Jalen Watts-Jackson Injury: Updates on Michigan State Safety's Hip and Recovery | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors
Ava White
Published Mar 25, 2026
Jalen Watts-Jackson, the Michigan State Spartans safety who recovered a botched punt and scored to propel the Spartans to a shocking 27-23 victory over the Michigan Wolverines, dislocated his hip on the final play of Saturday's game, according to Joe Rexrode of the Detroit Free-Press.
Head coach Mike Dantonio said Watts-Jackson underwent surgery on Sunday, per Brett McMurphy of ESPN.
Continue for updates.
Watts-Jackson Injured on Game-Winning Play
Saturday, Oct. 17
Dantonio said Watts-Jackson went to the hospital following the game, per Chris Low of ESPN.com.
Watts-Jackson recovered a muffed snap by Michigan punter Blake O’Neill and scampered to the end zone to give the Spartans the lead as time expired.
The redshirt freshman safety was swarmed by teammates in the end zone, as Bleacher Report’s Bryan Fischer showed:
Bryan Fischer @BryanDFischerThe celebration certainly didn't help Jalen Watts-Jackson's hip.
Watts-Jackson is the team's third-string safety and primarily plays on special teams. He was named MSU's special teams player of the week following the team's 24-21 victory over Purdue on Oct. 3, per Rexrode.
Michigan State has won seven of its last eight games against in-state rivals and remains unbeaten and alive in the hunt for the College Football Playoff.
