University Challenge 1998–99

Series 28 of University Challenge ran between 2 September 1998 and 27 April 1999.

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
University of Bristol	245	185	Victoria University of Manchester	2 September 1998
Balliol College, Oxford	195	200	University of Durham	9 September 1998
The Open University	350	145	University of Lancaster	16 September 1998
Harris Manchester College, Oxford	185	200	Selwyn College, Cambridge	23 September 1998
Birkbeck, University of London	300	110	University of Warwick	30 September 1998
University of Portsmouth	135	230	De Montfort University	7 October 1998
King's College London School of Medicine and Dentistry	130	170	Magdalen College, Oxford	14 October 1998
University of Aberdeen	255	145	Newnham College, Cambridge	20 October 1998
Christ Church, Oxford	150	245	Trinity College, Cambridge	27 October 1998
St Hilda's College, Oxford	115	215	University of Wales, Bangor	3 November 1998
Corpus Christi College, Cambridge	145	280	Oriel College, Oxford	10 November 1998
Queen's University, Belfast	100	230	University of Sheffield	17 November 1998
Downing College, Cambridge	160	235	University of Glasgow	1 December 1998
City University	200	210	University of Leicester	8 December 1998

Highest Scoring Losers play-offs

Team 1	Score		Team 2	Broadcast Date
Harris Manchester College, Oxford	185	200	Victoria University of Manchester	15 December 1998
City University	210	300	Balliol College, Oxford	5 January 1999

Second round

Team 1	Score		Team 2	Broadcast Date
The Open University	210	200	Magdalen College, Oxford	12 January 1999
University of Aberdeen	75	275	University of Wales, Bangor	19 January 1999
De Montfort University	135	255	University of Bristol	26 January 1999
Selwyn College, Cambridge	145	325	University of Leicester	9 February 1999
Oriel College, Oxford	290	170	Victoria University of Manchester	16 February 1999
University of Glasgow	140	355	University of Durham	23 February 1999
Balliol College, Oxford	205	270	Birkbeck, University of London	3 March 1999
University of Sheffield	190	255	Trinity College, Cambridge	10 March 1999

Quarter-finals

Team 1	Score		Team 2	Broadcast Date
University of Wales, Bangor	240	170	University of Bristol	17 March 1999
Oriel College, Oxford	335	160	University of Leicester	24 March 1999
The Open University	240	235	Birkbeck, University of London	31 March 1999
University of Durham	325	175	Trinity College, Cambridge	6 April 1999

Semi-finals

Team 1	Score		Team 2	Broadcast Date
University of Wales, Bangor	130	235	Oriel College, Oxford	13 April 1999
The Open University	310	120	University of Durham	20 April 1999

Final

Team 1	Score		Team 2	Broadcast Date
Oriel College, Oxford	210	265	The Open University	27 April 1999

• The trophy and title were awarded to the Open team of Lance Haward, David Good, John Burke and Sue Mitchell.
• The trophy was presented by Jeremy Paxman.
• Salman Rushdie had been due to present the trophy, but the recording of the semi-finals and final were postponed after Paxman fell ill, and he wasn't available for the rescheduled dates.