IMG Academy vs. St. James: No. 1 Ascenders Face Unbeaten Virginia Power

IMG Academy hasn’t lost. Neither has The St. James Performance Academy.

Saturday night in Bradenton, Florida those unbeaten starts collide on the football field.

IMG enters 5-0 and ranked No. 1 nationally by High School On SI after a 56-7 win over Legacy School of Sport Sciences. The Ascenders have outscored their first five opponents 263-47.

St. James comes to Florida from Springfield, Virginia, at 4-0 and ranked No. 2 in Virginia by High School On SI. The Strivers have outscored opponents 235-20 and won each of their first four games by at least 40 points.

Both rosters feature Power Four commits, both offenses are averaging more than 50 points per game, and both defenses have spent most of the season playing from ahead.

That makes Saturday’s matchup at IMG Academy one of the more compelling interstate games on the Florida schedule this weekend.

Here are the key matchups and storylines to watch.

St. James’ Dominant Start Gets Its Biggest Test

There has been little suspense in St. James’ first four games.

The Strivers opened with a 66-0 win over Lehi in Utah, followed with a 54-14 road victory over Paramus Catholic. They then shut out Mt. Zion Prep Academy 65-0 before beating Cardinal Ritter College Prep 50-6 last week.

Saturday represents a significant step up.

IMG has won 14 consecutive games dating to last season and has scored at least 41 points in every game this fall. The Ascenders remained No. 1 nationally in the latest High School On SI rankings after last week’s 56-7 win over Legacy School of Sport Sciences.

St. James is not unfamiliar with a national schedule. The Strivers went 8-1 in 2025 and earned wins over Good Counsel, Hun School and The First Academy, including a 41-40 victory over the Royals in Orlando.

Still, Saturday’s trip to Bradenton will give St. James its biggest test of the 2026 season so far.

St. James Has Plenty of Firepower, Too

St. James is averaging 58.8 points through four games, with quarterback Kash Carter directing the offense. Carter accounted for five touchdowns in the Strivers’ 66-0 season-opening win over Lehi and threw four touchdown passes in last week’s 50-6 win over Cardinal Ritter.

Carter threw for 2,850 yards and 30 touchdowns with five interceptions in 2025, according to Rivals. His recruitment includes offers from Syracuse, Toledo, Southern Miss, Hampton and Delaware State.

James Madison commit Camden Simmons gives Carter another experienced option in the passing game, while three-star running back Darren Williams joined St. James after last season with offers from Virginia Tech, Ole Miss, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

IMG has allowed 47 points through five games. St. James has scored at least 50 in all four of its games.

Jayden Wade Faces a St. James Defense Allowing Five Points Per Game

St. James has surrendered only 20 points through four games.

That defense now has to deal with Georgia commit Jayden Wade.

The IMG junior has completed 41 of 60 passes for 840 yards and 13 touchdowns through five games, according to MaxPreps. Wade is the No. 1 quarterback and No. 5 overall prospect in the Class of 2028 in the Rivals Industry Ranking.

He has also shown he can respond when IMG gets pushed.

Wade threw three touchdown passes in IMG’s 48-27 win over The First Academy, helping the Ascenders erase a 24-7 halftime deficit. Two of those scores went to Texas A&M commit Eric McFarland III, with another going to Alabama commit Osani Gayles.

St. James brings plenty of college-level talent of its own. Maryland commit Kenaz Sullivan headlines the secondary, while Virginia Tech commit Tyson Washington and West Virginia commit Wesley Flamer give the Strivers experienced prospects at linebacker.

That gives Wade a much different defensive test than IMG faced in last week’s 49-point win.

IMG’s Receiver Room Creates Problems Downfield

Containing Wade also means dealing with one of the most talented receiving groups in the country.

Gayles, an Alabama commit, leads IMG with 367 receiving yards and five touchdowns on 16 catches. The senior is averaging 22.9 yards per reception.

McFarland provides another explosive option. The Class of 2027 receiver committed to Texas A&M in June and is ranked No. 34 nationally in the Rivals Industry Ranking. He caught two touchdowns during IMG’s comeback against The First Academy.

THEY ANSWER AGAIN! IMG senior 4-star WR Eric McFarland (Texas A&M commit)with a 66-yd touchdown pass from QB Jaylen Wade! Incredible!

TFA 24 - 21 IMG. 8:00, Q3. pic.twitter.com/UbTv9oV9je
— Matt Pulbrook (@_mattyp_5) September 19, 2026

That puts additional responsibility on Sullivan and the St. James secondary.

Sullivan, a 6-foot, 195-pound senior, is ranked as the No. 18 safety in the Class of 2027 by the Rivals Industry Ranking and committed to Maryland in June.

St. James has not allowed more than 14 points in a game this season, while IMG has not scored fewer than 41.

Something will have to give.

IMG Can Lean on a Deep Backfield

Jackson State commit Keith Smith provided the latest example of IMG’s depth at running back.

The senior rushed for 120 yards and two touchdowns on only five carries in last week’s 56-7 win over Legacy School of Sport Sciences. Elijah Newman-Hall added 60 yards and two scores on seven carries.

But IMG’s rushing production has not been dependent on one back.

Sophomore Cayden Gould enters Saturday as the Ascenders’ leading rusher at 84.3 yards per game, according to MaxPreps. Ohio State commit Elijah Newman-Hall is averaging 45.8 yards per game, while Smith is at 35.2. Gould also has seven total touchdowns, with Newman-Hall at five.

The three give IMG different options behind Jayden Wade and force St. James to account for more than the Ascenders’ passing game.

That responsibility falls in part on a St. James linebacker group that includes Virginia Tech commit Tyson Washington and West Virginia commit Wesley Flamer.

If the Strivers devote extra attention to Wade and IMG’s receivers, the Ascenders have multiple backs capable of taking advantage on the ground.

St. James Brings Power Four Talent of Its Own

St. James’ 4-0 start has been built around more than lopsided scores.

The Strivers feature Maryland commit Kenaz Sullivan in the secondary, Virginia Tech commit Tyson Washington at linebacker and West Virginia commit Wesley Flamer at linebacker. That group has helped St. James hold opponents to 20 total points through four games.

The defensive production has come against a schedule that included road trips to Utah and New Jersey, and Saturday gives that group its first opportunity to match up with IMG’s collection of national recruits.

How Does St. James Respond if the Game Gets Tight?

St. James has not played a close game this season.

The Strivers’ four winning margins are 66, 40, 65 and 44 points. They have spent virtually the entire season playing with comfortable leads.

IMG has already faced a different situation.

The Ascenders trailed The First Academy 24-7 at halftime on Sept. 18 before scoring four touchdowns in the third quarter and rallying for a 48-27 win. Jayden Wade connected with Osani Gayles and Eric McFarland III for touchdowns, Elijah Newman-Hall scored on the ground and Aaryn Washington returned an interception 42 yards for another score. Gayles later added a 99-yard kickoff return touchdown.

St. James has been dominant enough that it has not yet needed that type of response.

If Saturday remains competitive into the second half, St. James will be in a situation it has not faced through four games.

Game Information

Matchup: The St. James Performance Academy (4-0) at IMG Academy (5-0)
When: Saturday, Oct. 3, 7 p.m.
Where: IMG Academy, Bradenton, Florida

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