During this early period, Benjamin Cluff, who had become the university’s third principal of the then Brigham Young Academy, was influenced by his collegiate studies at the University of Michigan to bring an athletics program to Brigham Young. This ambition led to the first BYU football team in 1896 and their game against the University of Utah, which BYU won 2-4. The team went on to win its very first championship after defeating teams including the Elks, the Crescents, the YMCA of Salt Lake City, and Westminster College to name a few.