There was no shortage of growing pains for the MSU football team's freshmen in the first half of the season. Even in the first two quarters against Northwestern last Saturday, they made more mistakes than big plays.

Dropped balls, missed assignments, whiffing on tackles — the freshmen looked like, well, freshmen.

But as the second half rolled around, the freshmen started making their presence felt. The players and coaches maintain that the record-breaking come-from-behind victory was a total team effort, and to some extent, it's true. But four of the game's biggest plays were made by freshmen.

The recovery

Mention the name Ashton Henderson, and most Spartans fans would draw a blank stare. The freshman cornerback has been virtually invisible for most of the season. He's nonexistent on the statistics sheet, having registered just one tackle all season. But he was a key component on one of the plays that saved MSU's season.

After sophomore wideout Devin Thomas blocked a punt, Henderson recovered the ball and ran for a 33-yard touchdown.

"(Former NFL head coach) Dick Vermeil said, 'The biggest play that anybody can have to change a game is a blocked punt,'" senior quarterback Drew Stanton said. "I fully believe that, because that play — the blocked punt for a touchdown — that just turns things around.

"It's something that rarely happens, but can have a large effect on the outcome of a game."

The catch

T.J. Williams also is finding his place. The 6-foot-3, 184-pound wide receiver was one of the top prep school prospects in the nation when he came to MSU. He displayed flashes of brilliance early in the season while filling in for senior wide receiver Matt Trannon, who has battled hamstring and ankle injuries.

But Williams also had his share of blunders, dropping easy passes and negating big gains with holding penalties.

The Northwestern game was his breakout performance.

He caught five passes for 57 yards, including the biggest reception of his MSU career. With MSU trailing, 38-31, in the fourth quarter, Williams made a leaping grab in the back of end zone for a 9-yard touchdown that tied the game at 38.

"I put the ball where only he could catch it, and he came down and made a great play," Stanton said.

Williams has a reputation for talking smack, but Stanton said that's what gives Williams confidence.

"It's difficult because he talks so much, you want to just smack him in the mouth," Stanton said. "(But) he's still going to talk — that's part of his game, that's what makes him good."

The run

Redshirt freshman running back A.J. Jimmerson has struggled to find playing time because of protection issues. He's failed to protect the ball and fumbled when he's gotten carries late in games. He's also missed assignments in pass protection.

But with running backs Jehuu Caulcrick and Javon Ringer sidelined with injuries, MSU turned to Jimmerson in the second half against Northwestern. He scored on a four-yard run late in the third quarter that brought MSU within 21 points.

"I finally got to play and show my ability on the field, so it's a good thing for me," Jimmerson said.

Late in the fourth quarter, he made an even bigger play. With the score tied at 38 and MSU facing third-and-three from the Northwestern 23-yard line, Jimmerson took a handoff and was immediately met in the backfield by a Wildcats defender. He sidestepped the tackler, then broke to the left sideline for a 14-yard gain. The run gave MSU a first down — and more chances to wind the clock. It also put freshman place-kicker Brett Swenson into chip-shot field-goal range.

"I think that (Jimmerson) grew up a lot that game," Stanton said. "He was somebody that came in and had a lot of expectations to begin the year that he wanted to contribute and be that third back. Nobody really knew what he was going to be able to do."

The kick

Of course, if Swenson had come up empty on the field-goal attempt, the Wildcats could easily have won the game in overtime. It would be a familiar sight for Spartans fans, who watched helplessly as kicking woes doomed MSU in 2005.

But Swenson knocked the ball through the uprights, putting the Spartans up, 41-38.

"You can say anything you want to him, the kid is cool under pressure anyway," special teams coach Ben Sirmans said. "As a staff and a team, we felt totally confident that he's gonna get out there and put it through the uprights."