PUEBLO, Colo. – Heading into their homestand PBR Teams: Cowboy Days event in Greensboro, North Carolina this weekend, the No. 1 Carolina Cowboys bring not only one of the fiercest starting lineups to the dirt inside Greensboro Coliseum, but the 5-on-5 circuit’s richest record.

Sitting at 15-4-1 entering the Week 10 showdown out east, they’ve got a chance to do something typically only afforded to teams who find themselves hosting the tour towards the end of the regular season: Clinch a postseason berth on home dirt.

Which would only be fitting for the 2024 campaign’s runaway contingent, as the Cowboys have dominated since day one. Beginning their season with six-straight wins, eventually starting the slate 10-0-1 after a rare tie with the Oklahoma Wildcatters, it’s been all Cowboys all the time this summer.

RELATED: What to Watch For: Carolina Cowboys look to clinch playoff berth amidst hometown crowd

Head Coach Jerome Davis’s squad has only lost four games all season. But a closer look at Carolina’s recent results reveals they’ve lost one game in each of the tour’s last four events. They’ve been slowly bleeding, showing signs of mortality.

Other than the No. 2 Kansas City Outlaws, each of the league’s other eight teams have endured their own respective gashes and wounds throughout the season, with various losing streaks and rough patches scattered throughout the parity-ridden PBR camping World Team Series schedule.

So, it’s only fitting the tour’s Top 2-ranked squads are facing off for a Friday night finale.

The Cowboys aren’t the only team who can punch their ticket to the 2024 PBR Teams Championship this weekend. Naturally, the Outlaws are the other notable squad with a path to the postseason in Week 10. However, said journeys get slightly more complicated for whichever team isn’t able to exit Game 4 with a victory.

Hopefully for thousands of hometown fans inside Greensboro Coliseum, it’s the checkered-flag Cowboys!

Set to challenge the (15-6) Kansas City Outlaws, (9-12) Nashville Stampede and (9-12) Missouri Thunder, they’ll be forced to earn their spot in the postseason, should it happen this weekend.

RELATED: Week 10 PBR Camping World Team Series power rankings

2024 PBR Camping World Team Series Standings:1. Carolina Cowboys (15-4-1)
2. Kansas City Outlaws (15-6)
3. Florida Freedom (11-9)
4. Texas Rattlers (10-11)
5. Austin Gamblers (10-11)
6. Nashville Stampede (9-12)
7. Missouri Thunder (9-12)
8. New York Mavericks (9-12)
9. Oklahoma Wildcatters (8-13)
10. Arizona Ridge Riders (7-13)

Lineups and draw are in for the 10th of 12 regular season showdowns, so we’re taking a closer look at Friday night’s matchups, rematches and beyond, with some additional game preview insights, latest team transactions and everything you need to know ahead of the weekend’s first slate of games!

With the 5-on-5 circuit set to invade Greensboro, North Carolina, Sept. 20-22, we’re breaking down starting lineups for Friday night’s competition inside Greensboro Coliseum (With coverage set to begin at 10 p.m. EDT via Merit Street).

PBR TEAMS: COWBOY DAYS STARTING LINEUPS*Denotes a rematch

(11-9) Florida Freedom vs. (9-12) New York MavericksAlex Cerqueira vs. Uncle Jim
*Ederson Santos vs. Wild Card
Yan Victor Cunha vs. Hay Ring
Leandro Machado vs. Buckshot
Joao Henrique Lucas vs. Bangarang
Hudson Bolton vs. Knucklehead
Elizmar Jeremias vs. King Pin
Leonardo Castro vs. Black Squirrel
John Crimber vs. Gunsmoke
Mauricio Gulla Moreira vs. Peanut

REMATCHESEderson Santos vs. Wild Card (7.07 seconds in Albuquerque, New Mexico)

TRANSACTIONSThe Florida Freedom placed Eric Domingos on Regular Season Injured Reserve from the Protected Roster.
The Florida Freedom placed Thiago Salgado on the Protected Roster from Regular Season Injured Reserve.
The New York Mavericks removed Ederson Santos the Excused Absence List and placed him on the Protected Roster.

Freedom vs. Mavericks Game Preview
Friday night’s opening matchup features a showdown between the Florida Freedom and the New York Mavericks, both of which bring plenty of momentum into Greensboro Coliseum. And even more anticipation. The Freedom, currently occupying the league’s No. 3 spot at 11-9 on the season, have at least two more reasons (wins) to be firing on all cylinders in Week 10, as they understand they are one of the few squads with good odds of qualifying for the postseason as things currently sit (joining Carolina and Kansas City as most likely to be dancing in Las Vegas). The Mavericks, however, bring their 9-12 slate out east, 2.5 games back from the Freedom and seven games back from the league-leading Carolina Cowboys. Their chances of capturing a regular season title are essentially over, but the true prize, a spot to compete at the 2024 PBR Teams Championship, is very much still available. One of the many motivators the team will take into account as they prepare to duel MVP contender John Crimber and his Florida Freedom.

Ranked No. 2 overall when it comes to individual aggregate score, the 19-year-old superstar hasn’t eased up one bit lately, successful in three of his last four attempts and six of his last nine outs. Just 16.5 points behind the current MVP race leader Sandro Batista, Crimber has a big opportunity to recapture the lead he’s enjoyed for several weeks this season during a dance with Gunsmoke as the team’s closer. But if the Freedom want to take down the up-and-down Mavericks, who are due for a big performance, they’ll need some quality contributions from other members of the red, white and blue squad. Yan Victor Cunha could be that the team’s secret weapon in Week 10, currently 1-for-3 in limited action. With a date looming against Hay Ring, can the 22-year-old Brazilian cowboy make some waves for Head Coach Paulo Crimber and friends? Thiago Salgado was recently activated from the team’s Injured Reserve, but not currently in the lineup, so fans can keep an eye on the youthful talent to potentially to return to action in Greensboro.

After making some noise for the team last weekend, Leandro Machado was a late addition to the team's Friday night starting lineup, taking over for Mason Taylor, who the team acquired last week. Which rider steps up for the Mavericks on Friday remains a mystery, but we have a feeling they start the slate with a few qualified rides. But with wins in just two of their last six games, they'll need the likes of Hudson Bolton, Ederson Santos and Leonardo Castro to step up if they want to make a push for the postseason!

(10-11) Texas Rattlers vs. (9-12) Missouri ThunderBrady Fielder vs. Hood Rat
Boudreaux Campbell vs. Air Marshall
*Daniel Keeping vs. Smooth Criminal
Felipe Furlan vs. Cash Goblin
Claudio Montanha Jr. vs. Fierce’s Dirtnap
Casey Roberts vs. Snuggles
Marcelo Procopio Pereira vs. Spendin’ Cash
Dawson Gleaves vs. Justified
Joao Ricardo Vieira vs. Homeboy
*Paulo Eduardo Rossetto vs. Chuck

REMATCHESDaniel Keeping vs. Smooth Criminal (1.89 seconds in Sioux Falls, South Dakota)
Paulo Eduardo Rossetto vs. Chuck (87 points in Corpus Christi, Texas)

TRANSACTIONSThe Texas Rattlers signed Eli Vastbinder to the Reserve Roster.

Rattlers vs. Thunder Game Preview
With the Texas Rattlers trading for Braidy Randolph last week and having recently inked Eli Vastbinder to their Reserve Roster this week, the defending 2023 PBR Teams Champions are getting the gang back together for another run inside T-Mobile Arena. Who knows when the duo of veterans will actually hit the dirt representing Texas. But the squad obviously values their presence on the road, atop the chutes and in the locker room at the very least. It’s the camaraderie-driven series after all, so it’s not much of a surprise they brought back a pair of riders they’re comfortable being around. For the Thunder, they’re trying not to get comfortable towards the bottom of the league standings after beginning their season with a 9-12 mark. Missouri can be one of the more potent teams on tour when they’re feeling it. But when things aren’t in their favor, they can be quite stale at times.

On the hotter side of tour trends sits Australian Brady Fielder, who’s one of the hottest riders on the circuit in 2024. All the way up to the No. 4 spot in the MVP race and just two ride scores back from Batista, he went 3-for-4 in Anaheim to improve on his team-high 15-for-22 record. In fact, he hasn’t bucked off in two consecutive outs in nearly two months, which has to be a welcome site for Head Coach Cody Lambert after the squad saw the international talent start the season a bit sluggish. Naturally, Joao Ricardo Vieira remains a quality threat despite passing the four-decade mark. One of the deeper teams on tour top to bottom, they haven’t been afraid to string together some quality scores lately. But after a 1-2 showing last weekend in Anaheim, they’ll look to right the ship while improving their postseason odds.

Unlike the Rattlers, the Missouri Thunder don’t have an all-star, per se, leading the team at the same rate Fielder is. That said, they’ve had plenty of guys step up over the course of the season as they continue to rotate their starting lineups. That’s no disrespect to Paulo Eduardo Rossetto, either, who’s got an 11-for-21 record in 2024 and has easily been the team’s biggest spark. But with Boudreaux Campbell’s six qualified rides and Andrew Alvidrez’s 5-for-16 slate representing the team’s next-highest totals, it’s rather apparent it’s been a group effort for the red and yellow contingent. Which is fine, all things considered, especially when teams know they’ll need contributions from their entire lineup if they want to make some noise in the postseason. Rossetto, set to dance with Chuck Friday night, looks to improve to 2-for-2 atop the bovine after first besting him for 87 points at the 2024 Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour Finals in Corpus Christi.

(7-13) Arizona Ridge Riders vs. (9-12) Nashville StampedeNick Tetz vs. Bam Bam
Silvano Alves vs. Smores
*Eduardo Aparecido vs. Black As Coal
Anderson de Oliveira vs. Bomb Diggity
Luciano De Castro vs. Lightning Show
Alan de Souza vs. Eyes On Me
Dener Barbosa vs. Red Mosquito
Cody Jesus vs. Lil Buck
Keyshawn Whitehorse vs. Preachers Kid
*Kaiden Loud vs. Rockville

REMATCHESEduardo Aparecido vs. Black As Coal (89 points in Ridgedale, Missouri)
Kaiden Loud vs. Rockville (3.71 seconds in St. Louis, Missouri)

TRANSACTIONSThe Arizona Ridge Riders released Eli Vastbinder from the Protected Roster.
The Arizona Ridge Riders released Chase Dougherty from the Protected Roster.
The Arizona Ridge Riders removed Dener Barbosa from Injured Reserve and placed him on the Protected Roster.
The Arizona Ridge Riders removed Colten Fritzlan from Injured Reserve and placed him on the Protected Roster.
The Nashville Stampede released Lucas Martins Costa from the Reserve Roster.
The Nashville Stampede removed Andrei Scoparo from the Excused Absence List and placed him on the Reserve Roster.

Ridge Riders vs. Stampede Game PreviewThe third showcase of the evening pits a pair of desperate entities against one another. Both teams have occupied the basement of the standings at different parts of the season. However, after the Nashville Stampede picked up a pair of wins last weekend in Anaheim, it’s the Arizona Ridge Riders who are sitting in the No. 10 spot. Arizona attempted to turn things around a few weeks back but just haven’t been performing like the team we witnessed in the first two 5-on-5 campaigns. Both are mathematically still alive to make late-season runs for the postseason, but said streaks would need to start this weekend. And with only one of the two contingents able to secure a victory Friday night, this could be considered a “stay out of the Ride In Round” battle in Game 3.

Having brewed up a three-game winning streak while the likes of Eduardo Aparecido and company were enjoying some success, the Ridge Riders were trending in the right direction back in Week 8. But having suffered an 0-2 slate inside Honda Center last weekend, they remain the only team with seven or fewer wins so far and just one of two teams with 13 losses. Which is honestly shocking given the amount of established riders on the squad’s roster. But what enters a game on paper is rarely what plays out on the dirt, so the Ridge Riders need to figure it out or prepare for the Ride In Round. Nick Tetz could help lead the rebound effort after getting back into the swing of things last weekend courtesy of an 88-pointer. If he can lead his team off Friday with a conversion aboard Bam Bam, it might not be too late for Arizona to make a last-second push.

It’s definitely not too late for the Stampede to make a run. And knowing the team has Kaiden Loud back and healthy means they are a sincere contender if they can make it to Sin City. Especially when three-time World Champion Silvano Alves is finding his footing once more.

Now 9-for-19 on the season after seeing him exit a showdown with Red Dirt last weekend, he’s got a chance to get his team going early, set to compete as the squad’s lead-off rider after spending most of the season holding things down in the caboose. This one is a toss-up, for sure. But one of the more dramatic toss-up contests of the season, as the implications involve much more than one game.

(15-6) Kansas City Outlaws vs. (15-4-1) Carolina CowboysSandro Batista vs. Unhinged
Cooper Davis vs. Heavy Hitter
Maikon Calixton Rocha vs. Burning Bush
Derek Kolbaba vs. Chacho
*Koltin Hevalow vs. Rafter P Construction’s Smooth Over It
Trey Benton III vs. Bandito Bug
Marcus Mast vs. Cooter Brown
Daylon Swearingen vs. Jerry’s Special
*Cassio Dias vs. Dark Thoughts
Sage Steele Kimzey vs. Bamboozled

REMATCHESCassio Dias vs. Dark Thoughts (90.5 points in Little Rock, Arkansas; 6.33 seconds in Sunrise, Florida)
Koltin Hevalow vs. Rafter P Construction’s Smooth Over It (87.25 points in Kansas City, Missouri; 88.25 points in New York, New York)

TRANSACTIONSThe Carolina Cowboys removed Cladson Rodolfo from the Reserve Roster.
The Carolina Cowboys signed Trey Benton III to the Reserve Roster.
The Kansas City Outlaws traded Wingson Henrique da Silva to the Oklahoma Wildcatters in exchange for Oklahoma's first-round draft selection in the 2025 PBR Teams New Rider Draft and future considerations.
The Kansas City Outlaws placed Heitor Santos Ferreira on Injured Reserve from the Protected Roster.
The Kansas City Outlaws removed Carlos Andre de Oliveira Rodrigues from the Excused Absence List and placed him on the Protected Roster.

Outlaws vs. Cowboys Game Preview Carolina Cowboys
We’ve seen plenty of blockbuster matchups at this point in the season. Hell, the Kansas City Outlaws and Carolina Cowboys have already played each other twice this season, splitting said decisions. But this one means a little bit more when it comes to postseason aspirations. Both teams will very likely end up clinching spots at the 2024 PBR Teams Championship. But there’s something unique about being the first team on tour to get that first step out of the way. And when it comes to seeding at the end of the regular season, you never know how much one win could mean. Especially between the current No. 1 and No. 2 seeds.

The Outlaws have been the hottest team on tour for the past month, victorious in 11 of their last 13 matchups. So despite the squad heading into enemy territory, we have a feeling they'll be able to get the job done. Partially because they have 2024 PBR World Champion Cassio Dias set to close out the team's performance once again but also in part to having MVP race frontrunner Sandro Batista setting the tone once more in the lead-off role. Koltin Hevalow and rookie Maikon Calixton Rocha will round out the group of usual suspects for J.W. Hart's team. However, veteran Marcus Mast is slated to make his second appearance of the season during a dance with Cooter Brown. The Outlaws would love to see their 2022 ride leader return to the ride column in a big way.

Speaking of fresh faces, the Cowboys signed Trey Benton III this week, directly inserting the veteran into the lineup Friday night for a showdown against Bandito Bug. Of course, he'll be surrounded by the likes of four Top 15-ranked riders in Cooper Davis, Sage Steele Kimzey, Daylon Swearingen and Derek Kolbaba, so Jerome Davis and friends should feel just fine about their odds in Game 4. Especially knowing they'll have the support of thousands of hometown fans inside Greensboro Coliseum. After dropping a 336-87.25 decision to the Oklahoma Wildcatters, they'll be hungry to kick off the three-day showcase with a big win.

Friday Night Bye Games: Austin Gamblers, Oklahoma Wildcatters

TRANSACTIONS
The Austin Gamblers removed Jean Pereira from the Reserve Roster.The Austin Gamblers removed Rafael Henrique dos Santos from the Excused Absence List and placed him on the Reserve Roster.
The Oklahoma Wildcatters removed Clay Guiton from Injured Reserve and placed him on the Protected Roster.
The Oklahoma Wildcatters placed Kase Hitt on the Protected Roster from Regular Season Injured Reserve.
The Oklahoma Wildcatters acquired Wingson Henrique da Silva from the Kansas City Outlaws in exchange for Oklahoma's first-round selection in the 2025 PBR Teams New Rider Draft and future considerations.
The Oklahoma Wildcatters removed Wingson Henrique da Silva from Injured Reserve and placed him on the Protected Roster.

FOLLOW ALONG
This weekend’s PBR Teams: Cowboy Days showcase in Greensboro, North Carolina, is set to begin Friday, Sept. 20 at 7:45 p.m. EDT as the Florida Freedom and New York Mavericks get the three-day showcase started inside Greensboro Coliseum.

With competition set to continue Saturday, Sept. 21 at 7:45 p.m. EDT and conclude Sunday, Sept. 22 at 1:45 p.m. EDT, the eighth team-hosted event of the regular season will see the world’s best bull riders lay it all on the line with just four weeks remaining until the 2024 PBR Teams Championship in Las Vegas, Nevada, Oct. 18-20!

Fans can tune into Merit Street and the Merit+ App on Friday, Sept. 20 beginning at 10 p.m. EDT to take in the four opening night games. Night two’s slate, airing on Saturday, Sept. 21, will also air on Merit Street and the Merit+ App starting at 8 p.m. EDT, with all of Sunday’s showdowns concluding the weekend’s coverage on Merit Street and the Merit+ App beginning at 6 p.m. EDT.

Week 10’s CBS “Game of the Week” features a showdown between the Nashville Stampede and hometown Carolina Cowboys, which will air on CBS Television Network on Sunday, Sept. 22 at 3 p.m. EDT.

Spanish broadcasts of all three days of action will also air on TUDN, with night one’s action airing on Saturday, Sept. 21 at 3 p.m. EDT, Saturday’s slate airing on Sunday, Sept. 22 at 3 p.m. EDT and Sunday’s showdowns airing on Monday, Sept. 22 at 3 p.m. EDT.

Fans can keep an eye on PBR.com and @PBR social media channels for the latest news, scores, wrecks and more! And be sure to download the Merit+ App to watch all of this season’s exclusive action!

Photo courtesy of Andy Watson/Bull Stock Media