IMG Academy Football facing powerhouse schedule

Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy continues to cement itself as one of the nation’s top high school football programs.

After finishing the 2023 campaign 10-0, the Ascenders, led by SMU four-star quarterback commit Ty Hawkins, will look to assert their dominance once again in 2024. Awaiting them is one of the toughest schedules in the nation.

IMG’s 10-game schecule features opponents from six different states, in addition to three games against other top programs in Florida. Top matchups on the schedule include midseason road tests at Jacksonville Mandarin and Phenix City (Ala.) Central, as well as home contests against Bergen Catholic (N.J.), Cocoa (Fla.) High and St. Frances Academy (Md.). The Ascenders will open the season in Utah, taking on Corner Canyon High on Aug. 23.

Ascenders loaded with top talent once again

Some of the nation’s best continue to flock to IMG, resulting in one of the top rosters in high school football. Across the 2025 and 2026 classes, 17 blue-chip prospects — per the On3 Industry Ranking — highlight the Ascenders’ 2024 roster:

Alabama 4-star IOL commit Michael Carroll (No. 56 NATL., No. 4 IOL)
4-star LB Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng (No. 80 NATL., No. 6 LB)
Missouri 4-star WR commit Donovan Olugbode (No. 94 NATL., No. 13 WR)
Miami 4-star LB commit Gavin Nix (No. 155 NATL., No. 16 LB)
Ohio State 4-star EDGE commit London Merritt (No. 161 NATL., No. 21 EDGE)
SMU 4-star QB commit Ty Hawkins (No. 175 NATL., No. 15 QB)
Washington 4-star WR commit Raiden Vines-Bright (No. 272 NATL., No. 43 WR)
Colorado 4-star CB commit Alex Graham (No. 309 NATL., No. 30 CB)
Michigan 4-star RB commit Donovan Johnson (No. 316 NATL., No. 24 RB)
2026 4-star OT Keenyi Pepe (No. 39 NATL., No. 6 OT)
2026 4-star safety Zech Fort, No. 98 NATL., No. 10 SAF)
2026 4-star EDGE Jake Kreul (No. 120 NATL., No. 10 EDGE)
2026 4-star DL Elijah Golden (No. 167 NATL., No. 15 DL)
2026 USC 4-star CB commit Dominick Kelly (No. 170 NATL., No. 14 CB)
2026 4-star IOL Breck Kolojay (No. 225 NATL., No. 17 IOL)
2026 4-star safety Amari Jones (No. 242 NATL., No. 20 SAF)
2026 4-star IOL G’Nivre Carr (No. 248 NATL., No. 20 IOL)

IMG Academy 2024 Schedule

Aug. 23: @ Corner Canyon (Utah)
Aug. 29: vs. Bergen Catholic (N.J.)
Sept. 6: vs. Cocoa (Fla.)
Sept. 12: vs. Mt. Zion Prep (Md.)
Sept. 20: @ Mandarin (Fla.)
Sept. 27: @ Phenix City Central (Ala.)
Oct. 4: vs. Venice (Fla.)
Oct. 25: vs. East Saint Louis (Ill.)
Nov. 1: vs. St. Frances Academy (Md.)
Nov. 8: vs. St. Thomas More (Conn.)

About IMG Academy

IMG has seen a number of alumni go on to excel at the college and professional ranks. Ahead of the 2023-24 NFL season, 24 former Ascenders were on NFL rosters. IMG set a record at the 2024 NFL Draft with the first-round selections of offensive lineman JC Latham and QB J.J. McCarthy, as per the school’s website, it became the first to have alumni selected in the first round of the NFL Draft for five consecutive years.

“Established in 1978, with a pioneering concept known as the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy, IMG Academy has since grown to become a global phenomenon. Today, IMG Academy is the world’s leading sports education brand, providing access and opportunity for student-athletes with an innovative suite of on-campus and online programming.

IMG Academy is the only education brand directly responsible for filling one-quarter of all college roster spots on an annual basis. In 2021 alone, IMG Academy helped place 30,000 kids into college.” — Via school’s website.