skip navigation

USL League One Power Rankings – Week 32

By NICHOLAS MURRAY - nicholas.murray@uslsoccer.com, 10/13/25, 5:00PM EDT

Share

Forward Madison’s late charge after early underperformance has given it a chance at the postseason

For most of the season, Forward Madison’s underlying numbers said the side was underperforming.

Prior to its game against the Richmond Kickers on September 13, the side ranked sixth in the league with 34.51 Expected Points and a +5.35 Expected Goal Differential, highlighting the quality of chances the side had created over the season.

The problem was the Flamingos had struggled deeply in front of goal, giving it 23 points, a minus-6 goal differential, and an uphill battle to reach the postseason.

With four wins in the past five games – doubling its win total for the regular season – the Flamingos have given themselves a chance. Saturday’s 2-1 victory against Players’ Shield contender Chattanooga Red Wolves SC was the latest big performance by the side as it tries to chase down the teams above it in the standings.

“All of the guys played well. The commitment to running, the commitment to the team, being hard to play against, and we didn’t give away sloppy goals,” said Madison Head Coach Matt Glaeser. “I’m just really proud of the guys and we’ll see if we can’t turn this into a little run here at the end of the season”  

Key to the run has been an uptick in attacking production. The Flamingos still aren’t at the level their chance creation says they should be – the side’s 30 goals on an Expected Goals mark of 38.55xG are still the fewest in League One – but they’re now putting away the chances they should be, with seven goals on 6.03xG in the past five outings.

Derek Gebhard has helped that strike rate with goals in the past three games. Now, with two games to play and a two-point difference to make up to the eighth-place Charlotte Independence, Saturday’s clash with Union Omaha is pivotal to those chances.

“I’m just happy to get a goal and happy to be in good form,” said Gebhard. “It’s a crucial part of the season for us right now, trying to fight back and get ourselves into a playoff position. I’m just trying to carry my weight and do what I can to help the team to make that push for the playoffs.” 

Here are this week’s rankings.

Biggest Movers

4 CLT 4 CHA

Rank

 

Team

Change

Summary
1 One Knoxville SC
(14-5-9)
Week 33: vs. TXO		 2
Last Week: 3		 One Knox was one of only two teams in the top eight to win this weekend, swinging the pendulum back in its direction in the Players’ Shield race.
2 Union Omaha
(12-10-6)
Week 33: vs. MAD		 1
Last Week: 1		 Vintage display by Rashid Nuhu helped Los Buhos earn a point in Greenville, this Saturday’s Battle of the Birds against Forward Madison is massive for both clubs.
3 South Georgia Tormenta FC
(11-11-6)
Week 33: GVL		 1
Last Week: 2		 Niall Reid-Stephen’s heater is something to behold. Eight goals and four assists over the past seven games have Tormenta to the brink of a postseason berth.
4 Forward Madison FC
(8-9-11)
Week 33: @ OMA		 2
Last Week: 6		 Madison had to take victory after Charlotte’s win on Friday night, but pulling out a 2-1 victory against Chattanooga was outstanding. The Flamingos are still in it.
5 Spokane Velocity FC
(13-6-8)
Week 33: NAP
Last Week: 5		 Velocity created enough to take victory against Tormenta but couldn’t find a decisive second goal. It’s going to need help to win the Players’ Shield now.
6 Greenville Triumph SC
(8-12-8)
Week 33: vs. TRM		 3
Last Week: 9		 Triumph has eight points from its last four games, but it needed to win on Saturday night against Omaha. It drew, and that’s probably it for the longest postseason streak in the league.
7 Charlotte Independence
(10-11-7)
Week 33: vs. CHA		 4
Last Week: 11		 What a moment for Souaibou Marou to put home the stoppage-time winner on Friday night. The Independence can keep the pressure on Madison with another win on Friday.
8 Chattanooga Red Wolves SC
(13-5-10)
Week 33: @ CLT		 4
Last Week: 4		 One point from four games has thrown the Red Wolves’ chances of winning the Players’ Shield off track. They need to earn a win in Charlotte to put the pressure back on Knoxville.
9 Portland Hearts of Pine
(10-7-10)
Week 33: vs. WES		 2
Last Week: 7		 There’s no shame in losing on the road in Knoxville, but this three-game winless streak has come at an inopportune moment for Hearts of Pine.
10 Westchester SC
(5-15-8)
Week 33: @ POR		 2
Last Week: 12		 It’s going to be a season of what might have been for Westchester, but taking a good win at home against a top-four side in FC Naples offers some hope for next year.
11 FC Naples
(12-8-8)
Week 33: vs. SPK		 3
Last Week: 8		 Naples has lost three of its last four and lost its chance at the Players’ Shield. Really need to turn things around to ensure a home game to start the playoffs.
12 Texoma FC
(7-12-9)
Week 33: @ KNX		 2
Last Week: 14		 Texoma was eliminated before it took the field on Saturday night thanks to Charlotte’s win, but getting a win in its home finale was good. Time to evaluate what the offseason looks like.
13 Richmond Kickers
(7-16-5)
Week 33: @ AV		 3
Last Week: 10		 The Kickers couldn’t follow up their surprise win against Knoxville with another result in Texoma. The season was already a wrap, but it’s not the way you want the campaign to end.
14 AV ALTA FC
(7-10-11)
Week 33: vs. RIC		 1
Last Week: 13		 After falling late in Charlotte, AV ALTA has to win its last two games and get a lot of help. When you haven’t won in 14 games, that’s an almighty big hill to climb.

Follow USL League One

Most Recent USL League One News

View All |

Most Read USL League One News

View All

USL League One News

View All |

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 

Share