Phoenix Rising players are preparing for Saturday's crucial game against Memphis 901 FC with the potential to secure their spot in the 2024 USL Championship playoffs. (Photo by Brendon Pricco/Cronkite News)

PHOENIX – Only two weeks remain in the United Soccer League regular season, and with only a handful of games left to play, the playoff picture is increasingly bleak and clear. One notable team has yet to qualify for the playoffs.

That's right, 2023 USL champions Phoenix Rising FC are still trying to punch their ticket to the playoffs.

The fact that they haven't secured a place with two games to go could set alarm bells ringing in some circles. But despite the ups and downs of the season, Rising still has a very good chance of making the playoffs.

Currently, Rising sits in sixth place in the Western Conference standings, four points above the cutoff line, with a magic number of just one. Their playoff bid could come as early as this weekend when Phoenix takes on Memphis 901 FC in its final home game of the regular season Saturday night at Phoenix Rising Soccer Stadium, while San Antonio FC plays Louisville City FC.

All Rising has to do is match or exceed the number of points San Antonio scores on Saturday. That means if Phoenix and San Antonio draw their respective games, Phoenix advances. If both Phoenix and San Antonio lose, Phoenix is ​​still ahead.

With his team close to securing a place in the playoffs, interim coach Diego Gomez admitted he has been taking a look at the table.

“We always play game by game, but that doesn’t mean we don’t check the standings. We know where we are. We know that we need three points to mathematically qualify for the playoffs. Regardless of what other opponents do, we know we can qualify depending on what others do,” Gomez said Wednesday.

In June, Rising faced Memphis on the road and lost 5-1. Phoenix fans hope that defeat is as far away as the summer heat.

Although the past result will always be there, Gomez and the team are not worried about it.

“Memphis is a very dangerous team in transition, we know that, we saw that in the loss to them. The team is also aware of it and we want to prove that it was just a bad game and situations like this happen sometimes,” said Gomez.

It won't be easy as Memphis, which clinched a postseason berth with a scoreless draw against Sacramento Republic FC last weekend, is playing for a playoff spot. The 901 are currently one point behind fourth-place Colorado Springs and four points behind third-place Sacramento.

(Graphic by Cooper Burns/Cronkite News)

Like so many teams in the West, Memphis could move into a home playoff game with a win. Meanwhile, San Antonio FC will face Louisville City FC, which secured first place in the Eastern Conference.

That means that despite having two games left in the regular season, Louisville may decide to play conservatively and even give some starters a rest.

As for Rising, if they are eliminated on Saturday night, their playoff hopes are still alive even if San Antonio beats Louisville.

If that scenario plays out, Rising's playoff hopes could come down to the final game of the regular season, a road game against Louisville on Oct. 26.

Likewise, Rising's Louisville could decide to rest its starters to stay healthy for the playoffs.

However, there is a caveat to all of this for Rising and San Antonio as they prepare for Saturday's games.

So far, Louisville has amassed a total of 23 wins in the regular season. The USL record for most regular season wins is 24 by Phoenix Rising in 2019. Louisville could opt to play as a starter and attempt to set the record for most regular season wins in USL history to break.

Despite everything, Rising controls its destiny and makes it to the playoffs. Win or get help and they're in the playoffs.

If Rising makes the playoffs, they could have a wide choice of seeds. A win in each of the final two games of the season, coupled with some league support, could give Rising a home playoff berth.

A loss in the final two games could drop Rising to the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference, depending on other results.

Rising could end up finishing anywhere between fourth and eighth in the conference, meaning they would have to make another trip in this year's playoffs. But Rising fans remember how that dramatic journey ended last season when Phoenix won the USL trophy after beating Charleston Battery on penalties.