its first trip to the USL Championship Playoffs since 2020.

AROUND THE GROUNDS

#CHSvLDN: Loudoun United FC must win and then hope results elsewhere fall their way if it’s going to get into the playoffs. The challenge? United would be only the second team to beat the Charleston Battery on their home turf this season, with the Battery also holding a nine-game undefeated streak in the series between the clubs that dates to October, 2019.

#LOUvPHX: Louisville City FC can equal the USL Championship’s single-season wins record if it takes victory against a Phoenix Rising FC side that secured its postseason berth last week despite falling at home to Memphis. With LouCity having already racked up 15 wins out of 16 at home this season, it says here they do it.

#TBRvIND: The Tampa Bay Rowdies got the job done for themselves, and in a strange way for Indy Eleven on Wednesday night, with the Boys in Blue guaranteed a home game thanks to the Rowdies’ draw against Hartford. That could make for a pretty relaxed matchup here – oh, and if the Rowdies win and Rhode Island FC doesn’t, we’d get this matchup again next weekend at Michael A. Carroll Stadium.

#RIvMIA: Rhode Island FC will be looking to give its fans something to enjoy and lock up the No. 5 seed with a victory against Miami FC at Beirne Stadium. After a long season for Miami, we’ll see what the visitors have in the tank before the offseason arrives.

#TULvMB: This is the lone matchup on the slate with no implications whatsoever with FC Tulsa and Monterey Bay FC both eliminated from playoff contention. Those sorts of matchups can tend to get out of hand, usually in a good way as both teams try to go hell-for-leather in attack.

#SAvDET: Detroit City FC needs only a point to secure the No. 3 seed in the East as it visits San Antonio FC. The hosts, meanwhile, may be working to try and get Jorge Hernández a second Golden Playmaker award – see above – as they try to end the campaign in positive fashion.

#NMvMEM: The other game with big implications in the West. New Mexico United is locked into the No. 1 seed but is on a four-game winless streak. The hosts will try to put an end to that and get some positive momentum, but it will get a strong challenge from Memphis 901 FC, which must win to give itself a chance of a top-four seed in the conference.

#OAKvBHM: Oakland Roots SC is in the postseason but needs a win to seal its spot as the No. 6 seed. Birmingham Legion FC has earned impressive success against Western Conference opponents this campaign – half of its 12 wins have come against the West, with the side holding a 6-2-3 record overall – and could play spoiler for its hosts.

#OCvHFD: Hartford Athletic will be watching how things play out in the early set of games for Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC and North Carolina FC to see if there’s a path to the playoffs available when it faces Orange County SC. If there is, this could be an absolutely electric contest between two teams with speed to burn.