TKFL Week 3 Power Rankings

Week 3 of the 2025 TKFL season is over with mostly expected results, but it did shake up the rankings more than the previous week. Teams are starting to settle into their playing styles, and small differences in performance are now having a bigger impact. Some teams continued their steady rise, while others slipped due to inconsistency or missed opportunities. With three games behind us, the early picture of the season is becoming clearer, and the competition is really heating up.

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1. ITU Hornets (3-0), {27-6 vs Gazi Warriors}

The Hornets came out victorious against the Warriors in Istanbul. ITU strongly holds the number one spot as they end another week keeping their winning streak alive. A well-balanced offense with both solid pass and run plays gave a hard time to the Warriors defense. Their disciplined defense allowed only two field goals, keeping the score in their favor the whole game.

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2. Istanbul Bisons (3-0), {21-14 vs IU Bulls}

Istanbul managed to get the “W” as they faced the Bulls this week. Playing with four different quarterbacks in three games and winning all three games, I feel the need to give credit to the Bisons’ O-line. It seems that they deserve the praise, as the Bisons also maintain a solid rushing offense. Until now, they kept a clean record with three wins in a row, but this week’s matchup against Koç Rams will be a huge one with both teams trying to reach the top.

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3. Koç Rams (2-1), {21-14 vs Hacettepe Red Deers}

The Rams dodged a bullet as they completed a hard comeback win against the Red Deers. Things didn’t start smoothly for the Koç Rams, as they weren’t productive offensively in the first half. Defensively, the Rams didn’t look promising. At the start of the fourth quarter, they were still trailing 14-0. But managing to stay in the game and scoring three unanswered touchdowns (the last one a punt return touchdown), the Rams made a huge comeback in Ankara possible. 

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4. Izmir Halcyons (2-1), {21-20 vs METU Falcons}

Another comeback story, perhaps a harder one, was written in Izmir. The Halcyons were trailing 17-0 at one point, but managed to score a TD before the end of the first half. By holding the Falcons to 3 points in the second half and getting crucial first downs and two touchdowns of their own, Izmir’s team earned a critical win this week.

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5. METU Falcons (1-2), {20-21 vs Izmir Halcyons}

Another close loss for the Falcons. If leading the game by seventeen points and still losing doesn’t hurt, losing two close and critical games in a row will. The Falcons again couldn’t hold on to the victory in a game in which they performed well offensively and defensively. To succeed, they have to figure things out in the special teams. Some improvements in the running game wouldn’t hurt either.

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6. IU Bulls (0-3), {14-21 vs Istanbul Bisons}

I know that a losing team climbing up in the power rankings is odd, but hear me out. The Bulls lost a close game against one of the favorites in the Bisons. In my opinion, they deserve to rank even higher, but the record doesn’t help that case. The game they are putting on is quite good. I strongly believe the Bulls will end the season with at least two wins. We will see which opponents might be the unlucky ones against them. I also want to give a shout out to Taha Çokadar (QB #8); he is the Swiss army knife for this Bulls team, passing the ball, running the ball, and even returning punts (even at the end of the game). He is the workhorse for the team, and the team is definitely depending on him.

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7. Gazi Warriors (1-2), {6-27 vs ITU Hornets}

Losing against the top contender might not be the end for the Warriors. We will see if they can bounce back from the tough loss. Unfortunately, things didn’t seem good for either the offense or the defense. If the Warriors want to change things, there might not be much time left. However, this week against the Bulls could be the beginning of that change.

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8. Hacettepe Red Deers (0-3), {14-21 vs Koç Rams}

A solid start to the game as they were up 14-0 against a tough opponent, the Koç Rams. Not so solid of a finish, though, as they let up 3 TDs in the fourth quarter. The Red Deers seemed good, especially offensively, but we are coming closer to the point of no return; nearly half of the games are played in the regular season. They need to start winning, or it might be too late for the playoffs.

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Although Week 3 didn’t deliver any major upsets, we saw more movement across the board. A few teams took advantage of their chance to climb, while others dropped slightly as weaknesses started to show. It’s still too early to make any final judgments, but each week is adding more weight to the rankings. As we head into Week 4, the pressure is on for teams to prove they belong at the top—or risk falling behind in a season that’s quickly gaining momentum.