On Saturday, the USL Championship Playoffs will get underway, and you can catch select games on CBS Sports, and yet again, Danny Cruz’s Louisville City FC will be the team to beat as they stake their claim to be one of the best teams in USL history. After big departures during the offseason of Elijah Wynder and Wilson Harris, Louisville did what they do best and reloaded the squad to come back better. Louisville have set a league record with 73 points in only 30 games en route to winning the Players’ Shield for the second consecutive season.
While having the best record in the league didn’t lead to an appearance in the USL Cup final, things feel different this season. They had an unbeaten record at home behind a balanced attack led by Phillip Goodrum’s 13 goals and Taylor Davila’s nine assists. Only allowing eight goals in their home matches, Lynn Family Stadium was truly a fortress, and they won’t have to leave the confines of home for the entire playoff run.
Cruz, 35, also became the youngest manager to record 100 league victories, doing so in only his 169th game in charge, and they ended the season on a 16-match unbeaten streak. No team has done what Louisville did this season during the expanded 30-game season, and anything but a championship would be a surprise at this stage.
But while I’ve already given my champion, what’s the path to get there? You can also create your own bracket on the USL website here.
Conference quarterfinal schedule
All times Eastern
Saturday, Nov. 1
Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC vs. Hartford Athletic | 6:30 p.m. | ESPN+
Louisville City FC vs. Detroit City SC | 7 p.m. | CBS Sports Golazo Network
North Carolina FC vs. Loudoun United FC | 7:30 p.m.| ESPN+
FC Tulsa vs. Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC | 8 p.m. | ESPN+
New Mexico United vs. San Antonio FC | 9 p.m. | ESPN+
El Paso Locomotive FC vs. Phoenix Rising FC | 9:30 p.m. | ESPN+
Sunday, Nov. 2
Charleston Battery | 2 p.m. | CBS Sports Network
Sacramento Republic FC vs. Orange County SC | 9 p.m. | CBS Sports Network
Chuck Booth’s bracket
Courtesy of USL
Conference quarterfinals
In the west, things begin with FC Tulsa continuing their strong season with a home victory, but then things get dicey. Phoenix ended the season on a strong run, only losing one of their last 10 matches, and while there were plenty of draws sprinkled in, they’ll have enough in them to move out of the first round. New Mexico and Sacramento will have no issues with their home matches.
In the east, the first round will also go mostly chalk with Louisville winning their first match, but Ryan Martin’s Loudoun United are poised to spring an upset, making the playoffs for the first time in club history as they take down North Carolina FC. In Pittsburgh, the Riverhounds are still led by interim manager Rob Vincent as Bob Lilley is still on administrative leave. Under Vincent, the Riverhounds went unbeaten in their three matches to close the regular season and can take that momentum into the playoffs.
Quarterfinals
To the surprise of no one, Pittsburgh’s run will end with a trip to Lynn Family Stadium, while Charleston will also take care of Loudon United at home. The later rounds are when chalk can rise to the top, but that isn’t always the case as New Mexico United take out Sacramento, and Phoenix upset the number one-seeded Tulsa FC.
Semifinals
Phoenix go to New Mexico after the quarterfinal upset of top-seeded Tulsa FC, and the visitors ride the fan support to a spot in the USL final, while the east sees the top two seeds battle. Charleston will put up a fight, looking to fend off Louisville City, but it won’t be enough with Louisville making the USL final for the first time since 2022, where they lost to San Antonio.
Final
It feels weird that Louisville haven’t won a USL Championship final since 2018, but this is the season that the drought comes to an end. They will host the final for the third time, with Louisville taking down New Mexico United to add to Cruz’s growing legacy.
