Ex-NFL WR Torrey Smith blasts IMG Academy over canceled matchup with St. Frances (Md.)

This weekend’s scheduled showdown between St. Frances Academy (Md.) and IMG Academy (Fla.) was arguably the most anticipated high school football game of the season.

The two national powerhouses were originally set to face off on Friday night, pitting the nation’s No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the latest Rivals National High School Football Composite Rankings against each other. But on Wednesday, news broke that the game wouldn’t happen this week.

“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,” IMG Academy sent in a statement to Rivals’ Mike Singer on Wednesday afternoon.

That left the door open for the game to be played at a later date, but on Friday, IMG announced that the game wouldn’t be rescheduled. The statement alluded to the game being moved to December for a nationally televised championship game, but ultimately it was too long of a layoff for IMG’s players due to safety concerns.

However, that cancellation didn’t go over well with St. Frances head coach Messay Hailemariam, who spoke with Rivals on Friday. It also rubbed former NFL wide receiver and IMG alum Torrey Smith the wrong way, too.

Criticism rolls in about IMG’s decision to opt out

Friday evening, Smith posted a video on X criticizing the school for opting out of the game.

“Keep it 100, love everyone down there at IMG. Those are my folks,” Smith said. “But that is 1,000 percent running from smoke. Why do I say that? There is going to be All-American games played. These early-enrolled athletes will being in those games. … I think the health and safety thing is BS to me personally. Again, these kids are excited about it. The opportunity to see two No. 1 — that’s right I said two No. 1 teams. You’ve got to see who the No. 1. Having the opportunity to battle it out this time of the year is a very unique opportunity. And it would’ve meant a lot to the folks in Baltimore.”

(Smith’s full video can be found here.)

For both teams — who each play a national schedule — the season appears to be over, as neither is allowed to participate in their respective state’s playoffs.

Last season, St. Frances beat IMG 30-3 to snap a two-game losing streak to the Ascenders. The two schools have met six times since 2016, with the series tied 3-3.