The Football Forge Power Rankings: Week 17This is a very even league
Another busy week in the USL Championship, and once again a lot of scoring, despite Pittsburgh’s best efforts to the contrary. And a surprise team rises to the top…
| Rank | Team | Previous | Change | Record | Forge Factor | Note |
| 1 | Rhode Island FC | 3 | 2 | 3-4-9 | 21.58 | Rhode Island needed 8 tries to get their first-ever home win but breezed to a 3-0 win over El Paso, controlling from start to finish. Indy visits Friday. |
| 2 | Detroit City | 6 | 4 | 8-4-2 | 20.71 | Detroit’s unbeaten home season ended Wednesday as they were unable to prevent 2 late Legion goals to go down 1-2.They made up for it winning 4-0 in Miami Saturday. They host Tampa Bay Saturday in a big game. |
| 3 | Memphis 901 | 13 | 10 | 7-6-4 | 18.09 | Memphis spread the wealth: 5 different scorers in the 5-1 home victory over Phoenix in the most lopsided game of the week. They go to Orange County Saturday. |
| 4 | Birmingham Legion | 2 | -2 | 7-6-3 | 17.33 | The Legion came back late (as usual) to edge Detroit City 2-1 away Wednesday, then played Louisville even for a half before imploding 1-4 at home on Saturday. Off to Charleston Friday. |
| 5 | Oakland Roots | 5 | 0 | 8-8-2 | 16.78 | The Roots had little difficulty beating Orange County 2-0. They now share the league’s best record over the past 5 games, 4-1-0, with Indy. A big test Saturday: Lou City is coming. |
| 6 | Indy Eleven | 4 | -2 | 9-5-2 | 15.61 | Indy Eleven were on a bye this week. At the surging Rhode Island Friday. |
| 7 | Loudoun United | 7 | 0 | 6-6-4 | 15.15 | With 7 saves, GK Hugo Fauroux was probably Man of the Match in Loudoun’s entertaining 2-0 win over Tampa Bay. They host Hartford Wednesday. |
| 8 | Louisville City | 19 | 11 | 12-3-2 | 14.89 | Louisville were held to just 4 first-half shots by Birmingham, but took over in the second pummeling the home side with 15 shots, 7 on target and 4 netting in the 4-1 win. To Oakland Saturday. |
| 9 | New Mexico United | 11 | 2 | 10-4-1 | 14.42 | A 1st-minute own goal, a red card, and a PK all happened in New Mexico’s wild short-handed 3-2 win over San Antonio. They get Orange County Wednesday. |
| 10 | Tampa Bay Rowdies | 1 | -9 | 8-4-4 | 14.09 | The Rowdies may have been expecting an easy win in Loudoun but got completely stymied, losing 0-2. Another road game in Detroit Saturday. |
| 11 | Las Vegas Lights | 14 | 3 | 5-7-6 | 13.55 | Las Vegas had little trouble in the 2-0 win over Pittsburgh, although Raiko Arozarena’s double save on a PK was a major factor. To Sacramento Wednesday. |
| 12 | Colorado Springs Switchbacks | 10 | -2 | 7-6-3 | 11.76 | The Switchbacks were totally dominant, taking 20 shots with 10 on goal, but needed a bad PK call to beat Monterey Bay 1-0. They welcome Tulsa on the 4th. |
| 13 | Sacramento Republic | 12 | -1 | 7-2-7 | 10.66 | It took 87 minutes but SacRep finally broke the deadlock to beat Hartford 1-0, still needing some heroics from Danny Vitiello to finish the job. Las Vegas Wednesday. |
| 14 | Charleston Battery | 22 | 8 | 9-2-6 | 10.40 | The Battery were outplayed in the first half, going down by 2. Then a North Carolina Red opened the gates, but they still needed 3 stoppage time goals for the 5-2 win. Legion Friday. |
| 15 | FC Tulsa | 15 | 0 | 4-5-5 | 10.16 | FC Tulsa were on a bye this week. They play at Colorado Springs Independence Day. |
| 16 | North Carolina FC | 8 | -8 | 4-6-6 | 9.69 | North Carolina will be ruing Ezra Armstrong’s early second-half red as they were in complete control in Charleston before that. They hold on for a while but eventually lose 2-5. They get Miami Saturday. |
| 17 | Hartford Athletic | 17 | 0 | 5-9-1 | 8.73 | Hartford’s 0-1 loss in Sacramento was the tightest matchup of the week. They had 3 good chances to score but couldn’t quite get it done. They visit Loudoun Wednesday. |
| 18 | Orange County | 18 | 0 | 6-7-3 | 7.19 | Sans Brian Iloski and coach Morten Karlsen, Orange County were toothless in the 0-2 home loss to Oakland. Below the playoff line now; Memphis Saturday. |
| 19 | Monterey Bay Union | 20 | 1 | 6-8-4 | 5.78 | Anthony Siaha’s 9 saves were ruined by his attack’s impotence and a phantom PK in the 0-1 loss in Colorado Springs. They go cross-country to Pittsburgh Saturday. |
| 20 | Phoenix Rising | 9 | -11 | 5-6-6 | 5.15 | Phoenix were already down 4 goals when they finally put one in to avoid a complete embarrassment in Memphis. 1-5 losers, they head to San Antonio Saturday. |
| 21 | Pittsburgh Riverhounds | 21 | 0 | 3-8-6 | 3.28 | Pittsburgh lost to Las Vegas 0-2. They have failed to score in 10 of 17 games overall and in all their last 5 games. A league-low 11 goals scored. Monterey Bay Saturday. |
| 22 | El Paso Locomotive | 16 | -6 | 3-11-3 | 1.88 | El Paso were completely outplayed in Rhode Island and went down 0-3 in a very poor display. They have a bye to reevaluate. |
| 23 | The Miami FC | 23 | 0 | 2-13-2 | -0.05 | Miami were totally outclassed at home this week, losing 0-4 to Detroit and losing Junior Palacios to a late red card. They head to North Carolina Saturday. |
| 24 | San Antonio | 24 | 0 | 4-8-5 | -1.34 | 5 straight losses! When does that happen in San Antonio? This was a crazy one though, going down 2-3 to New Mexico at home. San Antonio lost to New Mexico United 2-3 this week. Can they right the boat against Phoenix Saturday? |
