Liberty Football To Play In Front Of First-Ever Sellout Crowd As War Of Religion Unfolds Between Mormons And Evangelicals

Liberty University football will take the field in front of a sold-out crowd for the first time ever on Saturday against BYU. It announced its first-ever sellout for a unique game that will pit two religions against one another on the field.

A significant portion of the packed stadium of 25,000 will be filled with the visiting fanbase. It is expected to be the largest showing ever for a visiting team in Lynchburg.

Liberty, founded by pastor and televangelist Jerry Falwell Sr. in 1971, is among the world's largest Christian universities. BYU, founded in 1875 by religious leader Brigham Young and sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, will be its opponents.

BYU founder Brigham Young // Liberty University founder Jerry Falwell Sr.

Liberty vs. BYU — The Evangelicals vs. The Mormons

The pregame tailgate scene will be limited, by nature of the two schools that are playing each other. But that won't stop both fanbases from being loud and rowdy as something of a religious war unfolds on the field.

Hugh Freeze and Liberty vs. Kalani Sitake and BYU

Flames head coach Hugh Freeze has not held back about what this weekend will mean to his players and the program. He called it the "biggest home football game" in school history.

When Falwell Sr. founded the school more than five decades ago (which is extremely recent compared to most other colleges and universities nationwide), he said that his dream was to build "a world-class university that would compare favorably with what Brigham Young and Notre Dame provide for Mormon and Roman Catholic young people."

Putting all of the issues with the Falwell family and Liberty University aside, by hosting the game this weekend, that vision is fulfilled. Freeze spoke to that notion in a press conference earlier this week.

"We’re walking in the fulfillment of a vision that started from nothing, really. Other than a belief. To be able to walk in that, and I know that Dr. Falwell would be just ecstatic to see the crowd, atmosphere, and everything that’s going to be here on Saturday afternoon; playing a team that he had such high regard for, as do I, in BYU. Hopefully, we embrace that part of it also."

Entering the weekend, the Cougars are 4-3 with losses to Oregon, Notre Dame and Arkansas. The Flames are 6-1 with a one-point loss to Wake Forest.

It is a huge game from a football standpoint, but an even bigger game from a religious standpoint.