While the first weekend in December will see many college football conference champions crowned, it also marks the end of another Major League Soccer season. The showpiece of the United States’ marquee professional soccer league offers two clubs from different sides of multiple spectrums: examples being East vs. West, or charter club vs. one of the newer expansion teams.

One of the factors that makes MLS Cup 2015 so intriguing is that it is a soccer match, not football. And it’s not a matchup of Boston or New York vs. Los Angeles, but rather Columbus vs. Portland, two cities with proud identities of their own.

Columbus Crew SC was one of the original members of the league when MLS first started in the mid-1990s, but this is only their second MLS Cup appearance in history. 2008 saw the Crew (as they were known back then; now it’s Crew SC) defeat the New York Red Bulls 3-1, capping off a season when the club also had the best regular season record. That team had stars like Frankie Hejduk, Guillermo Barros Schelotto, and Alejandro Moreno, who are all now retired from playing. Now a new set of star players, led by Federico Higuain, Kei Kamara, and Steve Clark are ready to add their names to club lore as title winners.

Portland Timbers FC have taken a dramatic route to MLS Cup after just missing out on a first-round bye. They were minutes away from advancing in regulation until a Sporting Kansas City goal forced extra time, and were minutes away from elimination until Maximiliano Urruti tied the game late in the second extra time period to force penalties. Portland prevailed that night, before getting past Vancouver and Dallas – the top two seeds in the West – to make their first appearance in the final. For all the excitement of the three new MLS clubs in the Northwest, this is the first time any one of them has made it this far in the playoffs. They’ve had success on the road already, but will face a hostile atmosphere Sunday.

MAPFRE Stadium has been the site of choice for the Mexico @ United States match in the last four World Cup qualifying cycles; the Americans won each match 2-0. The passionate atmosphere make it difficult for any visiting sides to Central Ohio, whether it’s a club or a national team.

Another factor in Crew SC’s favor: a good-luck charm of second-year coaches. Two of Ohio State’s most revered football coaches, Paul Brown & Jim Tressel, each won national championships in their second year with the Buckeyes. 2015 is Gregg Berhalter’s second year with Crew SC, can he cap it off with a professional championship?

Expect an entertaining affair Sunday as history will be made. Can the Timbers win a first title or will Crew SC lift the Anschutz Trophy in front of their supporters?