IFL Power Ranking - Week 2
- Arnaud Dignocourt
- 13 minutes ago
- 4 min read
Week 2 of the Italian Football League didn't provide many surprises in terms of results in the two games played over the weekend.
The Giaguari Torino easily defeated the Bologna Warriors, who have yet to score a touchdown in their two games so far, while the Parma Panthers defeated the debutants Lazio Marines at home, albeit with considerable difficulty.
While we wait to see Frogs Legnano and Dolphins Ancona on the field, here is the First Down Magazine Power Ranking updated to the games of the past weekend.
1st. Guelfi Firenze
Guelfi Firenze will enjoy these weeks of suspension without too much anxiety, as the past performances of the other teams allow them to maintain their top spot in our Power Ranking.
The match against Rhinos Milano in two weeks, the home opener for the defending champions, could be one of the first tests of the 2026 season.
2nd. Panthers Parma
After the hard-fought victory against the Rhinos, the match against Lazio Marines, where both sides dominated in alternating fashion, was also a tough game. The offense dominated the first half, while the defense performed well in the second, leaving no points unaccounted for.
Parma won again this weekend, but with room for improvement for the future and a high price payed. The Panthers four players to injury, including two strong offensive pieces like Zatti and Cristanini who are out for the season.
Roman Fuller's strong performance, two touchdown passes in Sunday's game for Rocco Bonvicini and Carlo Tassan, and Francesco Vasini's Pick Six, allow Brian Michitti's team to finish the first quarter of the season atop the Italian Football League.
The first real test of the season is in two weeks, the away game against the Dolphins Ancona, and there we'll find out if these Panthers, despite the difficulties encountered in these first two games, can truly compete for the title.
3rd. Giaguari Torino
After the stinging loss against Guelfi Firenze, Torino should have put in a strong performance against the Bologna Warriors, and so it was, with the Giaguari literally playing a one-sided game.
Two touchdown passes from Riccardo Duranti for Finali and Piola, three touchdown runs from Ethan Greenfield, the star of the game, and a run into the end zone by Filippo Finali allowed the yellow-and-blacks to bounce back after the home loss seven days earlier.
The defense also deserves praise, as it managed to keep a clean sheet, recording its first shutout of the season.
After this weekend's game, the Giaguari will face another important game, against last year's finalists, Dolphins Ancona, the last of this three-game streak.
4th. Rhinos Milano
The weeklong layoff allowed the Rhinos to refine certain skills that were lacking in their Week 1 loss to the Panthers.
The Milanese team is making headlines with the arrivals of Christopher Sano from Pirates Albisola and William Nkwanko, on loan from Aquile Ferrara, the latter having already made his debut at the Velodromo Vigorelli.
Will the Rhinos be able to give Guelfi Firenze a run for their money in two weeks?
5th. Aquile Ferrara
It must be said that the Emilian team, who didn't play this week, still have a good feeling about the game against Bologna.
In Week 3, in one of the first games under the lights at Mike Wyatt Field after the inauguration of the field lighting system, Aquile will face the Lazio Marines, who, despite the defeat, gave Parma a hard time until the end of a game they lost with great honor.
6th. Lazio Marines
The Lazio Marines' strong performance despite a six-point loss to Parma was seen as a positive for a team with many unknowns, at least from the start.
Seth Morgan performed well, with two TD passes to Matteo Arca and Michele Costa, while Gianni Rizzo did his part on defense, especially in a scoreless second half.
Cooper Heisey's team, making his IFL debut as Head Coach, performed well and could be a threat in the upcoming games, starting next week against Ferrara.
7th. Warriors Bologna
No way. After the disappointing performance of the previous week, the game against Giaguari Torino also yielded little.
Another scoreless game for Christian Nobile's team, which struggled too much on offense, while the defense, despite the significant deficit, showed some signs of improvement.
One of the few to survive was Caleb Berry, who was one of the few to show signs of intent in the first two games of the Bolognese team.
The streak of consecutive games ends next week, with the first away game of the year in Legnano, against the Frogs.
The others: Frogs Legnano and Dolphins Ancona
Over the course of the week, the Frogs announced further signings from Italian football. Following the returns of Simone Perego and Kevin Khay, the team coached by Cody Kent has signed former Albisola Pirates player Meri Dervishi, an experienced defender, and former Bergamo Lions player Mattia Ventura, one of the most proven running backs in Italian football.
The anticipation is mounting for the Lombardy team, with an attack full of imports and a Made in Italy defense ready to give their best.
On paper, and based on the results of the first two games, the match against the Warriors Bologna will be a very easy one.
Ancona, the finalist in the last Italian Bowl, will face a challenging match against Giaguari Torino to open the 2026 season.
The Turin team's two strong performances against the Guelfi and Warriors have put them on the map, but the match at the Totta Borgaretto Sports Center, a true Game of the Week on Matchday 3, will be a crucial turning point for both teams.
Giaguari are aiming to confirm their position as one of the best teams this season, while the Dolphins are looking to start the season on a high note.
Comments