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USL Championship Race to the Playoffs – Week 27

By NICHOLAS MURRAY - nicholas.murray@uslsoccer.com, 09/04/25, 11:15AM EDT

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Battery look to clinch postseason berth, LouCity takes aim at top-four finish as battles continue around playoff lines


San Antonio FC and New Mexico United square off on Saturday in one of this weekend's key games in the Western Conference playoff race. | Photo courtesy Gabe Trueba / San Antonio FC

Welcome to the latest edition of the USL Championship Race to the Playoffs presented by Terminix, where we provide weekly information on where each team stands in their bid to reach the 2025 USL Championship Playoffs.

After missing out a week ago, the Charleston Battery get a second chance to book their place in the postseason on Saturday night, while Louisville City FC could clinch a top-four finish and home game to start the postseason, but further down the standings there are some crucial games for teams looking to solidify their position in the top eight or gain ground as the final two months of the season begin in earnest.

Once again, we’re grateful to our friend John Morrissey at USL Tactics for providing the data for playoff projections. Now, here are four games to watch this weekend and an overview of where everyone stands.

GAMES TO WATCH

Rhode Island FC vs. Louisville City FC
Saturday, 7 p.m. ET | TUDN | Centreville Bank Stadium

Rhode Island FC moved back above the playoff line last weekend by beating the second-place team in the Eastern Conference on its home turf, only to drop back down to ninth as Indy Eleven took victory against Hartford Athletic. To have a chance of returning to the top eight at the end of Week 27, then, it’s going to have to repeat the trick against the first-place side as Louisville City FC visits on Saturday with a chance to clinch a top-four finish with a win. The margins are very narrow in the East and all five teams from eighth place down have difficult games on tap this weekend, but it would do RIFC a world of good if it can find a result at home for a second consecutive week.

Charleston Battery vs. Indy Eleven
Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET | ESPN+ | Patriots Point

The Charleston Battery missed out on their chance to clinch a postseason berth at the first attempt last weekend and fell four points behind Louisville City in the race for the Players’ Shield in the process. At home this season, though, they’ve been almost invincible, winning nine in a row in the league at Patriots Point with five of their final eight games on home turf. That’s a tough task for Indy Eleven, which pulled back above the playoff line on Wednesday night with victory against Hartford Athletic but has had bad experiences in each of its last two visits to Charleston, losing 5-0 in the 2023 postseason and the 2024 regular season.

San Antonio FC vs. New Mexico United
Saturday, 8:30 p.m. ET | ESPN+ | Toyota Field

San Antonio FC and New Mexico United are both above the playoff line but their recent form has been dismal. New Mexico is on a seven-game winless streak in the USL Championship for the first time since the 2021 season, recording two points in its last five outings, while San Antonio is winless in its last five games, picking up only three points in that span. That makes this meeting crucial for both sides. New Mexico earned a dramatic win at Isotopes Park when they played earlier this season and would move level with San Antonio on points with a season sweep. If the hosts earn a season split, United could be below the playoff line by the end of Saturday night.

Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC vs. Monterey Bay FC
Saturday, 9 p.m. ET | CBS Sports Golazo Network | Weidner Field

Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC Head Coach James Chambers didn’t want anyone to get carried away by the side’s victory last week against Western Conference leader FC Tulsa – make sure to read John Morrissey’s piece on why everyone associated with the defending title-holders should be feeling upbeat – but it put the Switchbacks in position to vault up the West with another home win this weekend. Against a Monterey Bay side that continues to struggle for form with only five points in the last eight games, that would seem probable, but the visitors are still in with a fighting chance if they can snap out of their slump. With seven games left for Head Coach Jordan Stewart’s squad, there’s no time like the present.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

1. FC Tulsa
Record: 12-4-6, 42pts

Playoffs Odds: >99%

Projected Finish:1st (62.8 points)
Max Points Available: 66pts

Magic Number: 11

Up Next: vs. BHM (9/6)
+
Outlook: The Scissortails finally saw their undefeated streak end at 14 games in Colorado Springs – a venue that’s confounded them over the years – but they remain favorites to finish top of the West with an eight-point cushion to Sacramento Republic FC. They’ll want to avoid a repeat of the USL Jägermeister Cup clash that saw Birmingham Legion come away with a 2-1 win at ONEOK Field earlier this season despite Tulsa holding a 27-8 advantage in shots this Saturday.
2. Sacramento Republic FC
Record: 9-5-7, 34pts

Playoffs Odds: >99%

Projected Finish: 2nd (56.5 points)
Max Points Available: 61pts

Magic Number: 19

Up Next: @ TBR (9/6)
+
Outlook: Republic FC has an eight-point margin to make up on Tulsa with nine games to play in the regular season, and the official Neill Collins reunion game on the docket in Tampa Bay this weekend. If Sacramento’s going to make up that margin, it can’t afford to drop many more points but the Rowdies could offer a real test as they fight to move above the playoff line in the East.
3. El Paso Locomotive FC
Record: 8-5-8, 32pts

Playoffs Odds: 85%

Projected Finish: 3rd (48.8 points)
Max Points Available: 59pts

Magic Number: 21

Up Next: vs. LDN (9/6)
+
Outlook: After a chaotic weekend that saw Locomotive find a way to come back and earn a point in Phoenix, Locomotive’s odds of a top-three finish have improved. This Saturday’s game against Loudoun United could be one of the more entertaining of the week, and could be a sneaky outside chance for a USL Championship Final preview with both teams in third in their respective conferences.
4. San Antonio FC
Record: 8-7-6, 30pts

Playoffs Odds: 70%

Projected Finish: 6th (43.9 points)
Max Points Available: 57pts

Magic Number: 23

Up Next: vs. NM (9/6)
+
Outlook: San Antonio earned a point against Detroit City, which on its own is a solid result, but the side continues to drift with no wins in the last five games. That makes Saturday’s visit from New Mexico United – against which it is winless in its last four meetings, including their dramatic USL Jagermeister Cup clash in July at Toyota Field – a crucial one for the side. Lose here and things could look very dicey indeed.
5. Phoenix Rising FC
Record: 7-7-8, 29pts

Playoffs Odds: 57%

Projected Finish: 8th (39.9 points)
Max Points Available: 53pts

Magic Number:24

Up Next: vs. LV (9/5)
+
Outlook: Rising missed out on the chance to move into the top three on Saturday night – and the commensurate boost that would have given its playoff odds – after failing to take victory after holding a three-goal lead for the first time in club history against El Paso Locomotive. Friday night’s game against a rebuilding Las Vegas Lights side is another opportunity to impress at home, where the side is only 3-3-4 this season.
6. Orange County SC
Record: 8-8-4, 28pts

Playoffs Odds: 68%

Projected Finish: 7th (43.3 points)
Max Points Available: 58pts

Magic Number: 25

Up Next: @ DET (9/6)
+
Outlook: Mike Watts almost lost his voice and we all nearly lost our minds in Orange County’s 4-4 draw against Birmingham Legion on Saturday, but it did at least earn the side a point in its push for the playoffs. Going to Detroit City on Saturday’s going to be a difficult task, but with 10 games to go OCSC still has its fate in its hands down the stretch.
7. Lexington SC
Record: 7-8-7, 28pts

Playoffs Odds: 82%

Projected Finish: 4th (47.8 points)
Max Points Available: 52pts

Magic Number: N/A

Up Next: vs. NC (9/5)
+
Outlook: With only eight games remaining, Lexington is no longer in control of its path to the postseason after a cruel loss in Las Vegas, but the projections are still bullish on this side’s potential to not only be in the playoff field but host a game. Getting back on track at home to a good North Carolina FC side is going to be imperative on Friday night as LSC kicks off the weekend slate.
8. New Mexico United
Record: 8-9-3, 27pts

Playoffs Odds: 72%

Projected Finish: 5th (44.3 points)
Max Points Available: 58pts

Magic Number: 26

Up Next: @ SA (9/6)
+
Outlook: New Mexico is in a slump form-wise, but with 10 games still to play they also have control over their path to the playoffs for the time being. Finding a way to take victory at San Antonio FC on Saturday night would go a long way toward that goal.
9. Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC
Record: 7-8-6, 27pts

Playoffs Odds: 53%

Projected Finish: 9th (38.8 points)
Max Points Available: 54pts

Magic Number: 26

Up Next: vs. MB (9/6)
+
Outlook: The defending title-holders are not above the playoff line, but they have a Magic Number with nine games to go in the campaign. After taking a big home win against FC Tulsa last weekend, they get a six-pointer on Saturday night with Monterey Bay FC coming to Weidner Field sitting three points behind them in 11th place.
10. Oakland Roots SC
Record: 7-11-3, 24pts

Playoffs Odds: 48%

Projected Finish: 10th (35.7 points)
Max Points Available: 51pts

Magic Number: N/A

Up Next: vs. PIT (9/7)
+
Outlook: Roots revived their playoff chances on Saturday night with victory against Monterey Bay FC at the Coliseum, but they need to keep winning to put pressure on the teams above the playoff line. With nine games to go and a three-point margin to make up, the pressure’s reduced from last week, but getting all three points at home to Pittsburgh on Sunday would be another big step forward.
11. Monterey Bay FC
Record: 6-11-6, 24pts

Playoffs Odds: 38%

Projected Finish: 11th (34.8 points)
Max Points Available: 45pts

Magic Number: N/A

Up Next: @ COS (9/6)
+
Outlook: The margin to the playoff places for Monterey Bay remains at three points, but with only seven games to go time is not on its side. Saturday night’s trip to Colorado Springs is looking like a must-win, or they could be looking at a six-point margin to make up with only six games to go – that’s the sort of math that doesn’t typically end well.
12. Las Vegas Lights FC
Record: 6-11-5, 23pts

Playoffs Odds: 26%

Projected Finish: 12th (31.9 points)
Max Points Available: 47pts

Magic Number: N/A

Up Next: @ PHX (9/5)
+
Outlook: The algorithm doesn’t ask how the result occurred, just whether you won or lost. The Lights’ victory against Lexington is almost certainly unrepeatable, but it did get the side within four points of the playoff positions. Go and find a win in Phoenix on Friday night and who knows where this side could be this time next week.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

1. Louisville City FC
Record: 15-1-6, 51pts

Playoffs Odds: IN

Projected Finish: 1st (73.5 points)
Max Points Available: 75pts

Magic Number: N/A

Up Next: @ RI (9/6)
+
Outlook: Louisville City booked its 11th consecutive playoff berth last Saturday night with victory in the LIPAFC and goes into this weekend within range of clinching a top-four finish in the East. Victory on the road at Rhode Island FC would ensure LouCity opens the postseason at home once again, and they can also get there pending results elsewhere.

Louisville City Clinches Top Four Finish IF
1. Louisville City wins at Rhode Island FC, moves to 54pts
2. Louisville City FC draws at Rhode Island FC, moves to 52pts
AND Detroit City FC draws/loses vs. Orange County SC, maximum drops to 51/50pts
AND Hartford Athletic draws/loses at Miami FC, maximum drops to 51/50pts
AND Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC draws/loses at Oakland Roots SC, maximum drops to 50/49pts
3. Louisville City FC loses at Rhode Island FC, remains on 51pts
AND Detroit City FC loses vs. Orange County SC, maximum drops to 50pts
AND Hartford Athletic loses at Miami FC, maximum drops to 50pts
AND Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC draws/loses at Oakland Roots SC, maximum drops to 50/49pts
2. Charleston Battery
Record: 15-5-2, 47pts

Playoffs Odds: >99%

Projected Finish: 2nd (68.0 points)
Max Points Available: 71pts

Magic Number: 2

Up Next: vs. IND (9/6)
+
Outlook: : The Battery get a second chance to clinch their postseason berth on Saturday night as they host an Indy Eleven side they’ve defeated in four consecutive meetings while shooting for a 10th consecutive home win in league play. If Charleston doesn’t earn a win or a draw, it could still get in if both Rhode Island FC and the Tampa Bay Rowdies drop points against Louisville City FC and Sacramento Republic FC respectively.

Charleston Battery Clinch Playoff Berth IF:
1. Charleston Battery win vs. Indy Eleven, moves to 50pts
2. Charleston Battery draw vs. Indy Eleven, moves to 48pts
- Indy Eleven maximum drops to 48pts, Charleston holds head-to-head tiebreaker (1-0-1)
- Charleston holds head-to-head tiebreaker over Tampa Bay Rowdies (2-0-0)
3. Charleston Battery lose vs. Indy Eleven, remain on 47pts
AND Rhode Island FC draws/loses vs. Louisville City FC, maximum drops to 46/45pts
AND Tampa Bay Rowdies draw/lose vs. Sacramento Republic FC, maximum drops to 46/45pts
3. Loudoun United FC
Record: 10-8-4, 34pts

Playoffs Odds: 95%

Projected Finish: 3rd (49.4 points)
Max Points Available: 58pts

Magic Number: 15

Up Next: @ ELP (8/30)
+
Outlook: Loudoun’s victory at home to Miami gave it a 10-point cushion to the teams below the playoff line with eight games to play. That should be easily enough to carry this side to its first postseason, but it can continue to push for a top-four finish as it heads to face El Paso Locomotive this weekend in what could be an entertaining game for neutral fans to tune in for.
4. North Carolina FC
Record: 10-7-3, 33pts

Playoffs Odds: 82%

Projected Finish: 6th (45.4 points)
Max Points Available: 60pts

Magic Number: 16

Up Next: @ LEX (9/5)
+
Outlook: North Carolina let a big opportunity get away along with its lead against Hartford Athletic last Saturday, but with nine games to play compared to eight for the other teams above the playoff line its course to the top four is still in its control. Getting a result on Friday night in Lexington isn’t going to be simple, but doing so would add pressure to the teams directly below them to match on Saturday and try to keep pace.
5. Hartford Athletic
Record: 8-9-5, 29pts

Playoffs Odds: 91%

Projected Finish: 4th (48.0 points)
Max Points Available: 53pts

Magic Number: 20

Up Next: @ MIA (9/6)
+
Outlook: Hartford got a big win against North Carolina FC last weekend only to get pegged back by Indy Eleven in midweek, keeping its margin to the top four at four points entering Saturday’s trip to Miami FC. Athletic should feel confident going into a Miami side that’s currently struggling, and the arrival of Hadji Barry will be a major plus as and when he gets on the field to boost the club’s attack.
6. Detroit City FC
Record: 7-7-8, 29pts

Playoffs Odds: 60%

Projected Finish: 8th (39.2 points)
Max Points Available: 56pts

Magic Number: 20

Up Next: vs. OC (9/6)
+
Outlook: Le Rouge have put together a good four-game undefeated streak, earning eight points in that span. Their run of games against Western Conference opposition continues on Saturday against Orange County SC, and it could be important for the side to make hay in its games against OCSC, New Mexico and Lexington over the next three weeks before it faces a gauntlet of four consecutive games against the Eastern Conference’s current top four.
7. Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
Record: 7-8-7, 28pts

Playoffs Odds: 84%

Projected Finish: 5th (45.8 points)
Max Points Available: 52pts

Magic Number: 21

Up Next: @ OAK (9/7)
+
Outlook: The road to the postseason is still looking positive for Pittsburgh despite its four-game winless streak with four games against teams currently below the playoff line in its final eight games. The Hounds need to start finding wins again soon, though. Sunday’s trip to Oakland would be a good place to start.
8. Indy Eleven
Record: 7-9-5, 26pts

Playoffs Odds: 67%

Projected Finish: 7th (41.0 points)
Max Points Available: 53pts

Magic Number: 23

Up Next: @ CHS (9/6)
+
Outlook: The Boys in Blue got a huge boost for their playoff chances by knocking off Hartford Athletic on Wednesday night. Saturday’s trip to the Charleston Battery is going to be a big test, but their trip to face ninth-place Rhode Island FC on September 13 is looking like a crucial game for both clubs.
9. Rhode Island FC
Record: 6-10-6, 24pts

Playoffs Odds: 41%

Projected Finish:9th (34.7 points)
Max Points Available: 50pts

Magic Number: N/A

Up Next: vs. LOU (9/6)
+
Outlook: There was no favor to be had for Rhode Island from its local rival Hartford Athletic on Wednesday night, leaving RIFC back in ninth place after Indy Eleven took victory at Trinity Health Stadium. After its victory against Charleston last Saturday, RIFC now faces another Eastern power in Louisville City this weekend in need of a result that keeps it within range of Indy before their showdown on September 13.
10. Tampa Bay Rowdies
Record: 6-12-3, 21pts

Playoffs Odds: 27%

Projected Finish: 11th (31.6 points)
Max Points Available: 48pts

Magic Number: N/A

Up Next: vs. SAC (9/6)
+
Outlook: Tampa Bay got the win it really had to have at home to Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, but Indy Eleven’s midweek win at Hartford pushed the line further away again. With five points to make up and nine games to go, Saturday’s visit from former Head Coach Neill Collins and Sacramento Republic FC is another must-win.
11. Birmingham Legion FC
Record: 4-9-9, 21pts

Playoffs Odds: 22%

Projected Finish: 12th (30.7 points)
Max Points Available: 45pts

Magic Number: N/A

Up Next: @ TUL (9/6)
+
Outlook: If Legion misses the postseason, it will look back at games like last Saturday’s 4-4 draw at Orange County SC as one of the results that got away. Now it faces Western Conference leader in FC Tulsa at ONEOK Field, a place where it won in the USL Jägermeister Cup earlier this season, once again looking at a must-win with five points to make up in its final eight games.
12. Miami FC
Record: 5-12-5, 20pts

Playoffs Odds: 31%

Projected Finish: 10th (32.5 points)
Max Points Available: 44pts

Magic Number: N/A

Up Next: vs. HFD (9/6)
+
Outlook: Miami’s winless streak reached double-digits against Loudoun United last weekend, dropping the side into the cellar in the East. The side will host a Hartford Athletic side in the middle of a busy schedule to start the month, and it feels like it must take advantage to narrow the gap to the playoff positions and keep its chances alive.

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Tag(s): Features  San Antonio FC  CO Spring Switchbacks  Orange County SC  Phoenix Rising FC  Sacramento Republic FC  FC Tulsa  Charleston Battery  Louisville City FC  Pittsburgh Riverhounds  Tampa Bay Rowdies  Las Vegas Lights FC  Birmingham Legion FC  North Carolina FC  Indy Eleven  El Paso Locomotive FC  New Mexico United  Loudoun United FC  Hartford Athletic  Miami FC  Oakland Roots SC  Race to the Playoffs  Detroit City FC  Monterey Bay FC  Rhode Island FC  Lexington SC 

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