USL Western Conference Power Rankings - Week 21

As we near the end of the dog days of summer and approach the final third of the season, we have a new team in the top three. We also have a top six that has broken away from the pack in the battle for the rights to host a home playoff game.

1 (Last Week – 1) Real Monarchs SLC (1167)

Last Week: Defeated Colorado Springs Switchbacks (2-0)

Next Week: at #4 Swope Park Rangers (1135)

2 (2) San Antonio FC (1145)

Last Week: Lost to Reno 1868 FC (0-2)

Next Week: at #8 Oklahoma City Energy (1099)

3 (4) Reno 1868 FC (1142)

Last Week: Defeated San Antonio FC (2-0)

Next Week: at #5 Sacramento Republic (1123)

4 (3) Swope Park Rangers (1135)

Last Week: Drew Orange County SC (1-1)

Next Week: vs #1 Real Monarchs SLC (1167)

5 (5) Sacramento Republic (1123)

Last Week: Defeated Portland Timbers 2 (1-0)

Next Week: vs #3 Reno 1868 FC (1142)

6 (7) Tulsa Roughnecks (1118)

Last Week: Defeated Saint Louis FC (2-1), Defeated Oklahoma City Energy (2-1)

Next Week: at #7 Orange County SC (1103)

7 (6) Orange County SC (1103)

Last Week: Lost to Colorado Springs Switchbacks (0-4), Drew Swope Park Rangers (1-1)

Next Week: vs #6 Tulsa Roughnecks (1118)

8 (8) Oklahoma City Energy (1099)

Last Week: Lost to Tulsa Roughnecks (1-2)

Next Week: vs #2 San Antonio FC (1145)

9 (9) Phoenix Rising (1095)

Last Week: Drew Rio Grande Valley Toros (1-1)

Next Week: at #7 Orange County SC (1103)

10 (10) Colorado Springs Switchbacks (1093)

Last Week: Defeated Orange County SC (4-0), Lost to Real Monarchs SLC (0-2)

Next Week: vs #13 Los Angeles Galaxy II (1059), vs #9 Phoenix Rising (1095)

11 (11) Rio Grande Valley (1086)

Last Week: Drew Phoenix Rising (1-1)

Next Week: vs #12 Vancouver Whitecaps 2 (1058)

12 (13) Seattle Sounders 2 (1069)

Last Week: Defeated Vancouver Whitecaps 2 (3-0)

Next Week: at #15 Portland Timbers 2 (1025)

13 (14) Los Angeles Galaxy II (1059)

Last Week: Bye Week

Next Week: at #10 Colorado Springs Switchbacks (1093)

14 (12) Vancouver Whitecaps 2 (1058)

Last Week: Lost to Seattle Sounders 2 (0-3)

Next Week: at #11 Rio Grande Valley Toros (1086)

15 (15) Portland Timbers 2 (1025)

Last Week: Lost Sacramento Republic FC (0-1)

Next Week: vs #12 Seattle Sounders 2 (1069)

Thoughts:

Reno has started to make a run at the top of the table late in the season, emulating the 2016 run of another hybrid affiliate team, Rio Grande Valley. At the same time, the gap between the sixth place and the seventh place Elo rated teams continues to grow, and the top pack seems to have all but secured a place in playoff projections.

However, anything is possible as the season pushes towards the end. Which teams will work up the table in the final months of the seasons and which teams will fall off pace? Let us know your predictions in the comments!