University Challenge results, 1971-72
These are the results of the ninth series of University Challenge which ran weekly on ITV, starting in the week of 17 October 1971 and ending on 23 July 1972, running for 41 shows. In Anglia the series was shown on Sunday afternoons at 14:15 or 13:20 with a running time of 30 minutes.
Once again the first round had a 'winner-stays-on' format, with a team qualifying for the quarter-finals if they won three in a row, and the quarter-finals and semi-finals were single-game knockouts, with the final 'best-of-three'.
For the whole of the Bamber era TV schedules differed between the different ITV regions, and the show was often broadcast at different times and on different days in different parts of the country, and sometimes the regions were even a week or two out of sync with each other. Where the date differed, I try to use the date the show was broadcast in the Anglia region in the tables.
There are many gaps that I've been unable to find, so please do contact me if you can assist.
| First round | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17/10/1971 | ||||
| 24/10/1971 | ||||
| 31/10/1971 | ||||
| 07/11/1971 | ||||
| 14/11/1971 | ||||
| 21/11/1971 | ||||
| 28/11/1971 | ||||
| 05/12/1971 | Merton, Oxford | Trinity, Cambridge | ||
| 12/12/1971 | Merton, Oxford | 220 | 150 | St David's, Lampeter |
| 19/12/1971 | ||||
| 02/01/1972 | ||||
| 09/01/1972 | ||||
| 16/01/1972 | ||||
| 23/01/1972 | ||||
| 30/01/1972 | ||||
| 06/02/1972 | ||||
| 13/02/1972 | Peterhouse, Cambridge | Imperial, London | ||
| 20/02/1972 | Peterhouse, Cambridge | 370 | 70 | Oriel, Oxford |
| 27/02/1972 | ||||
| 05/03/1972 | ||||
| 12/03/1972 | ||||
| 19/03/1972 | ||||
| 26/03/1972 | ||||
| 02/04/1972 | ||||
| 09/04/1972 | ||||
| 16/04/1972 | ||||
| 23/04/1972 | ||||
| 30/04/1972 | ||||
| 07/05/1972 | ||||
| 14/05/1972 | ||||
| Quarter-finals | ||||
| 21/05/1972 | ||||
| 28/05/1972 | ||||
| 04/06/1972 | ||||
| 11/06/1972 | ||||
| Semi-finals | ||||
| 18/06/1972 | University, Oxford | Merton, Oxford | ||
| 25/06/1972 | Nottingham | Keble, Oxford | ||
| 02/07/1972 | Nottingham | Keble, Oxford | ||
| Final | ||||
| 09/07/1972 | University, Oxford | 255 | 150 | Keble, Oxford |
| 16/07/1972 | University, Oxford | Keble, Oxford | ||
| 23/07/1972 | University, Oxford | Keble, Oxford | ||
The series champions from University College, Oxford were Robert Davidson (Chemistry), Jeremy Stone (PPE), Derek Chambers (History), and Frank Booth (Medicine). Their prize for the college was a set of nineteen etchings by Elizabeth Frink inspired by Chaucer's Canterbury Tales.
Other teams appearing on this series include Christ Church, Oxford; Emmanuel, Cambridge (with writer Sebastian Faulks, and who lost their first game); Girton, Cambridge; Leeds; Magdalene, Cambridge; Open; Reading; Trinity Hall, Cambridge; University, London; Wadham, Oxford.
Univ's quarter-final was against Peterhouse, Cambridge winning by only 5 points. Girton, Cambridge beat Reading in one of the first round matches. Wadham, Oxford beat Trinity Hall, Cambridge in their first game, who had just beaten Open. That show, filmed in July 1971 was broadcast in January 1972. They then beat Leeds before losing to Peterhouse, Cambridge. Magdalene, Cambridge beat Christ Church, Oxford in their first game, losing their second to Keble, Oxford. University, London lost their only game to Keble by five points, but a mistake in a question meant they were invited back for the next series.
Winning teams advancing to the next round are in bold.