University Challenge — Highest Series Totals (1994-2021)

A list of the highest series totals is complicated by the fact that even series-winning teams do not necessarily play the same number of matches. Several series champions actually lost their first match and qualified as highest-scoring losers. Similarly from the 2010 series, all quarter finalists play at least two, possibly three games. Thus 1995-2009 series champions usually played five matches, but occasionally six. From 2010 champions play either six, seven or eight games, depending on whether they lose zero, one or two games along the way.

The first table simply counts the total points scored, though given that both Emmanuel 2010 and Durham 2000 both lost their first game, it should not necessarily be interpreted as a ranking of teams!

Highest series points total, 1994-2021
Pos'n	Team	Year	Total	Games	Avg
1	Emmanuel, Cambridge	10	1890	7	270
2	Magdalen, Oxford	11	1880	7	268
3	Durham	00	1680	6	280
4	Manchester	12	1615	7	230
5	Trinity, Cambridge	14	1605	6	267
6	Corpus Christi, Oxford	09	1510	5	302
7	Magdalen, Oxford	15	1505	7	215
8	Balliol, Oxford	17	1475	7	210
9	Trinity, Cambridge	95	1460	5	292
10	Imperial, London	20	1455	6	242
11	Gonville and Caius, Cambridge	15	1420	6	236
12	Open	97	1400	5	280
13	Imperial, London	96	1395	5	279
14	Open	99	1375	5	275
15	York	11	1370	7	195
16	Magdalen, Oxford	98	1355	5	271
17	Magdalene, Cambridge	21	1350	7	192
18	Oriel, Oxford	99	1350	5	270
19	Merton, Oxford	18	1335	6	222
20	Manchester	14	1315	6	219
21	Manchester	09	1310	5	262
22	Manchester	13	1305	7	186
23	Magdalen, Oxford	97	1300	5	260
24	St John's, Cambridge	18	1300	6	216
25	Pembroke, Cambridge	12	1295	6	215
26	St John's, Oxford	01	1290	6	215
27	Sheffield	08	1285	5	257
28	Corpus Christi, Oxford	05	1285	5	257
29	St John's, Oxford	10	1280	6	213
30	Durham	20	1275	7	182
31	St John's, Cambridge	09	1270	5	254
32	Imperial, London	02	1260	5	252
33	Wolfson, Cambridge	17	1250	7	178
34	Christ Church, Oxford	08	1245	5	249
35	Somerville, Oxford	02	1240	5	248
36	Somerville, Oxford	14	1230	6	205
37	University, London	13	1230	6	205
38	Imperial, London	10	1225	6	204
39	Imperial, London	21	1215	7	173
40	Sheffield	11	1215	5	243
41	LSE	96	1215	5	243
42	Imperial, London	01	1205	5	241
43	Warwick	21	1200	6	200
44	St John's, Oxford	16	1195	7	170
45	York	16	1195	6	199
46	Trinity, Cambridge	20	1190	6	198
47	Corpus Christi, Cambridge	20	1180	6	196
48	Manchester	06	1180	5	236
49	Manchester	07	1170	6	195
50	Birkbeck, London	98	1170	5	234
51	Imperial, London	22	1170	6	195
52	Edinburgh	19	1160	7	165
53	Trinity Hall, Cambridge	06	1150	5	230
54	Southampton	14	1140	6	190
55	St Edmund Hall, Oxford	19	1130	6	188
56	Darwin, Cambridge	19	1130	6	188
57	Peterhouse, Cambridge	16	1120	6	186
58	Reading	22	1115	7	159
59	Clare, Cambridge	12	1110	5	222
60	University, London	12	1080	6	180
61	Manchester	10	1070	6	178
62	Newcastle	18	1060	6	176
63	Worcester, Oxford	12	1055	6	175
64	Oxford Brookes	11	1050	5	210
65	St Peter's, Oxford	15	1045	5	209
66	School of Oriental & African Studies	14	1045	6	174
67	Imperial, London	16	1045	5	209
68	Oriel, Oxford	00	1030	5	206
69	Peterhouse, Cambridge	11	1030	5	206
70	Nottingham	98	1020	4	255
71	Manchester	97	1020	4	255
72	University, London	05	1015	5	203
73	Edinburgh	02	1010	5	202
74	Birkbeck, London	03	1010	5	202
75	Durham	19	1005	5	201
76	Durham	99	1000	4	250

Ignoring highest-scoring losers games and the current quarter-final format gives the following table for 1994-2009.

Highest series points total, 5 match format, 1994-2009
Pos'n	Team	Year	Total
1	Corpus Christi, Oxford	09	1510
2	Trinity, Cambridge	95	1460
3	Durham	00	1450
4	Open	97	1400
5	Imperial, London	96	1395
6	Open	99	1375
7	Magdalen, Oxford	98	1355
8	Oriel, Oxford	99	1350
9	Manchester	09	1310
10	Magdalen, Oxford	97	1300
11	Corpus Christi, Oxford	05	1285
12	Sheffield	08	1285
13	Imperial, London	02	1260
14	Christ Church, Oxford	08	1245
15	Somerville, Oxford	02	1240
16	LSE	96	1215
17	Imperial, London	01	1205
18	Manchester	06	1180
19	Birkbeck, London	98	1170
20	Trinity Hall, Cambridge	06	1150
21	Oriel, Oxford	00	1030
22	Manchester	97	1020
23	Nottingham	98	1020
24	University, London	05	1015
25	Birkbeck, London	03	1010
26	Durham	99	1000

Note. Durham's total of 1450 above does not include the 230 points they gained in the extra highest scoring losers round. This gives them a total of 1680 from 6 games, compared to the 5 games played by the majority of teams in the table. Similarly, St John's, Oxford 2001, would score 990 in this table, but the 300 they obtained in their highest scoring losers round would bring their total to 1290 from 6 games. Finally, the 2009 Corpus Christi, Oxford team were officially disqualified from the tournament, yet I leave their total here for completeness.

The only series winners not to score 1000 points were Magdalen, Oxford in 2004, and Warwick in 2007 who scored 970 and 930 respectively in their 5 games.