# University Challenge 1998–99

Series 28 of University Challenge ran between 2 September 1998 and 27 April 1999.

## 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 have lost, but survived as highest scoring losers.
* A score in italics indicates a match decided on a tie-breaker question.

### First round

| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Broadcast Date |
| University of Bristol | 245 | 185 | Victoria University of Manchester | 2 September 1998 |
| Balliol College, Oxford | 195 | 200 | University of Durham | 9 September 1998 |
| The Open University | 350 | 145 | University of Lancaster | 16 September 1998 |
| Harris Manchester College, Oxford | 185 | 200 | Selwyn College, Cambridge | 23 September 1998 |
| Birkbeck, University of London | 300 | 110 | University of Warwick | 30 September 1998 |
| University of Portsmouth | 135 | 230 | De Montfort University | 7 October 1998 |
| King's College London School of Medicine and Dentistry | 130 | 170 | Magdalen College, Oxford | 14 October 1998 |
| University of Aberdeen | 255 | 145 | Newnham College, Cambridge | 20 October 1998 |
| Christ Church, Oxford | 150 | 245 | Trinity College, Cambridge | 27 October 1998 |
| St Hilda's College, Oxford | 115 | 215 | University of Wales, Bangor | 3 November 1998 |
| Corpus Christi College, Cambridge | 145 | 280 | Oriel College, Oxford | 10 November 1998 |
| Queen's University, Belfast | 100 | 230 | University of Sheffield | 17 November 1998 |
| Downing College, Cambridge | 160 | 235 | University of Glasgow | 1 December 1998 |
| City University | 200 | 210 | University of Leicester | 8 December 1998 |

#### Highest Scoring Losers play-offs

| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Broadcast Date |
| Harris Manchester College, Oxford | 185 | 200 | Victoria University of Manchester | 15 December 1998 |
| City University | 210 | 300 | Balliol College, Oxford | 5 January 1999 |

### Second round

| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Broadcast Date |
| The Open University | 210 | 200 | Magdalen College, Oxford | 12 January 1999 |
| University of Aberdeen | 75 | 275 | University of Wales, Bangor | 19 January 1999 |
| De Montfort University | 135 | 255 | University of Bristol | 26 January 1999 |
| Selwyn College, Cambridge | 145 | 325 | University of Leicester | 9 February 1999 |
| Oriel College, Oxford | 290 | 170 | Victoria University of Manchester | 16 February 1999 |
| University of Glasgow | 140 | 355 | University of Durham | 23 February 1999 |
| Balliol College, Oxford | 205 | 270 | Birkbeck, University of London | 3 March 1999 |
| University of Sheffield | 190 | 255 | Trinity College, Cambridge | 10 March 1999 |

### Quarter-finals

| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Broadcast Date |
| University of Wales, Bangor | 240 | 170 | University of Bristol | 17 March 1999 |
| Oriel College, Oxford | 335 | 160 | University of Leicester | 24 March 1999 |
| The Open University | 240 | 235 | Birkbeck, University of London | 31 March 1999 |
| University of Durham | 325 | 175 | Trinity College, Cambridge | 6 April 1999 |

### Semi-finals

| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Broadcast Date |
| University of Wales, Bangor | 130 | 235 | Oriel College, Oxford | 13 April 1999 |
| The Open University | 310 | 120 | University of Durham | 20 April 1999 |

### Final

| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Broadcast Date |
| Oriel College, Oxford | 210 | 265 | The Open University | 27 April 1999 |
* The trophy and title were awarded to the Open team of Lance Haward, David Good, John Burke and Sue Mitchell.
* The trophy was presented by Jeremy Paxman.
* Salman Rushdie had been due to present the trophy, but the recording of the semi-finals and final were postponed after Paxman fell ill, and he wasn't available for the rescheduled dates.