Michigan Breaks Into the Top Four as Nashville Strengthens Its Hold on No. 1
For the first time since Week 3, the AF1’s top four has changed.
The Michigan Arsenal’s 41-34 road victory over the Minnesota Monsters vaulted them into the No. 4 spot this week, ending a streak of eight weeks in which the same four teams occupied the top tier of the rankings.
At the very top, the Nashville Kats continued to strengthen their hold on first place with a 78-69 victory over Albany in a game that rewrote the AF1 record book.
Nashville Leaves No Doubt
The Nashville Kats entered Week 11 ranked No. 1.
They left with an even stronger claim to the position.
Nashville’s 78-69 victory over Albany produced 147 combined points, setting a new AF1 record for combined scoring in a single game. More importantly, it handed Albany its second consecutive defeat after the Firebirds had previously won 20 straight regular-season games dating back to the start of the 2025 season.
For weeks, the debate centered around whether Nashville deserved to be ahead of Albany. After back-to-back losses by the Firebirds, that conversation has largely disappeared.
The Kats now stand alone atop the standings and the rankings.
Albany Faces a New Reality
For most of the season, Albany was the unquestioned standard.
Now the Firebirds find themselves searching for answers after consecutive losses to Michigan and Nashville.
There is no shame in losing to two of the league’s strongest teams, but the aura of invincibility that surrounded Albany for much of the last two seasons has unquestionably faded.
The Firebirds remain firmly in the championship conversation, but they no longer sit alone above the rest of the league.
Michigan Cracks the Top Four
No result reshaped the rankings more than Michigan’s victory over Minnesota.
The Arsenal traveled to Duluth and earned a 41-34 win, continuing a remarkable second-half surge after navigating one of the league’s toughest schedules through the first half of the season.
The reward is significant. Michigan climbs to No. 4 and breaks into the league’s top tier for the first time this season.
For eight straight weeks, Albany, Nashville, Kentucky, and Minnesota occupied the top four positions. Michigan has now ended that run.
Washington Tightens the Race
The Washington Wolfpack continued their strong run with a 47-42 victory over Kentucky.
While the win wasn’t enough to move Washington up the rankings this week, it further tightened an increasingly competitive race behind the league’s top two teams.
Kentucky remains No. 3, but the battle for positions three through six is becoming one of the most intriguing storylines in the AF1.
Beaumont Holds Off Oceanside
The closest game of the week came between Beaumont and Oceanside, with the Renegades earning a 30-26 victory.
The result allowed Beaumont to maintain its hold on the No. 7 position while keeping Oceanside in eighth.
While neither team moved in the rankings, every result matters in a league where the margins continue to shrink from week to week.
Voting Notes
There was remarkable consensus at both ends of the ballot this week.
Nashville was the unanimous No. 1 selection. Albany, Beaumont, and Oceanside were also unanimous choices at No. 2, No. 7, and No. 8 respectively.
The biggest debate occurred in the middle of the rankings. Kentucky held onto the No. 3 spot, but the gap behind Nashville and Albany is shrinking. Michigan, Minnesota, and Washington all finished within striking distance, making positions three through six the most competitive section of the rankings.
The result was a tightly packed middle tier that could see significant movement with just a few key results in the coming weeks.
Bottom Line
For months, the story of the AF1 rankings was stability.
The same four teams occupied the top tier. Albany sat at the top. Everyone else chased.
Week 11 changed that.
Nashville has established itself as the league’s clear No. 1 team. Michigan has broken into the top four. Albany has suddenly lost two straight after winning 20 consecutive regular-season games.
For the first time in a long time, the shape of the AF1 is changing.
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