Matchup to Watch: Rashard Fant vs. D.J. Moore

Written By Sammy Jacobs (@Hoosier_Huddle)

When the Indiana Hoosiers travel to College Park to take on the Maryland Terrapins, there will be plenty of matchups to keep an eye on, however none will be as fun as watching two of the best players at the respective positions in Indiana cornerback Rashard Fant and Maryland wide receiver D.J. Moore.

Rashard Fant vs. D.J. Moore

Maryland’s junior wide receiver D.J., Moore is leading the Big Ten in receiving yards (668) and touchdowns (7), while Indiana’s Rahasrd Fant has 48 career pass break ups and three interceptions.

Fant has had a bit of a rocky senior season and he’ll have his hands full with Moore, an explosive playmaker averaging nearly 15 yards per reception. Moore is not physically overwhelming, but he is terrific at creating separation and he’s incredibly dangerous if he can get the ball in space. He can also be a nuisance in the run game. Preventing him from busting a big play and forcing another pass catcher to be their primary target will be a huge part of the defensive plan on Saturday.

One big x-factor in this matchup is the fact that Maryland is playing their third-string quarterback Max Bortenschlager, who owns a 49.3-percent completion rate while averaing five yards per completion. This isn’t Peyton Manning sitting in the pocket and looking for receivers, so Fant should have the opportunity to pad some of his stats that have been down this season.

Other Notes on this Matchup

D.J. Moore's 2017 Statistics

Image: CFBStats.com

Rashard Fant's 2017 Statistics

Image: CFBStats.com