USL League One is set to kickoff the weekend of March 17, 18, and 19 and not look back for a good long while! The guys from your One League Under the C Podcast have taken a look at the calendar and found some dates to circle as must see matchups for the season.

One Knoxville SC vs Lexington SC

March 18th, 4:00 pm at Regal Soccer Stadium

One story we'll all be following this season is a comparison of the two expansion teams joining the league this year. And this will be our first look at both of them as they have their professional debuts facing each other. What will we see from Sam Stockley from a roster that looks, at least on paper, as a fairly dynamic attacking team? And, can Mark McKeever translate his USL League Two success into the professional ranks?

SG Tormenta FC VS Greenville SC

April 8th, 4:30 PM at Optim Sports Med Field

Last year, these teams ended two and three in the regular season with Tormenta knocking Greenville out in the playoff semifinals. It was the first season that Greenville hadn't made it to the USL League One title match. John Harkes decided to make little change to his roster in the offseason. Will that strategy pay off against Ian Cameron's outfit which made a title run a year ahead of schedule?

Chattanooga Red WOlves VS Union Omaha

MAY 20TH, 4:30 PM at CHI Memorial Stadium

Both clubs made coaching changes in the offseason. After Jay Mims resigned as head coach, Union Omaha brought in Dominic Casciato. And, the Red Wolves formally got rid of Jimmy Obleda and brought in Ziggy Korytoski, the former head coach of ALBION San Diego. A couple of months into the season both teams should have settled into their new systems. And this game will give fans an opportunity to see where both squads are.

Forward Madison Vs Chicago House/ Bavarian United

TBD AT Breese Stevens Field

We won't know which club Forward Madison will be playing in the Second Round until Chicago House and Bavarian play their First Round match on March 22. But, no matter who wins it will be a compelling matchup for USL League One fans. Peter Wilt had a hand in the founding of both Forward Madison and Chicago House. And, it will be interesting to see how a former pro team fares against a current one. Bavarian United is a club that has been playing soccer since 1929. The Milwaukee-area organization qualified by winning the 2022 National Amateur Cup and is not an easy out for any professional side. A Wisconsin derby should be a hotly contested match.

Richmond Kickers Vs Forward Madison

June 17TH, 5:00 PM at City Stadium

The first installment of the famous Henny Derby isn’t until June 17th and the Kickers get the first crack at taking control of the fan-run competition - which they lost last year to Forward Madison, two games to one and were outscored in the rivalry 3-2 overall. The Kickers, however, walloped the Mingos in the table by finishing at the absolute top with 14 wins, 51 points, and a +19 GD. Forward Madison finished 3rd bottom with only 7 wins (two of which were the aforementioned derby wins), 33points, and a -10 Goal Difference.

As a matter of fact, Richmond has finished higher in the table for three seasons in a row - with Forward Madison only finishing with a better overall record way back in the league’s inaugural season. This match will be imperative in setting the pace between the two in 2023 and they’ll meet again on August 5th and September 14th to settle the competition, but also to throw critical points up on the table - will Kickers repeat as regular season champions; have the Mingos done enough revamping in the offseason to compete for a playoff spot this year?

Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC Vs Charlotte Independence

July 4th, 6:00 PM at future legends complex

What better way to celebrate Independence Day than with a fireworks display between these two clubs, who battled neck-and-neck down the stretch last season, fighting for that final playoff spot. They finished even on points in 2022; Charlotte advancing by having one more win but two more losses than the Hailstorm. Northern Colorado had the edge over the Independence as well, having bettered them twice and losing once in the season-long series. This year they don’t get started until the 4th of July, then play twice more - on July 29th at American Legion Memorial Stadium and at the end of the season, on September 3rd, back at Future Legends Complex.

North carolina FC vs central valley fuego

september 2nd, 4:00 PM at wakemed soccer park

Both of these squads finished outside of the playoff picture in 2022 - it was Central Valley Fuego’s inaugural season and North Carolina’s second in the league, after dropping down from the Championship in 2021. NCFC, unfortunately, have finished bottom of the league in both seasons so far, but have spent the offseason loading up experienced players to elevate their very talented and young squad. NCFC and CV Fuego faced off three times last season, with Fuego winning the first at home, then the second away, and losing on the road in the waning part of the season, back on September 28th. It wasn’t the nail in the coffin, but it didn’t help matters for them.

This year, the two clubs face each other early in the schedule, on March 22nd, in Fresno, California - then again in the same location on May 5th; however, its the end of season match on September 2nd, at Wakemed Soccer Park, which may prove to be critical for the teams which are hopeful of making a run at the playoffs in 2023 - every point will count and by that time in the season, both may be desperate for a win.

by Dan Creel & Josh Duder, of the One League Under the C Podcast