Henry Rummel
Jul 10, 2026
Henry Rummel proposes his power rankings of the nine CUDL2026 teams going into the final week of the regular season.
First Impressions
Week 8 had huge implications for CUDL2026. Upsets, huge wins, and mathematical eliminations marked the penultimate week of the regular season. It was a wild ride, and there's a lot to unpack. In my opinion, here's where each team stands after an exceptional week of games.
What Happened?
The Wind (+/-0)
Record: 0-7-0
Latest Result: 7-22 vs Teal
With a lowly (0-7-0) record, Gray has unfortunately become the first CUDL team to ever be eliminated from playoff contention. I had high hopes for an upset win to keep their season alive, (how sweet would it be for Teal to fall at the hands of Gray!) but no such luck. Even with the mid-game loss of one of Teal's star cutters, Gray managed to lose spectacularly. They allowed more breaks than the total number of points they scored. What must be frustrating is that they truly don't have a bad team. It's the unforced errors and lax defense that has killed them all season long. Gray ranks last in every statistical category, including an adjMOV score of just 13.
Mathematically eliminated, Gray has one more chance to play spoiler against the underdog championship contenders this Friday.
Landsharks (+/-0)
Record: 1-4-2
Latest Result: 15-15 vs Green
Someone had to be eighth place, and I think it must be Purple. With only one win (and that against winless Gray), the landsharks just aren't showing the same prowess they've shown in previous years. Statistical analysis is not particularly favorable, either: They rank eighth in every category except offensive power, where they rank seventh. I would not dismiss this team, however. While CUDL2026 has not seen the same league-wide parity of last season, another Cinderella story is not out of the question. Purple's week 8 tie with Green was huge, in lots of ways. Purple's defense finally worked, forcing turnover after turnover. In a game Green led by two or more points for the majority of the time, Green came dangerously close to losing.
But regardless of the outcome, the Landsharks proved they are not a team to be overlooked.
Mighty Mighty Tugboats (-1)
Record: 2-4-1
Latest Result: 11-14 vs Orange
There's no way around it: The Tugboats simply aren't mighty this year. Sure, they had a narrow upset win over Yellow two weeks ago, but their only other win comes against The Wind. Further, a -11 point differential, despite a 10-point win over gray, means that they're losing to higher-ranked opponents by an average of 5.5 points per game. Not numbers you want to see if you're betting on a couple upset wins to even think about another Championship run. Blue's problem is that they still want to play like they're mighty. Blue plays hard and fast, taking daring hucks and eviscerating opposing defenses— that is, when they play well. But Blue lacks the technical prowess to play the hard game. They're fantastic when they play fast, but they're efficient when they play slow.
Do the tugboats have it in them to change their entire frisbee paradigm in the last few weeks of the 2026 season?
The Committee for Disc Retention
Record: 1-3-3
Latest Result: 7-17 vs Pink
Goodness, placing Red this low hurts. I simply can't justify placing any other team here. The Committee has only one win, which came against Purple in week 6. Their record alone would seem to portray them as a slightly-below-average unit— perhaps not a seventh-place team, but certainly not a championship contender. Statistics would mostly agree; Red places in the bottom of the order in every statistic except defensive power, where they are nearly exactly average. But a second look reveals something interesting: Red's three losses come from the Golden Scoobers (seed 2), Disc-iples (seed 1), and Panic (seed 5). Until their week 8 blowout at the hands of Pink, Red had lost by a total of four points and maintained a positive point differential despite a losing record. Add to that a few impressive ties with Green (seed 3), Teal (seed 4) and Blue (Seed 6), and you're looking at the likeliest underdog in CUDL history.
I think week 8 was an anomaly. Red has the perfect chance to recoup and refocus before the quarterfinals— and woe to the team who must face them then!
*Disclaimer* I thought for a very long time about how to rank the top five teams. Truly, I can see any of these teams making a legitimate championship run, and all of them have excellent arguments for deserving the top spot. I have to put someone fifth, but whoever it is deserves higher.
Golden Scoobers
Record: 5-2-0
Latest Result: 19-20 vs Blue
The Golden Scoobers currently sit in second place in the standings. They have the second-most wins of any team and the highest point differential. They boast the largest win this year and an impressive roster of excellent athletes. They are well-deserving of the second position.
However, their latest result, a narrow loss against seventh-seed Blue, didn't look good for them. Further, their week 9 matchup against Teal may well be their toughest game of the season. A loss could drop them to fifth before the playoffs— a position they would much rather avoid.
The Scoobers are a legitimate championship contender— a repeat contender, no less. But they have a hard road ahead of them if they want to go the whole way.
Olive the Glory
Record: 4-1-2
Latest Result: 15-15 vs Purple
I do not rescind my earlier statement that I believe this team could be the CUDL2026 Champion. However, I also think they need to rethink some things before the playoffs. They started off hot: 4-0-0, seemingly undefeatable. But three weeks later, after a loss to the Disc-iples and consecutive ties to Red and Purple, Green certainly doesn't look like the undefeatable powerhouse they looked like earlier in the season. They may very well lose this week against a red-hot Pink!
Green may yet be the 2026 Champions. They certainly have the weapons to do so. But they definitely have some work to do.
Panic at the Disco
Record: 4-3-0
Latest Result: 17-7 vs Red
Pink is on fire of late. After a disappointing 0-3 start, Pink has turned their season around and has become a genuine problem for the top teams. They've won their last three games by an average of 10 points, and now boasts a second-best offensive power score of 117. Nobody wants to face Pink in week 10.
However, Panic can't escape their 0-3 start. Losses against Orange, Yellow, and Teal cast reasonable doubt on their ability to make a championship run. A week 9 game against third place Green will give Panic the chance to prove their true mettle before the quarterfinals next week. A win could place them as high as third place, and they can do no worse than fifth. Pink can feel very comfortable in their playoff hopes.
Scoober Divers
Record: 4-1-2
Latest Result: 21-7 vs Gray
The Scoober Divers are the single scariest team in CUDL right now. Their 22-9 absolute thrashing of the Disc-iples in week 7 was a wake-up call to the league, in a way that no one else wanted to hear. Teal finally figured out how to work— and the Championship race immediately changed. The Divers now boast the highest Offensive Power score, second-highest Elo, fourth-highest AdjMOV, and sit just five points behind the highest point differential. Their only real flaw at this point is a second-lowest defensive power— they allow over 14 points per game, more than any other top-six team. However, after consecutive 13- and 14-point wins, I think we can officially throw out their 2-1-2 start and look forward to a deep playoff run.
Disc-iples
Record: 6-2-0
Latest Result: 14-11 vs Blue
I was not going to put the Disc-iples in first place. They lack the explosive wins and attention many of the other teams have received. Yet quietly, the Disc-iples have remained in the top three for the entirety of the 2026 season. They boast the best defense in the league, highest Elo, and second-highest AdjMOV. While it's mathematically impossible for them to keep the top spot going into the playoffs, they can do no worse than third. Orange is perennially a Championship favorite going into the playoffs, but have historically choked in the semifinals. Perhaps this is the year they finally make an appearance.
Final Whistle
Week nine promises to change the playoff picture dramatically. But in many ways, week nine is all about seeding for the top five teams. Everyone else can only play their hardest and hope for some upset victories.
As is my habit, I make an educated guess as to what the ending scores of next weeks games will be. This is merely my opinion, and I am often woefully mistaken.
OG @ PAN: Panic at the Disco, 18-12
TSD @ GS: Scoober Divers, 24-13
PLS @ MMT: Mighty Mighty Tugboats, 16-12
GTW @ CDR: The Committee for Disc Retention, 17-10