University Challenge 2016–17

Series 46 of University Challenge began on 11 July 2016 on BBC Two, and finished on 10 April 2017. This series of the long running quiz show drew larger audiences than usual thanks to a collection of interesting characters, most notably Eric Monkman from Wolfson College, Cambridge, who has been described on Twitter by many viewers as "the most intense contestant ever".^[1]

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
University of Sheffield	130	210	University of Bristol	340	11 July 2016
Corpus Christi College, Oxford	200	175	Jesus College, Cambridge	375	18 July 2016
University of Liverpool	95	235	University of Warwick	330	25 July 2016
Queens' College, Cambridge	150	160	Peterhouse, Cambridge	310	1 August 2016
Oriel College, Oxford	150	95	University of Manchester	245	8 August 2016
Emmanuel College, Cambridge	175	135	University of Nottingham	310	15 August 2016
Balliol College, Oxford	220	55	Imperial College London	275	22 August 2016
Robinson College, Cambridge	155	95	Wadham College, Oxford	250	29 August 2016
The Open University	210	115	University of Salford	325	5 September 2016
University of Edinburgh	190	155	Durham University	345	12 September 2016
Wolfson College, Cambridge	185	175	School of Oriental and African Studies	360	19 September 2016
Queen's University Belfast	105	165	University of Birmingham	270	26 September 2016
University of St Andrews	175	145	Worcester College, Oxford	320	3 October 2016
University of Glasgow	135	150	University of East London	285	10 October 2016

Highest Scoring Losers play-offs

Team 1	Score		Team 2	Total	Broadcast date
Jesus College, Cambridge	195	155	Queens' College, Cambridge	350	17 October 2016
Durham University	85	270	School of Oriental and African Studies	355	31 October 2016

Second round

Team 1	Score		Team 2	Total	Broadcast date
The Open University	185	195	University of Edinburgh	380	7 November 2016
University of Birmingham	195	115	University of St Andrews	310	14 November 2016
University of East London	55	195	University of Warwick	250	21 November 2016
School of Oriental and African Studies	130	195	Emmanuel College, Cambridge	325	28 November 2016
Wolfson College, Cambridge	225	140	Jesus College, Cambridge	365	5 December 2016
Robinson College, Cambridge	90	210	Balliol College, Oxford	300	12 December 2016
University of Bristol	265	70	Oriel College, Oxford	335	2 January 2017
Peterhouse, Cambridge	150	175	Corpus Christi College, Oxford	325	9 January 2017

Quarter-finals

Team 1	Score		Team 2	Total	Broadcast date
Wolfson College, Cambridge	165	135	Balliol College, Oxford	300	16 January 2017
University of Bristol	70	250	Corpus Christi College, Oxford	320	23 January 2017
University of Warwick	90	200	Emmanuel College, Cambridge	290	30 January 2017
University of Edinburgh	220	125	University of Birmingham	345	6 February 2017
Emmanuel College, Cambridge	170	55	Corpus Christi College, Oxford	225	13 February 2017
University of Warwick	120	110	University of Bristol	230	20 February 2017
University of Edinburgh	195	160	Wolfson College, Cambridge	355	27 February 2017
University of Birmingham	65	265	Balliol College, Oxford	330	6 March 2017
University of Warwick	175	205	Wolfson College, Cambridge	380	13 March 2017
Corpus Christi College, Oxford	160	240	Balliol College, Oxford	400	20 March 2017

Semi-finals

Team 1	Score		Team 2	Total	Broadcast date
Emmanuel College, Cambridge	140	170	Wolfson College, Cambridge	310	27 March 2017
University of Edinburgh	140	215	Balliol College, Oxford	355	3 April 2017

Final

Team 1	Score		Team 2	Total	Broadcast date
Wolfson College, Cambridge	140	190	Balliol College, Oxford	330	10 April 2017

• The trophy and title were awarded to the Balliol team of Freddy Potts, Jacob Lloyd, Joey Goldman, and Benjamin Pope.
• The trophy was presented by Stephen Hawking, on location at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge.

Spin-off: Christmas Special 2016

Qualification 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.

• Teams with green scores won their match and achieved a high enough score to return in the next round, teams with red scores lost and were eliminated.
• Teams with grey scores won their first round match but did not achieve a high enough score to return.

Team 1			Team 2	Total	Broadcast date
University of Manchester	55	185	St Anne's College, Oxford	240	19 December 2016
University of Kent	245	35	University of Sussex	280	20 December 2016
City, University of London	145	35	Newcastle University	180	21 December 2016
SOAS, University of London	85	175	University of Leeds	260	22 December 2016
University of Edinburgh	115	60	St Catharine's College, Cambridge	175	23 December 2016
Magdalene College, Cambridge	65	225	St Hilda's College, Oxford	290	25 December 2016
University of Bristol	70	75	University of Nottingham	145	26 December 2016

Standings for the winners

Rank	Team	Team captain	Score
1	University of Kent	Paul Ross	245
2	St Hilda's College, Oxford	Val McDermid	225
3	St Anne's College, Oxford	Mary Archer	185
4	University of Leeds	Kamal Ahmed	175
5	City, University of London	Samira Ahmed	145
6	University of Edinburgh	Rachael Stirling	115
7	University of Nottingham	Chris Hawkins	75

Semi-finals

Team 1	Score		Team 2	Total	Broadcast date
University of Kent	130	140	University of Leeds	270	27 December 2016
St Anne's College, Oxford	75	165	St Hilda's College, Oxford	240	28 December 2016

Final

Team 1	Score		Team 2	Total	Broadcast date
University of Leeds	55	160	St Hilda's College, Oxford	215	29 December 2016

The winning St Hilda's College, Oxford team of Fiona Caldicott, Daisy Dunn, Val McDermid and Adèle Geras beat the University of Leeds team of Louise Doughty, Gus Unger-Hamilton, Kamal Ahmed and Steve Bell.