College football is rolling into one of those weekends that can reshape both the Heisman picture and the hobby market in a hurry. The slate is loaded with top-10 showdowns, ranked games, regional grudge matches, another Commander-in-Chief trophy game, and a handful of matchups that could swing card values just as much as they swing playoff hopes.
At the center of it all is Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, who enters Week 10 as the clear Heisman favorite. Even without quarterback Julian Sayin, Smith was still a force in the loss to USC, finishing with 10 catches while being held under 100 yards.
His card market has not really dropped, but another big performance would matter on both fronts. Smith is only available in Leaf and ONIT products this fall, and the Buckeyes can’t really afford another stumble.
One more loss would not knock them out of the College Football Playoff picture, but three losses would make the climb extremely steep, especially with Ohio State already on the outside looking in.
Kentucky quarterback Kenny Minchey is a much longer Heisman shot, but a win over Tennessee could put him into the New York conversation. The hobby angle is lighter here, though Minchey has been climbing along with Kentucky in the polls.
Last week, his Bowman Chrome Crystalized Superfractor sold for $2,850, a solid number for a Tier 2 SSP from Bowman. A win would almost lock the Wildcats into the playoffs, while a loss would all but end Tennessee’s chances.
There’s also a heavyweight SEC-style clash with LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt and Alabama quarterback Keelon Russell both in the mix. Leavitt is currently top five in the Heisman race, while Russell sits inside the top 10.
The biggest headline, though, is the return of Alabama wide receiver Ryan Coleman-Williams. Leavitt still has a real path to New York, and a win over the Crimson Tide would keep him in the thick of it.
His market has been volatile, with huge spikes and deep dips. Russell, meanwhile, has cards in the 2026 Panini Donruss set, including a Downtown, though the unlicensed format makes that card a tougher sell.
LSU needs the win to stay alive for the CFB Playoff, while Alabama can probably survive another loss because of its surprisingly strong spot in the initial rankings.
Another game with major Heisman and hobby implications features Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss and Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton. Chambliss is currently fourth in the Heisman race, while Stockton is sixth.
The hobby wrinkle is that Chambliss only has unlicensed cards, which limits his value. He appears in Panini Obsidian and Donruss, and that hurts.
Still, he’s one of the few quarterback prospects playing well and boosting his draft stock at a time when others like Arch Manning and Dante Moore have faded, with Moore’s injury also part of that slide. Stockton does have cards in 2025 Bowman Chrome Football, 2025 Bowman’s Best, and 2026 Panini products, but his strongest cards are his Bowman 1st’s, with Bowman’s Best right behind.
Both teams can still hang around with a loss, but Ole Miss probably needs a win to stay alive and keep Chambliss’ faint Heisman hopes going.
Utah quarterback Devon Dampier is another name to watch, even though he sits just outside the top 10 in Heisman odds despite leading the No. 3 Utes.
BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier is an even longer shot. From a hobby standpoint, Bachmeier has been one of the top chases in the 2026 Bowman Football set on the prospect side, while Dampier was one of the underrated chases in 2025 Bowman Chrome Football.
Both teams can likely absorb a loss here. BYU has the cushion of missing LJ Martin and still owning the Notre Dame win, and Utah is undefeated, so it has room to breathe.
Then there’s the Miami-Notre Dame matchup, where Miami quarterback Darian Mensah is right there with Smith among the Heisman favorites and Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr is closer to Mensah for second than Chambliss is for fourth. Carr was the second-biggest chase in 2026 Bowman Football behind Arch Manning, while Mensah was a major chase in his own right.
Both have already produced huge sales from 2026 Bowman Football. Mensah’s top sale is his Red GPK /5, which went for $3,800, the second-biggest sale of his career behind only his 2025 Bowman Chrome U Superfractor Auto that sold for $3,900.
Carr has seven sales above that mark, and his top sale is a Red Anime SSP /5 from 2026 Bowman Football that brought $6,500.
Notre Dame is sitting 11th in the CFB Playoff Rankings and badly needs a win to stay in the hunt. A loss would put the Irish in serious trouble.
Miami, on the other hand, would likely remain fine for the playoff even if it loses. The Canes will be without WR Malachi Toney, which makes the challenge tougher, but Mensah has been excellent all season.
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