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There may not be two more powerful high school football programs in the country these days than IMG Academy in Florida and St. Frances Academy in Baltimore.
Each year, the schools turn out several blue-chip recruits and play a national schedule that most programs wouldn’t dare take on.
Currently, MaxPreps has St. Frances ranked No. 1 in the nation (despite an early-season road loss to No. 4 St. John Bosco (CA)) and IMG Academy ranked No. 3.
The two teams were supposed to play one another on Friday night in what was considered a de facto national championship game. Initially, IMG announced on Wednesday that the game had been postponed.
“We can confirm the game between IMG Academy and St. Frances Academy will not be played as scheduled. We will provide updates as they’re available,” the school said in a statement on On3 Sports.
Well, now we have an update.
IMG Academy Accused Of Ducking St. Frances After Calling Off Game Altogether
On Friday morning, IMG Academy released an additional statement announcing that the game would not only be postponed, but that it won’t happen at all.
IMG Academy Statement on St. Frances Football Game pic.twitter.com/gL4NS3B4rp
— IMG Academy Football (@IMGAFootball) November 7, 2025
“While we were originally scheduled and excited to face St. Frances this evening, given how the season unfolded with the teams becoming the consensus top two teams in the county, there was a unique opportunity to reschedule the matchup into a nationally televised championship that required the date to be moved to mid-December, creating a nearly six-week layoff between games,” the statement read. “That extended break raised understandable concerns around player health and safety and the college transition for our seniors. After extensive consideration of what’s best for our student-athletes, the difficult decision was made not to participate in the rescheduled game.”
Jireh Edwards, a star safety for St. Frances who is committed to Alabama, didn’t buy the excuse and insinuated on X that IMG was simply ducking his team.
St. Frances Coach Responds To IMG Game Cancellation
St. Frances coach Messay Hailermariam spoke with Rivals.com on Friday and also expressed his displeasure with the turn of events.
“The word disappointment, for me, is really not as important as how disappointing it is for our players,” Hailemariam said. “You know, (the players) get the opportunity for the first time in history. We’re number one in the country. We get to face somebody that’s a formidable opponent and really play or at least compete for an opportunity to be national champion, and (IMG Academy) decides to walk away from something they knew about way before this date.
“So what had been planned, it had been processed, and they can’t give any excuse, and that’s what it’s called. An excuse. It’s exactly what they tell the world about people to them about not wanting to play them.”
The two teams first played one another in 2016, with the all-time series tied at 3-3. No team has won more than twice in a row. St. Frances won in both 2019 and 201, while IMG won the last two meetings in 2022 and 2023.