University Challenge results, 1976-1977

These are the results of the fourteenth series of University Challenge which ran weekly on ITV, (probably) starting in December 1976 and ending on 31 October 1977. In Anglia the series was shown on Fridays at 17:15 for the first 12 weeks, then moving to Wednesdays at 17:15, though the semis and finals were on Mondays at 17:15. The running time was 30 minutes throughout.

Once again the first round had a 'winner-stays-on' format, with a team qualifying for the knockout stages if they won three in a row, and the quarter-finals and semi-finals were single-game knockouts, with the final 'best-of-three'. Unusually this series, however, there were eight teams (including Lancaster and Newcastle) that won two of their games then lost the third so only four teams won through to the knockout stages and there were no quarter-finals.

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.

The series champions from Durham were Stephen O'Leary (Mathematics), David Schofield (Geology), Ken Brown (Botany), and Brian Anderson (Anthropology).

Other teams appearing on this series include Brasenose, Oxford; Corpus Christi, Cambridge; Corpus Christi, Oxford; Dundee; King's, Cambridge; Lancaster; Merton, Oxford; Newcastle; Sheffield; Sussex.

Merton beat Sheffield 225-135, and (one source says) Durham beat Sidney Sussex in the first round. Also in the first round, Newcastle beat Lancaster (who had already won two) and Corpus Christi, Cambridge before losing to Magdalen, Oxford. After losing a game narrowly when the person who buzzed was incorrectly identified, Sidney Sussex were allowed to return the following series and went on to win the series. Brasenose, Oxford lost their first game to King's, Cambridge who possibly played Sussex as their next opponent.

Winning teams advancing to the next round are in bold.