University Challenge 1996–97

Series 26 of University Challenge ran between 12 November 1996 and 4 June 1997.

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 have lost, but survived as highest scoring losers.
• A score in italics indicates a match decided on a tie-breaker question.

First round

Team 1	Score		Team 2	Broadcast Date
Imperial College, London	200	210	St Catharine's College, Cambridge	12 November 1996
Queen's University, Belfast	165	135	University of Wales, Cardiff	19 November 1996
King's College London School of Medicine and Dentistry	155	135	Keble College, Oxford	26 November 1996
University of Manchester	360	40	Birkbeck, University of London	3 December 1996
Newnham College, Cambridge	200	155	London School of Economics	10 December 1996
Charing Cross Hospital	175	220	University of Glamorgan	17 December 1996
University of St Andrews	215	170	Girton College, Cambridge	6 January 1997
University of Surrey	130	230	University of the West of England	13 January 1997
Corpus Christi College, Cambridge	240	205	Exeter College, Oxford	20 January 1997
The Open University	395	85	University of Wales, Swansea	27 January 1997
Harris Manchester College, Oxford	200	165	University of Glasgow	3 February 1997
University of Portsmouth	150	280	Magdalen College, Oxford	10 February 1997

Second round

Team 1	Score		Team 2	Broadcast Date
Magdalen College, Oxford	195	175	University of the West of England	26 February 1997
Queen's University, Belfast	250	130	Girton College, Cambridge	5 March 1997
Victoria University of Manchester	200	165	Imperial College, London	12 March 1997
University of Glamorgan	155	150	University of St Andrews	19 March 1997
Newnham College, Cambridge	125	165	Harris Manchester College, Oxford	26 March 1997
Charing Cross Hospital	225	95	King's College London School of Medicine and Dentistry	2 April 1997
St Catharine's College, Cambridge	215	255	Exeter College, Oxford	9 April 1997
Corpus Christi College, Cambridge	185	215	The Open University	16 April 1997

Quarter-finals

Team 1	Score		Team 2	Broadcast Date
Magdalen College, Oxford	335	110	Queen's University, Belfast	23 April 1997
Victoria University of Manchester	235	150	University of Glamorgan	30 April 1997
Harris Manchester College, Oxford	135	210	Charing Cross Hospital	7 May 1997
Exeter College, Oxford	170	180	The Open University	14 May 1997

Semi-finals

Team 1	Score		Team 2	Broadcast Date
Magdalen College, Oxford	240	225	Victoria University of Manchester	21 May 1997
Charing Cross Hospital	65	415	The Open University	28 May 1997

Final

Team 1	Score		Team 2	Broadcast Date
Magdalen College, Oxford	250	195	The Open University	4 June 1997

• The trophy and title were awarded to the Magdalen team of Colin Andress, Gwilym Thear, Jim Adams, and Alison Reeves.
• The trophy was presented by Germaine Greer.