PUEBLO, Colo. – It all comes down to this.

Well, technically, the end-all, be-all takes form of the 2024 PBR Teams Championship later this month, set to invade T-Mobile Arena Oct. 18-20.

But when it comes to regular season championships, PBR Teams MVP awards, the first-ever Great 8 Award – not to mention finding out which of the league’s final two teams will clinch automatic postseason berths while determining the four squads left to duke it out during the ever-dramatic Ride In Round – well, it’s pretty clear there’s a lot on the line during this weekend’s PBR Teams: Ridge Rider Days.

And if you ask us, the guys seem to be inviting ALL the smoke, ready to put their bodies, reputations and grit on the line in hoping to put a shiny bow on what’s been one HELL of a regular season slate.

While the No. 10-ranked Arizona Ridge Riders aren’t eligible for many of the aforementioned accolades, they have three games remaining to drum up some late-season momentum, which could prove to be quite the advantage ahead of their expected appearance in the Ride In Round.

RELATED: What to Watch For: Arizona Ridge Riders down, not out ahead of Glendale finale

Regardless of their postseason ambitions and likelihood, they also have a homestand to produce. They’ve got an anxious fanbase to entertain – one that’s come to expect great things from Head Coach Colby Yates and company.

So, they’ll be looking to provide a perfect 3-0 performance for their dedicated supporters. Something that few teams have accomplished in Teams history, let alone 2024!

The No. 1 Carolina Cowboys and No. 2 Kansas City Outlaws have some regular season championship affairs to settle. But if the No. 3 Florida Freedom can take down the Outlaws Saturday night, suddenly the red, white and blue contingent could be fighting for the No. 2 seed and a corresponding bye game inside T-Mobile Arena.

The No. 4 Texas Rattlers are set to rest up on Friday before attempting to jump as high as the No. 3 spot this weekend, while the No. 5 Austin Gamblers are expected to clinch the No. 5 spot.

It's ultimately the No. 6 seed that remains undecided ahead of the regular season finale.

Knowing each of the Missouri Thunder, Nashville Stampede, Oklahoma Wildcatters and New York Mavericks remain eligible for the final automatic postseason berth means the stakes couldn't get much higher. So, we're cranking the drama to 10 and sorting this thing out, five rides at a time.

RELATED: Week 12 PBR Camping World Team Series power rankings

2024 PBR Camping World Team Series Standings:
1. Carolina Cowboys (17-7-1)2. Kansas City Outlaws (17-9)
3. Florida Freedom (15-10)
4. Texas Rattlers (15-11)
5. Austin Gamblers (13-13)
6. Missouri Thunder (11-15)
7. Nashville Stampede (11-15)
8. Oklahoma Wildcatters (10-15-1)
9. New York Mavericks (10-15)
10. Arizona Ridge Riders (8-17)

Lineups and draw are in for the final regular season showdown of the summer, 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 Glendale, Arizona, Oct. 4-6, we’re breaking down starting lineups for Friday night’s competition inside Desert Diamond Arena (With coverage set to begin at 7 p.m. MST via Merit Street).

PBR TEAMS: RIDGE RIDER DAYS STARTING LINEUPS
*Denotes a rematch

(11-15) Nashville Stampede vs. (11-15) Missouri Thunder

Silvano Alves vs. Beef Cake
Paulo Eduardo Rossetto vs. Martini Houdini
Cody Jesus vs. Shazam
Trey Kimzey vs. Ruthless
Alan de Souza vs. Dr. Cool
Casey Roberts vs. Mighty Mike
Chase Outlaw vs. Hundred Bad Days
Felipe Furlan vs. Goin’ Solo
Anderson de Oliveira vs. Bulletin
Andrew Alvidrez vs. Thriller

TRANSACTIONS

The Nashville Stampede removed Chase Outlaw from Injured Reserve and placed him on the Reserve Roster.

Stampede vs. Thunder Game Preview

It’s hard not to cut straight to the fact that Chase Outlaw is set to make his 2024 PBR Teams debut with his Nashville Stampede Friday night. But the reality of the situation lies in the idea that the Stampede and Missouri Thunder are quite literally fighting for their postseason lives during the weekend-opener in Glendale, Arizona. Bringing matching 11-15 records into the showdown, both the No. 6 Thunder (currently hanging on to the final postseason spot, if the season were to end today) and No. 7 Stampede are within distance of securing an automatic postseason berth. But they’ll need to knock off their Friday night opponent, while essentially eliminating them from contention, if they want to improve their own odds of dancing inside T-Mobile Arena.

If we know one thing about Head Coach Justin McBride, it’s that he brings an unmatchable passion to the Stampede locker room. It’s almost as if the World Champion is still suiting up beside his guys the way he brings said spark into the arena each and every week. But it’s not about what kind of pointers and help the old hat can provide this weekend. It’s about guys repping the blue and yellow crest showing up and proving they have what it takes to be a contender in 2024. Kaiden Loud appears to be out of the starting lineup for Friday. But knowing veteran Chase Outlaw is preparing to kick things into gear during the Week 12 finale means the team could be receiving the exact boost of adrenaline they need in order to get past the Thunder and continue their quest for the postseason. This will be a close game, regardless of the outcome. But we think the Stampede have what it takes to pull this one off.

Not that Head Coach Ross Coleman and his Missouri Thunder can’t get the dub, themselves. Winners in two of their last three matchups, The Thunder can be LOUD when they are vibing. However, when they aren’t bringing their A-game, Coleman and company have been left feeling a bit unfulfilled. That said, the red and yellow contingent pieced together one of the craziest postseason runs in PBR Teams history last year, so we’re not counting them out from any sort of splashes this time around. Andrew Alvidrez is set to close things out during Game 1, primed to dance with Thriller, which could quickly prove dividends. But it’s team ride leader Paulo Eduardo Rossetto’s upcoming dance with Martini Houdini that could be the biggest matchup to watch. Especially with Rossetto riding in the lead-off spot in one of the team’s biggest games of the season. The contest’s ultimate wild card may come in the form of Trey Kimzey getting ready to give his first PBR-sanctioned ride a go since the 2023 PBR Teams Championship. Anything can happen, which invites yet another layer of drama to the last weekend of PBR Camping World Team Series fun!

(10-15-1) Oklahoma Wildcatters vs. (13-13) Austin Gamblers

Eduardo Matos vs. Johnny’s After Party
Kaique Pacheco vs. Jerry’s Special
Bob Mitchell vs. Midnight City
Lucas Divino vs. Shank
Cort McFadden vs. Tropic Thunder
Callum Miller vs. Blowhard
Clay Guiton vs. Show Glo
Ramon de Lima vs. First Class
Hagen Braswell vs. Joy’s Bang Bang
Jose Vitor Leme vs. Brindle Badger

Wildcatters vs. Gamblers Game Preview
If the Austin Gamblers can start their weekend off with a win against the Oklahoma Wildcatters, they’ll have officially clinched the No. 5 seed at the 2024 PBR Teams Championship while likely sending the Wildcatters straight to the Ride In Round, as Oklahoma would only be able to end the season with 11 wins at that point. If the Wildcatters find themselves in the win column at the conclusion of Friday night’s second showcase, they’ll have vastly improved their odds of sneaking into the No. 6 spot but will ultimately need to win later in the weekend while keeping an eye on the league’s other squads. Plenty to be determined, yet only 10 outs to take place. Queue the lights, cameras and action!

Of course, at 10-15-1, Head Coach J.B. Mauney and friends have been in their fair share of close calls throughout the season. But that record means they’ve faltered more than they’ve flourished, despite the expansion squad’s hot start to the season. Having acquired Cort McFadden and Austin Richardson from the Gamblers during a preseason personnel swap, the Wildcatters have a bit of a revenge scenario for some additional motivation, if they need it. Richardson doesn’t appear to be in the lineup since coming back a bit slower than expected from his injury. But McFadden is in and ready to ride, set to dance with Tropic Thunder Friday night. If he, Clay Guiton and Eduardo Matos can all make the 8, they could very well exit this one in the winner’s circle. It’s hard to favor them knowing the personnel across the chutes from them. But in a calendar year where we’ve continued to see youth prevail, there’s more than a chance the brown and blue kids figure it out.

Said personnel across the chutes involves the likes of a pair of World Champions in Jose Vitor Leme, Kaique Pacheco and teammates, not exactly the crew you want to be facing with such dire playoff implications involved. At the same time, the 13-13 Gamblers have been a much more mortal version of the green and black squad we’ve come to known and love. So, while they bring tons more experience to the chutes than Oklahoma, they bring just as many reasons why it would be a massive downfall should they not come out swinging. Callum Miller and Ramon de Lima will be the “depth” keys most important to Austin sealing the deal on the No. 5 seed, as the duo is occupying the No. 3 and 4 spots in the Gamblers’ lineup. At the end of the day (game), everything comes down to the ever-dominant Leme, who remains ranked No. 3 in the MVP race. And if “Champ” wants to keep his name in the hat alongside Brady Fielder and John Crimber, he’s going to need to start his weekend off with a conversion aboard Brindle Banger during the final out of the game.

(17-7-1) Carolina Cowboys vs. (15-10) Florida Freedom

Sage Steele Kimzey vs. CR’s Brindle T
*Alex Cerqueira vs. Buckle Down
Dawson Branton vs. Ram Jam
Joao Lucas Campos vs. Twisted Sister
*Adriano Salgado vs. Redline
*Eric Henrique Domingos vs. Red Bull
Daylon Swearingen vs. Bugsy
Thiago Salgado vs. Lansky
Cooper Davis vs. Seth Wadley’s No Bull
John Crimber vs. Where’s the Whiskey

REMATCHES

Adriano Salgado vs. Redline (86 points in Memphis, Tennessee)
Alex Cerqueira vs. Buckle Down (82 points in Kansas City, Missouri)
Eric Henrique Domingos vs. Red Bull (85.5 points in Corpus Christi, Texas)

TRANSACTIONS

The Florida Freedom released Caden Bunch from the Protected Roster and signed him to the Reserve Roster.
The Florida Freedom removed Eric Henrique Domingos from Injured Reserve and placed him on the Protected Roster.

Cowboys vs. Freedom Game Preview
Two teams who already have their spots inside T-Mobile Arena, the Carolina Cowboys and Florida Freedom already know they’ll be dancing here in two weekend's time. However, they’ve got plenty to fight for during the Week 12 slate, including a regular season title and postseason seeding. With the top two seeds at the end of PBR Teams: Ride Rider Days receiving a night one bye when the circuit heads to Las Vegas, both teams understand how important it would be to automatically advance to Saturday’s postseason slate. So, the drama will continue surging throughout Desert Diamond Arena in Game 3 as the pair of Top-3 ranked units battle it out in what could become an eventual 2024 PBR Teams Championship preview!

Over the course of the summer, not much has changed for the Cowboys. They’ve remained atop the PBR Camping World Team Series standings since assuming the spot early on. They’ve remained healthy for the most part and are excited to be welcoming Adriano Salgado back to the chutes for the first time in a month since getting banged up back in Springfield, Missouri. Which is a good sign for the rider himself and Carolina’s odds of both ending the weekend with a regular season championship and their odds of staying successful later this month inside T-Mobile Arena. Knowing Salgado has provided the second-highest scored ride of the 2024 season means he could be a big piece for the postseason.

When it comes to Friday, the only thing that’s changing involves Cooper Davis and Sage Steele Kimzey switching spots in the buck order, with Kimzey set to kick things off for Carolina against CR’s Brindle T, while Davis prepares to dance with Seth Wadley’s No Bull.

Kimzey, Davis and Daylon Swearingen have been in part responsible for most of Carolina’s wins this season. For the Florida Freedom, it’s been a bit more of a team effort. Yet, they roster the closest man to the current MVP leader Brady Fielder in John Crimber, so a lead role is to be expected. The young superstar will need to ride three bulls this weekend while seeing Fielder go rideless should the 19-year-old want to earn his first PBR Teams MVP honors. Which is definitely in the cards knowing how explosive he’s been throughout his rookie season.

Counting on the red-hot Fielder to falter isn’t the smart bet by any means, though. As it pertains to this matchup, Crimber will want to get on the board by closing out what’s hopefully a win for the red, white and blue squad, who have a path to a postseason bye if things play out perfectly. Alex Cerqueira and Eric Henrique Domingos each have rematch opportunities to improve to 2-for-2 in respective fashion, which would go a long way in getting the Freedom past the top-ranked Cowboys. Carolina knows they are two wins away from a guaranteed regular season chip, so Florida will likely need three rides to stay competitive in this one. Big rides will be scored either way.

(10-15) New York Mavericks vs. (8-17) Arizona Ridge Riders

Leandro Machado vs. Pricky Ricky
Nick Tetz vs. T-Wrecks
Mauricio Gulla Moreira vs. Kill Switch
Eduardo Aparecido vs. Foul Play
Ederson Santos vs. Mongo
Dener Barbosa vs. Smooth Steel
Leonardo Castro vs. Taz
Bruno Carvalho vs. Preston’s Pistol
Maverick Smith vs. Dan-O
Keyshawn Whitehorse vs. Lasher

Mavericks vs. Ridge Riders Game Preview
Games on home dirt always mean more. The Arizona Ridge Riders understand that and will likely bring a sincere effort to Desert Diamond Arena this weekend. If they’re to complete a three-game sweep before their rowdy fanbase, they’ll need to break out of a nasty six-game losing streak Friday night against the New York Mavericks. Attempting to jump from their current No. 9 spot into the Top 6 by the time Sunday evening rolls around, the year one unit understands they need to pick up a win just as badly during the night one finale. Playoff implications are scattered throughout this one as well. At the same time, this could be a Ride In Round preview, so get ready for chaos!

Coming into the showdown with a 10-15 record, they are the lone team that can make it to the 13 win mark of the bottom 3 squads right now, likely a key figure for teams looking to sneak into the fold. But Head Coach Kody Lostroh will have them zoomed in on their first opportunity and they’ve been apart of several quirky outcomes already. The Mavericks may be above the Ridge Riders in the standings but they haven’t come anywhere close to riding as many bulls as Arizona has this season, currently trailing them by 22 conversions, 30 to 52. The team’s next five outs are the only ones that matter right now, set to be occupied by Leonardo Castro, Leandro Machado, Ederson Santos, Maverick Smith and Mauricio Moreira.

He's not in the team’s Friday night lineup but after coming back in a big way last weekend, Colten Fritzlan reminded Arizona supporters that he’s waiting in the wings once more, available to sub in for a re-ride, step into a Shootout Round out or, ultimately, serve as some firepower for the postseason run.

Arizona’s starting five of Nick Tetz, Eduardo Aparecido, Dener Barbosa, Bruno Carvalho and Keyshawn Whitehorse have more than enough talent to get the job done Friday and likely will. The Rattlers just posted a flawless 3-0 performance last weekend, so why can’t the Ridge Riders shock the circuit and dig themselves out of the basement while creating some momentum for Sin City?

Friday Night Bye Games: Kansas City Outlaws, Texas Rattlers

TRANSACTIONS

The Texas Rattlers released Roscoe Jarboe from the Reserve Roster.
The Texas Rattlers released Jesse Petri from the Reserve Roster.

FOLLOW ALONG
This weekend’s PBR Teams: Ridge Rider Days showcase in Glendale, Arizona, is set to begin Friday, Oct. 4 at 6:45 p.m. MST as the Nashville Stampede and Missouri Thunder get the three-day showcase started inside Desert Diamond Arena.

With competition set to continue Saturday, Oct. 5 at 6:45 p.m. MST and conclude Sunday, Oct. 6 at 11:45 a.m. MST, the final event of the regular season is set to feature tons of dramatic, late-season matchups, with just two 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, Oct. 4 beginning at 7 p.m. MST to take in the four opening night games. Night two’s slate, airing on Saturday, Oct. 5, will also air on Merit Street and the Merit+ App starting at 7 p.m. MST, with all of Sunday’s showdowns concluding the weekend’s coverage on Merit Street and the Merit+ App on Sunday, Oct. 6 beginning at Noon MST.

Spanish broadcasts of all three days of action will also air on TUDN, with night one’s action airing on Saturday, Oct. 5 at Noon MST, night two’s slate airing on Sunday, Oct. 6 at Noon MST and day three’s showdowns airing on Monday, Oct. 7 at Noon MST.

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 Josh Homer/Bull Stock Media