CUDL2025 Power Rankings - Week 4

 

First impressions

It sure is odd how things play out, isn’t it? In a year that everyone predicted would have the most parity CUDL has ever seen, we have instead found ourselves in a state of the worst top and bottom separation yet. Well, at least through four weeks. Additionally, two of the three all-time elite teams still find themselves at the top of the rankings. Some people root for dynasties, and for those out there who do, I believe we are witnessing the establishment of CUDL's first two perennial contenders. Although only time will tell, any team could still rise up and prove themselves to be a true championship contender. It’s been a fun first few weeks, and I’m especially looking forward to how the rest of the year shakes out. But for now, let’s take a look at my power rankings through the first four weeks.

​

Note: The number next to the team’s name indicates how much they have risen or fallen since the last power rankings Henry and I did in week one.

 

What Happened?

 

8. Golden Scoobers (-)​

It’s been a bit of a rough ride for the Scoobers so far. They currently sit in seventh place, held up by a week two tie against the Landsharks. They have the worst point differential as well as the second-worst offense and defense. They have struggled to find an effective strategy on either side of the disc. With that being said, they have still seen gradual improvement. They certainly have not had an easy schedule thus far, but have been playing better every week since their tough 13-point loss to the Disciples in week one. Since then, they have managed to tie Purple and hang close with both Hammertime and the Tugboats. It is clear that they still have the capacity to battle with teams to the very end. They just need to find the consistency to start walking away with some victories. This year of CUDL might not be living up to the parity we were promised, but there have certainly been worse last-ranked teams, and I still don’t think that the Scoobers are by any means an easy win for anybody.

​

 

7. Landsharks (-1)

It’s a shame that the Landsharks weren’t able to capitalize on back-to-back championship appearances. Now it looks like it might be a little while before they find their next chance at a championship. Don’t get me wrong, this team is still good and, as usual, boasts a top defense. Second best, to be exact. They just don’t have the offense to go along with it. Losing their captain, Henry Rummel, to an injury definitely isn’t helping their case either. This is still a team that knows how to win and has been at the top before. Given the right opening, they could claw their way back up. Although, before any of that happens, they’ll have to prove that they have the firepower to keep up with the high-flying offenses of the league. I’ll be rooting for Purple. They’re a fun team that knows how to win, and CUDL is simply better when the Landsharks are competitive. I fully expect them to grab some wins in the coming weeks.

​
 

6. Green Eggs & Hammers (+1)​

Ah, Green, where to begin. At first glance, this team has certainly had its low points. They sit in dead last place with losses of 3, 8, 6, and 6 points. Truthfully, they have struggled to find their footing and have not had many moments where their games have been close. Despite all that, I still believe that there is a great team in the heart of Green. They have one of the deepest rosters in the league and can match up well with just about everyone. A lot of their struggles seem to appear when they get behind. When that happens, they lose their patience and begin to make turnovers on offense. If they can find a way to stay calm and locate their open man, they won’t find themselves falling behind as often. Few teams have the privilege of such a deep roster, and if they want to find success, they’ll have to capitalize on that strength. It is also worth noting that Green’s first four games were against all the top four teams. Their schedule should lighten up significantly from here on out, and they should be able to pick up a few wins and move themselves out of last place

​​

​

5. Hammertime (-2)

Red hasn’t yet had the season that many anticipated. Coming into the year, general consensus was that Hammertime had the best roster and would have a huge rebound after a couple of uncharacteristically rough seasons. So far, they’ve managed to show that they are better than those last two seasons, but they still haven’t proven that they can hang with top teams. They are currently right around league average with a slightly above-average defense and a slightly below-average offense. We are not seeing all that we can out of Red right now. They still likely possess the best one-two punch in the league and have a good supporting cast beyond that, but something is missing. Maybe it’s chemistry, maybe it’s a reliable strategy, or maybe it’s just bad luck. Whatever it is, they need to figure it out soon so they don’t fall too far behind in the standings. Luckily, they have an upcoming match against the struggling Scoobers, where they will be given a chance to figure out whatever it is they are missing. Make no mistake, this is still a highly talented team and one that nobody will want to face come playoff time.
 

​

4. Le 'Flauge (+1)

Wow, Camo looks different this year. Gone are their days of occupying the league’s eighth seed. Despite an average record, they truly are a contender this year. They have had a rather tough schedule so far but are still only three points away from being undefeated. They have been on the right side of a beatdown while also comfortably beating a good Hammertime team. Meanwhile, their two losses were close battles against two of the league's top three teams. Camo is a strong team that, once they find their groove, will find themselves in the conversation with the other top teams. They already have the second-best offense in the league and are piecing together a zone defense to complement their effective man. This team has already proven itself, especially when compared to past Camo years, but I still don’t think that we’ve seen anywhere close to the best from them.

 

​

3. The Wind (+1)

The Wind has put on quite the show this year. Many people might not realize just how good this team is. They currently sit right behind the big two with a 3-0-1 record, but even that doesn’t say it all. They’ve played every game extremely well, and nothing says that better than their week two tie against the Disciples, where they were leading for most of the game. They also have an impressive victory against another up-and-coming team in Le Flauge. The underlying metrics (see stats page) suggest that this team is right up there with the Tugboats and Disciples. They have a better Elo than the Disciples and an adjusted margin of victory only behind those two. All in all, they have been a great team this season, which is mostly lacking a dominant statement win that grabs people’s attention. They will have a great chance to do that this week against the Tugboats in what should be one of the best games of the year.

​​

​

2. Disc-iples (-1)​

This team has done everything right. If this were any other sports league, they would easily be the best team. Unfortunately, the wildly successful Disciples have never been able to reach the top spot in the standings despite their impressive 16-5-1 all-time regular season record. Truthfully, the Disciples have been the best team in 2025, and despite sitting in second place, they are currently on track to have both the best single-season offense and defense of all time. This team is absurdly stacked talent-wise while simultaneously being well-coached and technically sound. They have also proved that they can win in a variety of ways, like their 21-8 week one offensive explosion against the Scoobers or their 10-4 week three defensive masterclass against the Landsharks. They have time and time again proven to be tough opponents for anyone, but now it is their chance to finally take that next step to the top. They will have the opportunity to do it in week six against the Tugboats, as long as they can hold out this week against Le Flauge.

 

1. Mighty Mighty Tugboats (+1)

Many people doubted the Tugboats coming into this year, with most predicting a step back after the feats they’ve recently achieved. Of course, nobody thought they would be in last place either, but people still weren’t giving the back-to-back champions the respect that they have so far earned. If this is their perceived step back, then the rest of the league should be scared. Throughout the Tugboats' entire existence, they’ve done nothing but win. Even during struggles, they have found a way to pull out close victories and keep moving forward. I do realize that we are looking solely at the 2025 Tugboats, but their all-time regular season and postseason record of 25-3 mirrors some of the best runs witnessed by almost any team in any sport. With all that said, the Tugboats will have quite a bit to prove in the coming weeks. They have faced possibly the easiest schedule so far, but now face the other two undefeated teams in their upcoming two weeks. If the Tugboats want to remain the premier team of CUDL, they’ll have to show that they can still beat any opponent they face. I’m sure that both the rising Wind and the consistently overshadowed Disciples would love to take the throne from the Tugboats. But until that happens, the Mighty Mighty Tugboats can’t be anywhere except number one.

 

The Call​

It is still early in the season, and any team could still technically find themselves with the number one seed. The records might not show it, but every team is stacked with talent to a level we haven’t seen before. No week is easy, and no team should be overlooked. Right now, all we can do is take in the season game by game. As for this upcoming week, it might just be one of the best regular-season weeks that CUDL has ever seen. This week features:

​

• A potential classic with a rising contender versus an all-time great (GTW at MMT)

• A matchup between two previous contenders that are both eager for a victory (GEAH at PLS)

• A likely shootout between the league’s top two offenses (CLF at 12D)

• Lastly, an early rematch between two teams looking to prove themselves (GS at RHT)

​

Let’s not waste any more time. Here are my predictions:

​

GTW @ MMT: 15-16, Tugboats (game of the week)
GEAH @ PLS: 9-8, Green
CLF @ 12D: 18-17, Le 'Flauge (upset watch)
GS @ RHT: 8-13, Hammertime