University Challenge 2019–20

Series 49 of University Challenge began on 15 July 2019 on BBC Two.[1]

The University of Huddersfield made its University Challenge debut in this series, while the Oxford colleges Wolfson and Lady Margaret Hall made their first appearances in the BBC series.

Results

  • Winning teams are highlighted in bold.
  • Teams with green scores (winners) returned in the next round, while those with red scores (losers) were eliminated.
  • Teams with orange scores had to win one more match to return in the next round.
  • Teams with yellow scores indicate that two further matches had to be played and won (teams that lost their first quarter-final match).
  • A score in italics indicates a match decided on a tie-breaker question.

First round

Team 1 Score Team 2 Total Broadcast date
Lancaster University 95 230 University of Glasgow 325 15 July 2019
Corpus Christi College, Cambridge 195 140 Merton College, Oxford 335 22 July 2019
Magdalen College, Oxford 170 150 University of York 320 29 July 2019
University of Birmingham 125 120 University of Bristol 245 5 August 2019
Wolfson College, Cambridge 40 115 St John's College, Oxford 155 12 August 2019
University of Edinburgh 165 90 Birkbeck, University of London 255 19 August 2019
Jesus College, Oxford 145 185 University of Manchester 330 2 September 2019
Durham University 145 200 Trinity College, Cambridge 345 9 September 2019
London School of Economics 90 145 The Courtauld Institute of Art 235 16 September 2019
Goldsmiths, University of London 95 175 University of Southampton 270 23 September 2019
The Open University 125 145 University of Huddersfield 270 7 October 2019
Wolfson College, Oxford 180 170 University of Sheffield 350 14 October 2019
Imperial College London 255 70 Brasenose College, Oxford 325 21 October 2019
Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford 150 145 Downing College, Cambridge 295 28 October 2019
  • Three teams finished tied for the last two places in the play-offs on 145 each; Durham and Jesus College Oxford went through due to having heard fewer questions to reach their scores.

Highest scoring losers play-offs

Team 1 Score Team 2 Total Broadcast date
University of Sheffield 165 170 Jesus College, Oxford 335 4 November 2019
University of York 145 240 Durham University 385 11 November 2019

Second round

Team 1 Score Team 2 Total Broadcast date
University of Birmingham 120 150 Jesus College, Oxford 270 18 November 2019
University of Southampton 95 245 Durham University 340 25 November 2019
The Courtauld Institute of Art 180 145 University of Glasgow 325 2 December 2019
Imperial College London 255 105 St John's College, Oxford 360 9 December 2019
University of Huddersfield 90 205 University of Manchester 295 16 December 2019
Trinity College, Cambridge 245 100 Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford 345 6 January 2020
Wolfson College, Oxford 220 100 University of Edinburgh 320 13 January 2020
Magdalen College, Oxford 75 270 Corpus Christi College, Cambridge 345 20 January 2020

Quarterfinals

Team 1 Score Team 2 Total Broadcast date
University of Manchester 95 300 Trinity College, Cambridge 395 27 January 2020
Wolfson College, Oxford 140 180 Corpus Christi College, Cambridge 320 3 February 2020
Jesus College, Oxford 110 195 Durham University 305 10 February 2020
The Courtauld Institute of Art 75 240 Imperial College London 315 17 February 2020
Trinity College, Cambridge 80 245 Corpus Christi College, Cambridge 325 24 February 2020
University of Manchester 125 130 Wolfson College, Oxford 255 2 March 2020
Durham University 115 185 Imperial College London 300 9 March 2020
Jesus College, Oxford 135 90 The Courtauld Institute of Art 225 16 March 2020
Wolfson College, Oxford 45 205 Durham University 250 23 March 2020
Trinity College, Cambridge 285 75 Jesus College, Oxford 360 30 March 2020

Semifinals

Team 1 Score Team 2 Total Broadcast date
Corpus Christi College, Cambridge 185 130 Durham University 315 6 April 2020
Imperial College London 235 80 Trinity College, Cambridge 315 13 April 2020

Final

Team 1 Score Team 2 Total Broadcast date
Corpus Christi College, Cambridge 105 275 Imperial College London 380 20 April 2020
  • The trophy and title were awarded to the Imperial team of Richard Brooks, Brandon Blackwell, Caleb Rich, and Conor McMeel.
  • The trophy was presented by Andrew Wiles, on location at the Oxford University Mathematics Institute.

Spin-off: Christmas Special 2019

First round

Each year, a Christmas special sequence is aired featuring distinguished alumni. Out of 7 first-round winners, the top 4 highest-scoring teams progress to the semi-finals. The teams consist of celebrities who represent their alma maters.

  • Winning teams are highlighted in bold.
  • Teams with green scores (winners) returned in the next round, while those with red scores (losers) were eliminated.
  • Teams with grey scores won their match but did not achieve a high enough score to proceed to the next round.
  • A score in italics indicates a match decided on a tie-breaker question.
Team 1 Team 2 Total Broadcast date
University of Leeds 205 55 Clare College, Cambridge 260 23 December 2019
Birmingham City University 75 160 Wadham College, Oxford 235 24 December 2019
Guildhall School of Music and Drama 120 165 University College London 285 25 December 2019
University of Liverpool 75 150 University of Hull 225 26 December 2019
Royal Holloway, University of London 70 130 University of Sussex 200 27 December 2019
Trinity Hall, Cambridge 180 85 St Peter's College, Oxford 265 30 December 2019
University of Warwick 80 115 Imperial College London 195 31 December 2019

Standings for the winners

Rank Team Team captain Score
1 University of Leeds Richard Coles 205
2 Trinity Hall, Cambridge Lucy Mangan 185
3 University College London Maryam Moshiri 165
4 Wadham College, Oxford Anne McElvoy 160
5 University of Hull Lucy Beaumont 150
6 University of Sussex Kim Newman 130
7 Imperial College London Brendan Walker 115

Semi-finals

Team 1 Score Team 2 Total Broadcast date
Trinity Hall, Cambridge 25 215 Wadham College, Oxford 240 1 January 2020
University of Leeds 205 45 University College London 250 2 January 2020

Final

Team 1 Score Team 2 Total Broadcast date
Wadham College, Oxford 130 235 University of Leeds 365 3 January 2020

The winning University of Leeds team of Jonathan Clements, Henry Gee, Richard Coles and Timothy Allen beat the Wadham College, Oxford team of Jonathan Freedland, Tom Solomon, Anne McElvoy and Roger Mosey.

References

  1. ^ "University Challenge 2019/20 Episode 1". BBC Online. Retrieved 3 July 2019.