Traditionally, the final day of the regular season has come to be known as Decision Day, or some variant, in leagues throughout the world.

Sometimes, though, the schedule falls just the right way to provide a potentially pivotal day that could prove definitive one way or the other for the clubs involved.

This Saturday in the USL Championship’s Eastern Conference, we’ve got just that.

The six clubs currently sitting between fifth and 10th place in the standings will square off in three contests that could see two teams clinch their postseason berths, one be eliminated with two games to play, or leave everything up for grabs.

Here’s how it sets up.

• THE FRONTRUNNERS: The two teams with the playoffs in sight are fifth-placed Loudoun United FC and sixth-placed Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, who would both be in with a win in their respective contests, away against seventh-placed Detroit City FC for United and home against ninth-placed Indy Eleven for the Hounds. Both Loudoun and Pittsburgh are currently sitting at 84 percent or higher to reach the playoffs according to John Morrissey’s projections, meaning defeat wouldn’t be disastrous, but both would prefer to get over the line and avoid having to scrap their way in.

• MIDDLE OF THE PACK: The road to the playoffs is within both seventh-place Detroit City FC’s and eighth-place Rhode Island FC’s control after their victories last weekend. At the same time, the margin for error for both is much narrower. With Le Rouge hosting fifth-placed Loudoun United and Rhode Island hosting the 10th-placed Tampa Bay Rowdies, getting results at home is essential. That applies to Rhode Island in particular, with the defending Eastern Conference title holder within range of being overtaken by Indy for the final slot.

• UNDER PRESSURE: For ninth-placed Indy Eleven, this weekend isn’t make-or-break, but anything other than a victory at sixth-placed Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC is going to make life for the Boys in Blue very precarious. A defeat could leave the side facing a five-point gap to eighth place and a whole lot having to go its way over the final two weeks. For the 10th-placed Tampa Bay Rowdies, meanwhile, the trip to face eighth-placed Rhode Island is do-or-die. While a win would move Tampa Bay within a point of its opponent – and potentially the playoffs, pending Indy’s performance – a defeat could see the Rowdies mathematically eliminated.

Of the three contests, the one that carries the most gravity is Rhode Island FC vs. Tampa Bay Rowdies (7 p.m. ET | ESPN+). Not only could it end the Rowdies’ season, but it features the team in Rhode Island sitting in the pivotal last playoff position, meaning it could be key to Loudoun clinching a playoff berth.

What’s more, it also brings together two teams who’ve found form just in time to potentially salvage their seasons.

The Rowdies are undefeated in their last five games, have scored multiple goals in each contest, and could have claimed more than the 12 points they’ve accrued if not for late defensive lapses against Loudoun United and North Carolina FC, each of which saw Head Coach Dominic Casciato’s side settle for draws. 

Rhode Island, meanwhile, is undefeated in its last four, including the club’s forfeit win against Las Vegas Lights FC, which RIFC had already won on the field last Sunday. As crunch time has approached, Head Coach Khano Smith’s side has stepped up to the mark, taking 14 points from its last eight games, tied for fourth-most in the league in that span.

There’s likely to be no shortage of drama over the final weeks of the regular season.

Saturday will tell us how much we might be able to expect.

• TUNE IN: Check out this week’s USL Viewer’s Guide for local and national broadcast listings

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This is an excerpt from The Rondo, the USL Championship's twice-weekly newsletter. Sign up to have stories like this delivered straight to your inbox at uslchampionship.com/newsletter.