Josh Allen and Peyton Manning go back to high school in 2026 Bowman University Best Football

Lead

A Bowman University set is built on college programs. This year, two schools on the list aren’t colleges. Next to Alabama, Texas and the rest, 2026 Bowman University Best Football lists Firebaugh High School and Isidore Newman School. They’re there for one reason: Best of High School Tribute, which Checklist Insider describes as “teen versions” of two NFL quarterbacks, Josh Allen and Peyton Manning.

So a set built to chase the next college star also carries two of the most familiar names in football, shown as teenagers, before anyone knew how their story would go. Here’s why that’s worth knowing before you pick a school.

Why it matters to a breaker or collector

• Two schools that aren’t like the others. The checklist lists 81 colleges and universities, plus two high schools. If you’re splitting this set by school, Firebaugh and Isidore Newman are spots that only exist because of the Tribute cards. Each one is a single-player school: Allen at Firebaugh, Manning at Newman.
• A college set reaching back a step further. Bowman U is about players before the pros. These two cards go back past college to high school, with names collectors already know. That’s a different kind of story from projecting what a college prospect might become.
• Hometown pride. For anyone who went to Firebaugh or Newman, or still roots for the school, this is their school’s name on a Bowman card next to the big college programs. That’s a fun collector story, whatever the card does or doesn’t do on the market.
• Signed versions, too. Each player also has an autograph version (HSTA-JA, HSTA-PM). Same two schools, same two players.

You’re not chasing a number here. You’re picking whether you want the high school story in your corner.

Proof under the feel

Card codes and schools below come from Checklist Insider’s 2026 Bowman University Best Football checklist (Oct 6, 2026), cross-checked against CSL’s live checklist for the set.

That’s the whole family: two Tribute cards and two autograph versions, and they’re the only two high-school entries among the 81 colleges on the checklist. No prices, no solds, no odds.

Context under the feel

Format. Per Checklist Insider, the set is Hobby only: 10 cards a pack, 4 packs a box, 12 boxes a case, with 4 autographs and 8 inserts a box.

What’s new. Topps’ Ripped guide (Oct 2, 2026) lists Best of High School Tribute as new for 2026, with autograph versions from Allen and Manning.

What we don’t know yet. We haven’t found published odds for this set; Checklist Insider’s guide lists none as of Oct 9. Checklist Insider estimates release on Oct 30, 2026; treat that as their estimate, not a Topps street date. Checklist Insider also marks the checklist “subject to change.”

Soft CSL bridge

Chrome Spot Lab is a free one-player paper-break simulator: no real money, no prizes. Physical 2026 Bowman University Best Football wax isn’t CSL, and this set is checklist-only on CSL for now, so there’s no break to run yet. What you can do today is open the 2026 Bowman University Best Football school checklist and find Firebaugh High School and Isidore Newman School under Other on the school board.