Purdue’s Michael Jackson III Celebrates Like Michael Jackson After TD

Talk about a perfect touchdown dance.

Purdue's Michael Jackson III hit the perfect celebration after scoring a touchdown against Ball State | Screengrab via Big Ten Network

A new college football season means plenty of new quirks that make each year so uniquely fun.

That's already off and running as we entered the first college football Saturday of the year. We found our newest entertaining moment Saturday when Purdue wide receiver Michael Jackson III, a USC and Georgia transfer, scored a touchdown and celebrated with an ode to the pop star who he shares a name with.

Michael Jackson III hits the Michael Jackson 🕺

Good timing, too, as it was the King of Pop's birthday yesterday.@mike3jack x @BoilerFootball pic.twitter.com/2B4aALq3PF

— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) August 30, 2025

Michael Jackson III for six 🕺

📺 @BigTenNetwork pic.twitter.com/DWhXBTIfUL

— Purdue Football (@BoilerFootball) August 30, 2025

The Michael Jackson dance celebration gives some Aidan Hutchinson vibes. The Lions' star pass rusher went viral for singing Jackson's "Billie Jean" when Detroit was featured on HBO's Hard Knocks: Training Camp during his rookie season. After his rookie karaoke song went incredibly viral, Hutchinson started doing Jackson's signature leg kick to celebrate sacks.

Purdue's Jackson certainly has the perfect reason to adopt the celebration as his own. He transferred to the Boilermakers this season after spending last year at Georgia and his first three collegiate seasons with USC. He has 47 total receptions for 508 yards and five touchdowns over his college career—all five of those scores came with the Trojans.

In his first game as a Boilermaker, he made six grabs for 72 yards and the touchdown in Purdue's 31-0 win over Ball State. Hopefully the celebration is the first of many, it's too perfect.

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