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USL League One Power Rankings – Week 31

By NICHOLAS MURRAY - nicholas.murray@uslsoccer.com, 10/06/25, 5:00PM EDT

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After early-season struggles, Union Omaha is exactly where its numbers say it should be

In the end, Union Omaha ended up where it was always supposed to.

On Sunday night, despite a lengthy lightning delay, Los Buhos sealed their sixth consecutive trip to the USL League One Playoffs, where they’ll attempt to defend their title in November.

For a while, it wasn’t looking so rosy.

At the end of July, Omaha was sitting in 13th place, ahead of only Westchester SC with 14 points from its opening 14 games. A misfiring attack and leaky defense were the underlying causes, with Los Buhos sitting with a +5.99 Expected Goal Differential and an actual goal differential of minus-7.

And then – as the numbers suggested it would – everything went right.

Since August 1, there’s been no team with better overall or underlying numbers than Union. It’s recorded a league-high 28 goals and league-best 24.82 Expected Goals – a full 6.49xG ahead of second-place Forward Madison FC – while also allowing only 13 goals, exactly in line with its 12.93 Expected Goals Against mark.

For the season, Union Omaha ranks first in both Expected Goals (47.63xG) and Expected Goal Differential (+17.87xGD), clearing the competition comfortably.

Now it’s back in the postseason – and in with a chance of a top-four finish – there might be no more dangerous team when November arrives.

Here are this week’s rankings.

Biggest Movers

3 KNX, SPK, MAD, RIC 6 POR

Rank

 

Team

Change

Summary
1 Union Omaha
(12-10-5)
Week 32: @ GVL		 2
Last Week: 3		 Los Buhos won the battle of the undefeated streaks against Portland Hearts of Pine and wrapped up a playoff return on Sunday against Naples. Those fears of missing the playoffs feel like a long time ago.
2 South Georgia Tormenta FC
(11-11-5)
Week 32: @ SPK
Last Week: 2		 Tormenta was clinical against Westchester in claiming a club-record six-game winning streak in league play. They’re within range of clinching a postseason berth this weekend.
3 One Knoxville SC
(13-5-9)
Week 32: vs. POR		 3
Last Week: 6		 One Knoxville took top spot with its victory against in-state rival Chattanooga and then let it get away again with defeat on the road in Richmond. Good week overall, but…
4 Chattanooga Red Wolves SC
(13-4-10)
Week 32: @ MAD
Last Week: 4		 The Red Wolves lost top spot in the standings as its undefeated streak came to an end against Knoxville but regained it with a draw on the weekend. Three games to close out the Players’ Shield.
5 Spokane Velocity FC
(13-6-7)
Week 32: vs. TRM		 3
Last Week: 8		 Velocity rekindled its Players’ Shield hopes with a good road win on Friday night in Charlotte. This weekend’s home game against Tormenta should be must-see.
6 Forward Madison FC
(7-9-11)
Week 32: vs. CHA		 3
Last Week: 9		 The Flamingos are alive! Saturday’s victory in Portland was well deserved and put the side within range of the faltering Independence for the final playoff berth.
7 Portland Hearts of Pine
(10-6-10)
Week 32: @ KNX		 6
Last Week: 1		 Hearts of Pine suffered consecutive defeats for the first time this regular season at the most inopportune moment. Top four’s still not out of the question, though.
8 FC Naples
(12-7-8)
Week 32: @ WES		 3
Last Week: 5		 Naples gave it a go late to try and find an equalizer in Omaha on Sunday night but came up short. The side is going to have to watch out for Los Buhos as it tries to hold onto a top-four finish.
9 Greenville Triumph SC
(8-12-7)
Week 32: vs. OMA		 2
Last Week: 7		 Greenville is still in with a chance, but it’s got a really tough run-in. Its final three opponents – Omaha, Tormenta & Knoxville – are all in form and have something to play for.
10 Richmond Kickers
(7-15-5)
Week 32: @ TXO		 3
Last Week: 13		 Where on earth did that display come from? The Kickers aren’t going to make the playoffs, but they just threw a surprise into the Players’ Shield race by defeating One Knox.
11 Charlotte Independence
(9-11-7)
Week 32: vs. AV		 1
Last Week: 10		 Things are becoming more and more precarious for the Independence. Friday’s game at home to also-struggling AV ALTA is looking like a must-win.
12 Westchester SC
(4-15-8)
Week 32: vs. NAP		 1
Last Week: 11		 All that’s left for Westchester to do this season is see if they can help Juan Carlos Obregón Jr. win the Golden Boot. The Honduran forward’s had a magnificent season overall.
13 AV ALTA FC
(7-9-11)
Week 32: @ CLT		 1
Last Week: 14		 We’ll give Antelope Valley a bump up for being the side that rallied to earn a point in what was a must-win for both itself and Texoma FC. It’s not a win, but it’s something to take to Charlotte on Friday night.
14 Texoma FC
(6-12-9)
Week 32: vs. RIC		 2
Last Week: 12		 Texoma and AV ALTA both needed all three points, so naturally they ended up all square as Texoma conceded late at home to push the playoffs further out of reach.

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Tag(s): Spotlight  Union Omaha  Power Rankings  Chatt Red Wolves SC  Forward Madison FC  Greenville Triumph SC  Richmond Kickers  So. Georgia Tormenta FC  Charlotte Independence  One Knoxville SC  Spokane Velocity FC  Portland Hearts of Pine  AV ALTA FC  FC Naples  Texoma FC  Westchester SC 

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