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USL Championship Power Rankings – Week 33

By NICHOLAS MURRAY - nicholas.murray@uslsoccer.com, 10/20/25, 5:00PM EDT

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Pittsburgh’s late surge has brought prospect of home playoff game to Highmark Stadium

With the way the season has played out, there was always a sense of inevitability that Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC would be part of the postseason.

After all, the Hounds have been a fixture in the top eight of the Eastern Conference for a while now, even topping the standings twice in 2019 and 2023, winning the USL Championship Players’ Shield in the latter.

But over the past month, the Hounds have emerged as a potential dark horse in the Eastern Conference with a run of four wins in five games that has pushed the side into the top four and within reach of a home playoff game.

Saturday night’s 3-0 victory at Monterey Bay FC was another dominant performance, one that saw the Hounds post a 2.15 Expected Goals mark to 0.67 for their hosts as second-half goals by Augustine Williams and Jackson Walti added a gloss to the final score.

That performance has been indicative of how things have gone for the Hounds of late. Since September 20, the side leads the league with a 9.97 Expected Points mark per American Soccer Analysis over five games, and ranks second to only the Charleston Battery in Expected Goal Differential at +4.66.

The run of form has also pulled the side far closer to where its season-long metrics said Pittsburgh should be. The Hounds currently rank sixth in the USL-C in Expected Points at 44.58xP and now have 43 points in the regular standings.

The postseason hasn’t typically been kind to the Hounds in recent years, but with the momentum the side is building there’s a chance that could change this November.

Here are this week’s rankings.

Biggest Movers

4 CHS, PIT 7 SA

Rank

 

Team

Change

Summary
1 Louisville City FC
(21-1-7)
Week 34: vs. HFD
Last Week:
1		 On another night, LouCity’s trip to Orange County is a game that goes its way. Good to get a night like that out of the system before the playoffs begin.
2 Charleston Battery
(18-5-5)
Week 34: @ SAC; vs. BHM		 4
Last Week:
6		 The Battery were dominant in both their performance over the week, and unlucky not to pick up all six points after a draw against Detroit City.
3 FC Tulsa
(15-5-9)
Week 34: vs. COS
Last Week:
3		 The Scissortails were good value for their draw in El Paso overall, and that was a special finish by Stefan Lukić for his third goal off the bench this season.
4 Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
(12-10-7)
Week 34: vs. PHX		 4
Last Week:
8		 The Hounds have won four out of their last five after winning in Monterey Bay and can lock up a home playoff game if they win their final outing of the season.
5 Hartford Athletic
(13-11-5)
Week 34: @ LOU 		3
Last Week:
2		 Hartford’s road winning streak came to an end in Tampa Bay, and now they have to go and get a result against Louisville City in their bid to earn a home playoff game.
6 El Paso Locomotive FC
(10-8-11)
Week 34: @ SA		 2
Last Week:
4		 Locomotive locked up a ticket to the playoffs without kicking a ball on Friday night and now could earn a home playoff game while potentially playing a role in dumping rival San Antonio out of postseason contention.
7 New Mexico United
(13-10-6)
Week 34: vs. RI		 2
Last Week:
5		 New Mexico missed a big opportunity at home to Oakland, letting a two-goal lead get away. Now they’re going to need plenty of help to claim the No. 2 seed in the West.
8 Rhode Island FC
(10-11-8)
Week 34: @ NM		 1
Last Week:
7		 RIFC continued its undefeated streak and locked up a playoff berth in the process, but the absence of JJ Williams was a concern for an attack that had been flying previously.
9 Sacramento Republic FC
(12-7-9)
Week 34: vs. CHS; vs. MIA
Last Week:
9		 Republic FC’s comeback was thrilling. Now it can lock up the No. 2 seed in the West with one win from its final two games.
10 Phoenix Rising FC
(9-8-12)
Week 34: @ PIT		 3
Last Week:
13		 Consecutive wins and shutouts have pushed Phoenix to the verge of the postseason. Saturday’s finale against Pittsburgh isn’t going to be at all easy, and the side can’t afford a letdown.
11 Loudoun United FC
(12-11-6)
Week 34: vs. NC		 1
Last Week:
10		 Loudoun continues to scuffle with only one win in its last five outings. A top-four place is still potentially there, but it’s going to take a better display than Saturday.
12 North Carolina FC
(12-11-6)
Week 34: @ LDN		 2
Last Week:
14		 North Carolina’s four-game winless streak has dropped it to sixth place with one game to go against Loudoun United. That isn’t where we were expecting this side to be a few weeks ago.
13 Indy Eleven
(10-14-5)
Week 34: @ OC		 3
Last Week:
16		 Indy kept its playoff chances alive with an excellent display against Loudoun. Now it gets to wait to see if it’ll get a chance to jump past Detroit on Saturday night.
14 Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC
(10-12-7)
Week 34: @ TUL		 3
Last Week:
11		 The Switchbacks rebounded well from their defeat in Charleston to take back control of their playoff destiny. Away to FC Tulsa isn’t an easy assignment, though.
15 Orange County SC
(9-11-9)
Week 34: vs. IND		 3
Last Week:
18		 Colin Shutler, take a bow. A pair of shutouts and eight saves across the two performances helped OCSC take a four-point week and edge back above the playoff line with a game to play.
16 Lexington SC
(9-11-9)
Week 34: @ OAK		 1
Last Week:
15		 Lexington was sitting pretty against Sacramento on Friday night with a two-goal lead and let it get away. Now it’s going to need help to be part of the playoffs.
17 Tampa Bay Rowdies
(9-14-6)
Week 34: vs. DET		 3
Last Week:
20		 The Rowdies are alive thanks to Alex Méndez’s masterclass on Saturday night. They’re going to need to find a similar attacking performance against Detroit on Saturday to sneak in at the death.
18 Detroit City FC
(9-11-9)
Week 34: @ TBR		 1
Last Week:
17		 Le Rouge didn’t record a shot in the first half and ended the night with just 0.17xG while failing to record a shot on target. Poor performance, but at least Indy and Tampa Bay also lost.
19 San Antonio FC
(10-12-7)
Week 34: vs. ELP		 7
Last Week:
12		 Last week, we weren’t concerned about San Antonio’s attack. After recording only 0.62 Expected Goals in another two scoreless defeats, it’s time to hit the panic button.
20 Miami FC
(7-16-6)
Week 34: @ SAC		 1
Last Week:
21		 Miami broke its 10-game road winless streak and moved out of the basement in the Eastern Conference with its win against Legion on Sunday. Really nice work.
21 Oakland Roots SC
(7-14-8)
Week 34: vs. LEX		 1
Last Week:
22		 Peter Wilson’s scoring streak is reaching legendary proportions. Roots might be out of contention, but they’ve still got plenty to play for on the final day.
22 Birmingham Legion FC
(5-12-12)
Week 34: @ CHS		 3
Last Week:
19		 Despite playing two-thirds of the game up a player, Birmingham still couldn’t find a result at home to Miami. The offseason can’t arrive soon enough.
23 Monterey Bay FC
(7-15-7)
Week 34: vs. LV
Last Week:
23		 That was a bit of a lesson for Monterey Bay from the Hounds. Just dominated all over the field as another season starts to wind down.
24 Las Vegas Lights FC
(6-15-8)
Week 34: @ MB
Last Week:
24		 The Lights got outplayed in Colorado Springs and were fortunate the Switchbacks hit the woodwork twice in a result that could have been more lopsided.

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Tag(s): Power Rankings  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  Detroit City FC  Monterey Bay FC  Rhode Island FC  Lexington SC 

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