When Phoenix Rising FC claimed the 2023 USL Championship title, it became the first team in league history to win four consecutive road games on the way to lifting the trophy.

You might think the odds of that happening again are slim. After all, there’s a reason why we call it homefield advantage, and with 16 wins from 17 at home this season, Louisville City FC is looking like one of the biggest favorites we’ve ever had going into a postseason.

But what if there were not one, but two candidates that might be able to make the same run as Phoenix this year?

May we introduce Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC and Orange County SC, who might be this year’s bracket busters.

Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC – No. 7 seed, Eastern Conference

After the departure of some key players last offseason, the Hounds had real challenges in the first half of the season. Now, however, they’re playing their best soccer of the season.

• MAKING THEIR MOVE: Pittsburgh is 9-1-6 over its last 16 games – almost the full second half of the campaign – and will enter the postseason on a four-game winning streak. Key to this has been finding the rhythm it was missing early in the season in attack, with Edward Kizza on a five-game scoring streak and Robbie Mertz having notched one goal and four assists in the same span.

• DEFENSIVE BACKBONE: The Hounds have the traditional backbone all teams coached by Bob Lilley gain. The side conceded the fewest goals in the regular season (28) and have Golden Glove winner Eric Dick between the sticks after a stellar individual campaign.

• THE PATHWAY: The Hounds get a big test to open the playoffs at No. 2 seed the Charleston Battery, and then would need to go through either Detroit City or the Tampa Bay Rowdies to reach the Eastern Conference Final. Pittsburgh was the only team to hold Charleston scoreless in both meetings this season, though, and took a win and a draw against Detroit as well.

Pittsburgh’s elimination against Detroit City after earning the Players’ Shield last season is going to be back-of-mind, but there’s probably no better motivation for this side to make a run when some might be least expecting it.

Sorry, y’all. We’re onto you.

Orange County SC – No. 6 seed, Western Conference

Orange County SC has had one of the all-time strangest seasons we’ve ever seen in USL Championship history. It has had three different Head Coaches, including two interims, and had a stretch in which it didn’t score for six consecutive games. Over the past two months, however, the side has taken flight to reach the postseason.

• PICKING UP THE PIECES: OCSC wasn’t looking in good shape at the end of August. Current interim Head Coach Danny Stone had taken the reins from predecessor Paul Hardyman, and immediately suffered a 3-2 defeat in which his side held a two-goal lead at home to Las Vegas. The side had a minus-15 goal differential and its playoff odds were slim.

• TURN IT ALL AROUND: Since the start of September, everything’s changed. Orange County is on an eight-game undefeated streak aided by an absolute heater from goalkeeper Colin Shutler, who has six shutouts in that span and has allowed only three goals. OCSC’s attack has done enough to take it from there, getting the side into the No. 6 seed with a final-day victory.

• THE PATHWAY: Orange County heads to Memphis 901 FC this weekend having won three and drawn once in four prior meetings between the sides. Its path would then likely head to No. 2 seed Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC, which it defeated in its recent end-of-season run to get a spot in the Western Conference Final.

There are reasons to doubt OCSC’s candidacy. Its underlying numbers aren’t great – even during its eight-game undefeated run, the side is basically even in Expected Goals (7.83xG) vs. Expected Goals Against (7.92xGA), a sign of how important Shutler has been.

But there are good vibes here. For one, Stone was part of Rising’s staff in its improbable run, and they’ve got the same No. 6 seed as Phoenix did. Plus, this side has history of going to an Eastern Conference side and notching an upset in a Championship Final, which OCSC did against the Tampa Bay Rowdies in 2021.

It certainly might come to an end this weekend. But what if it didn’t?

• PLAY TO WIN: Ready to pick your title winner? Enter to win a USL Prize Back in the 2024 USL Championship Bracket Challenge before Friday’s playoff opener.