After the Minnesota Timberwolves handed the Oklahoma City Thunder's third loss of the 2025-26 regular season, veteran Alex Caruso headed back to his alma mater, Texas A&M, for its college football playoff game on Saturday. Following a 112-107 loss to the Timberwolves, Caruso watched the Aggies take on the University of Miami at Kyle Field.

Caruso discussed why it was a playoff college football game he couldn't miss, he said, per ESPN's College Gameday.

“It's awesome. I try to come back for a game every year at the beginning of the season,” Caruso said. “Special circumstances this year, with basketball season, I got a chance to come back. I couldn't miss the first college football playoff game at home.”

Caruso, who grew up in College Station, Texas, roughly 15 minutes from campus, made a detour on his way back to Oklahoma City, which is about 375 miles from Texas A&M. Caruso and the Thunder will host the Memphis Grizzlies at the Paycom Center on Sunday.

Alex Caruso's attention-grabbing warning for Thunder

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Thunder guard Alex Caruso (9) looks to pass as Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) defends him in the first quarter at Target Center
Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images

Before the defending champion surrendered its second loss in three games, which started with the Spurs snapping a 16-game win streak in the NBA Cup semifinals, Caruso warned the Thunder of the brutal stretch of games. That warning came ahead of, ironically, facing the Timberwolves, who just handed the Thunder its third loss, in late November.

While the Thunder, undermanned, put together impressive blowout wins over the Jazz, Blazers, and Suns, Caruso knew December's slate of games would be a significant challenge for his team.

“Just trying to continue the consistency that we've started this year. Obviously, we've gotten off to a great start, but there [are] still areas of improvement for us,” Caruso said. “And I think some of the teams we're playing coming up will really push us and see if we're really committed to those things that we talk about — which I think we are. But putting it into action and putting it into games is where it counts. I'm looking forward to having some of those games coming up.”

Thunder now has a 25-3 record.