High school football: Preview, How to Watch No. 15 St. Frances Academy at No. 2 IMG Academy

Picked before the season as the No. 3 matchup of the year, Friday's showdown between No. 15 St. Frances Academy (Baltimore) at No. 2 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) hasn't lost any luster. In fact, as the likely season finale for both teams, the game featuring more than 50 players with FBS offers could be the final showcase for some of the elite talent in the country.

IMG Academy (9-0) features seven of the top 100 seniors nationally, according to 247Sports, and nine of the top 247. In Florida, the Ascenders boast nine of the top 20 seniors, 14 of the top 100 and 17 of the top 220.

St. Frances (7-1) doesn't dominate the national scene like IMG with three of the top 247 senior recruits, but in Maryland the Panthers boast six of the top 10 players and 14 of the best 40.

Needless to say, this is a star-studded game.

One of the top recruits who won't be in the game could make a massive difference. IMG Academy senior quarterback and Florida State commit, A.J. Duffy, is out with a finger issue.

That catapults freshman Ryan Downes (6-foot-4, 205 pounds) into the starting role, which he did in IMG's last game, a 28-0 win over Clarkson (Canada). Downes threw one touchdown pass, but most of the damage offensively was done by bullish 5-11, 220-pound Penn State-bound running back Kaytron Allen, who rushed for three touchdowns and has more than 20 on the season. Top 100 national recruits for the Ascenders are Clemson-bound defenders Jihaad Campbell, an edge rusher; cornerback Daylen Everette; safety Keon Sabb; Alabama-bound offensive players, tackle Tyler Booker and tight end Jaleel Skinner; along with Georgia-bound defensive lineman Bear Alexander and uncommitted safety Kamari Wilson.

St. Frances Academy's national Top 247 recruits are Oklahoma-bound defensive lineman Derrick Moore and uncommitted linebacker Jaishawn Barham.

Almost all of the Panthers top recruits are on the defensive end, including another linemen in Nasir Pearce to go with cornerbacks Cam Johnson, a Virginia Tech commit, and Boston College-bound Jamal Hood, along with safety Tyrin Woodby (West Virginia).

Top offensive threats are quarterback Michael Van Buren, Minnesota-bound wide receiver Ike White and running back Terron Kellman, a Georgia Tech commit.

The teams have history, having split two meetings, the last one a resounding 35-7 St. Frances home victory in 2019. Blake Corum, the University of Michigan's second-leading rusher with 778 yards and 10 touchdowns, led the Panthers to the lopsided victory that day with 205 yards rushing and two touchdowns.

The Panthers' 2019 win avenged a 38-0 loss in 2016 to IMG Academy, which entered the 2019 game winners of 50 of 51. Since the 2019 defeat, the Ascenders have won 19 straight.

Since a 38-23 season-opening loss at Florida power St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Frances Academy has won seven straight and outscored those teams, 298-76. Its last win, on Nov. 5, was a 24-7 home win over St. Thomas More (Oakdale, Conn.), the same team IMG Academy defeated at home, 24-14, two weeks earlier.

Since both teams don't play for state championships, each has struggled to find games. This is the fourth, two-week break for St. Frances Academy, while the Ascenders are on their second two-week break and earlier they had a three-week span between games.

There's a chance one or both will play in the GEICO High School Bowl Series, which is at the end of December, a possible six-week break. Either way, both teams will be champing at the bit to meet on Friday.