The Two Man Game – October 8, 2026 – Quietly discussing the secret scrimmage, a glance at the exhibition game against Wyoming…Smiley’s first game against his some, Madden…and more.

October 8, 2026

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5 min read

The Two Man Game: October 8, 2026

Northern Colorado head coach Steve Smiley sat down with Brady Hole two days after a "secret scrimmage" against Colorado State—a closed-door contest that, under new NCAA rules, teams can now acknowledge more freely. The scrimmage was the first real test for a UNC roster that is almost entirely new, and Smiley walked away with a clear sense of where his team stands three weeks before the season opens. But the conversation also circled around something stranger: Sunday's exhibition game against Wyoming, where Smiley will coach against his own son, Madden, a freshman for the Cowboys.

The scrimmage and what it revealed

The Bears played 52 minutes against a Colorado State team that Smiley described as a projected at-large March Madness team. "Outside of BYU, which is floating around a top 10, 15, 20 team, did you just look at all these nerdball rankings? CSU is projected very similar to these elite teams," Smiley said. His team went into Moby Arena—bleachers pulled out in game configuration, not pushed back for practice—and held their own.

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What you'll learn

1 (00:36) **Season Preview & Secret Scrimmage Recap** - Coach Smiley and host Brady Hole open the show, discussing the upcoming exhibition game against Wyoming and the just-completed "secret scrimmage" against Colorado State.
2 (02:49) **Injury Updates & Roster Management** - Smiley provides a detailed update on three injured big men and how their absence is shaping the team's early identity.
3 (04:52) **The Value of Secret Scrimmages** - Smiley explains the mechanics and benefits of the closed-door scrimmage format, including playing 52 minutes and using high-level referees.
4 (07:50) **Future of Exhibition Games & Colorado Hoops** - The conversation shifts to proposed NCAA legislation that could allow three summer exhibition games, potentially opening the door for more in-state matchups.
5 (10:24) **Wyoming Exhibition as a Dress Rehearsal** - Smiley explains the strategic value of playing a real exhibition game against Wyoming, even though it doesn't count.
6 (11:15) **Specific Takeaways from the CSU Scrimmage** - Smiley shares what he learned from the scrimmage without revealing scores or stats, focusing on the team's execution of fundamentals.
7 (14:53) **Team Development & Roster Competition** - Smiley discusses the ongoing process of establishing a rotation and how injuries are creating opportunities for new players.

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Guests on this episode

Steve Smiley Brady Hole