University Challenge — Lowest Scores

Not much is known about the lowest scores from the Bamber Gascoigne series, except that the lowest score ever was amassed in 1971-2, when a Sussex team, fresh from two series wins, managed only 10 points. Sussex repeated that feat by also scoring 10 points in their first-round loss in 2022, the lowest score since 1994. It is also claimed that in 1977 the Brunel team were the only team to still be on zero points at the half-time interval.

Outside of the student series, the final of the 2017 Christmas University Challenge ended with the Reading team on 0 points.

The following are the lowest scores since the show returned in 1994.

Lowest Scores, 1994-2022
1SussexBirmingham1st2210
2ExeterCorpus Christi, OxfordQF0915
3St John's, OxfordPeterhouse, CambridgeFinal1630
4Lincoln, OxfordManchesterSF0930
5Brasenose, OxfordDurham1st1535
6New Hall, CambridgeNottingham1st9835
7Jesus, OxfordEdinburgh1st1135
8BradfordQueen's, Belfast1st0435
9St AndrewsManchester1st0540
10Wolfson, CambridgeSt John's, Oxford1st2040
11Oxford BrookesLSE2nd9840
12Wolfson, CambridgeMerton, Oxford1st2140
13KeeleLiverpool1st1440
14Sheffield HallamNewcastle1st1840
15Queen's, BelfastJesus, CambridgeHSL0540
16CardiffSouthampton1st1840
17Robinson, CambridgeWadham, Oxford1st0740
18St AndrewsChurchill, Cambridge1st0240
19Birkbeck, LondonManchester1st9740
20KeeleChrist's, Cambridge2nd0240
21PlymouthDurham1st1245
22Queen Mary, LondonSt John's, Cambridge2nd2245
23St Hilda's, OxfordManchester2nd0645
24Corpus Christi, OxfordEdinburgh2nd0745
25St Hugh's, OxfordUniversity, LondonHSL1845
26UlsterBristolQF1845
27St Hilda's, OxfordTrinity, Cambridge2nd2245
28Wolfson, OxfordDurhamQF2045
29Pembroke, CambridgeSt Peter's, Oxford1st1950
30King's, LondonImperial, LondonQF2250