University Challenge 2009–10

Series 39 of University Challenge began on 6 July 2009^[1] and aired on BBC Two. Below is a list of the matches played with their scores and outcomes.

Schedule

The series comprised 37 matches^[1] over five rounds, airing between July 2009 and April 2010.

Round	Dates	Matches	Teams	Change
First Round	6 July 2009 – 26 October 2009	14 + 2	28	28→16
Second Round	2 November 2009 – 21 December 2009	8	16	16→8
Quarter-finals	4 January 2010 – 15 March 2010	8 + 2	8	8→4
Semi-finals	22 March 2010 – 29 March 2010	2	4	4→2

Format

The format of the show changed for the first time in many years. The quarter-finals were not a straight knock-out competition but involved a variant on the Swiss pairs format. Each of the eight teams that reached the quarter-final stage played two matches. Any team who won both of these matches progressed immediately to the semi-final; any team losing both were eliminated from the competition. The four remaining teams engaged in an additional play-off round for the other two semi-final places.

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.
• Orange scores indicate a further match must be played and won (highest scoring first round losers, teams that won their first quarter final match, teams that won their second quarter final match having lost their first, or teams that won their first quarter final match and lost their second).
• Yellow scores indicate that two further matches must 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
Christ's College, Cambridge	170	200	University of Warwick	370	6 July 2009
Royal Veterinary College	60	235	University of Manchester	295	13 July 2009
Loughborough University	205	175	University College London	380	20 July 2009
Clare College, Cambridge	165	215	Jesus College, Oxford	380	27 July 2009
University of Nottingham	145	180	Girton College, Cambridge	325	3 August 2009
University of Edinburgh	170	155	University of Central Lancashire	325	10 August 2009
King's College London	155	140	Cardiff University	295	24 August 2009
Newnham College, Cambridge	260	120	University of Sussex	380	31 August 2009
Imperial College London	175	135	University of Southampton	310	7 September 2009
St John's College, Oxford	270	90	Durham University	360	14 September 2009
Magdalene College, Cambridge	135	145	St Hugh's College, Oxford	270	21 September 2009
University of York	55	200	St George's, University of London	255	28 September 2009
University of St Andrews	255	150	Somerville College, Oxford	405	5 October 2009
Emmanuel College, Cambridge	165	205	Regent's Park College, Oxford	370	12 October 2009

Highest Scoring Losers play-offs

Team 1	Score		Team 2	Total	Broadcast Date
University College London	220	145	Clare College, Cambridge	365	19 October 2009
Christ's College, Cambridge	105	280	Emmanuel College, Cambridge	385	26 October 2009

Second round

Team 1	Score		Team 2	Total	Broadcast Date
Girton College, Cambridge	170	160	St George's, University of London	330	2 November 2009
Newnham College, Cambridge	110	185	University of St Andrews	295	9 November 2009
St John's College, Oxford	220	190	Loughborough University	410	16 November 2009
University College London	185	260	Emmanuel College, Cambridge	445	23 November 2009
Imperial College London	280	80	St Hugh's College, Oxford	360	30 November 2009
Jesus College, Oxford	200	170	University of Warwick	370	7 December 2009
University of Edinburgh	170	150	Regent's Park College, Oxford	320	14 December 2009
University of Manchester	210	90	King's College London	300	21 December 2009

Quarter-finals

Team 1	Score		Team 2	Total	Broadcast Date
St John's College, Oxford	280	55	Girton College, Cambridge	335	4 January 2010
University of St Andrews	50	195	University of Manchester	245	11 January 2010
Imperial College London	240	110	University of Edinburgh	350	18 January 2010
Jesus College, Oxford	125	280	Emmanuel College, Cambridge	405	25 January 2010
St John's College, Oxford	150	140	University of Manchester	290	1 February 2010
Girton College, Cambridge	140	115	University of St Andrews	255	8 February 2010
Imperial College London	160	275	Emmanuel College, Cambridge	435	15 February 2010
University of Edinburgh	195	185	Jesus College, Oxford	380	22 February 2010
University of Manchester	170	165	University of Edinburgh	335	1 March 2010
Girton College, Cambridge	100	200	Imperial College London	300	15 March 2010

Semi-finals

Team 1	Score		Team 2	Total	Broadcast Date
St John's College, Oxford	260	170	Imperial College London	430	22 March 2010
Emmanuel College, Cambridge	315	120	University of Manchester	435	29 March 2010

Final

Team 1	Score		Team 2	Total	Broadcast Date
St John's College, Oxford	100	315	Emmanuel College, Cambridge	415	5 April 2010

• The trophy and title were awarded to the Emmanuel team of Andy Hastings, Jenny Harris, Alexander Guttenplan, and Josh Scott.
• The trophy was presented by Carol Ann Duffy.