# University Challenge 1996–97

Series 26 of University Challenge ran between 12 November 1996 and 4 June 1997.

## 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 |
| Imperial College, London | 200 | 210 | St Catharine's College, Cambridge | 12 November 1996 |
| Queen's University, Belfast | 165 | 135 | University of Wales, Cardiff | 19 November 1996 |
| King's College London School of Medicine and Dentistry | 155 | 135 | Keble College, Oxford | 26 November 1996 |
| University of Manchester | 360 | 40 | Birkbeck, University of London | 3 December 1996 |
| Newnham College, Cambridge | 200 | 155 | London School of Economics | 10 December 1996 |
| Charing Cross Hospital | 175 | 220 | University of Glamorgan | 17 December 1996 |
| University of St Andrews | 215 | 170 | Girton College, Cambridge | 6 January 1997 |
| University of Surrey | 130 | 230 | University of the West of England | 13 January 1997 |
| Corpus Christi College, Cambridge | 240 | 205 | Exeter College, Oxford | 20 January 1997 |
| The Open University | 395 | 85 | University of Wales, Swansea | 27 January 1997 |
| Harris Manchester College, Oxford | 200 | 165 | University of Glasgow | 3 February 1997 |
| University of Portsmouth | 150 | 280 | Magdalen College, Oxford | 10 February 1997 |

### Second round

| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Broadcast Date |
| Magdalen College, Oxford | 195 | 175 | University of the West of England | 26 February 1997 |
| Queen's University, Belfast | 250 | 130 | Girton College, Cambridge | 5 March 1997 |
| Victoria University of Manchester | 200 | 165 | Imperial College, London | 12 March 1997 |
| University of Glamorgan | 155 | 150 | University of St Andrews | 19 March 1997 |
| Newnham College, Cambridge | 125 | 165 | Harris Manchester College, Oxford | 26 March 1997 |
| Charing Cross Hospital | 225 | 95 | King's College London School of Medicine and Dentistry | 2 April 1997 |
| St Catharine's College, Cambridge | 215 | 255 | Exeter College, Oxford | 9 April 1997 |
| Corpus Christi College, Cambridge | 185 | 215 | The Open University | 16 April 1997 |

### Quarter-finals

| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Broadcast Date |
| Magdalen College, Oxford | 335 | 110 | Queen's University, Belfast | 23 April 1997 |
| Victoria University of Manchester | 235 | 150 | University of Glamorgan | 30 April 1997 |
| Harris Manchester College, Oxford | 135 | 210 | Charing Cross Hospital | 7 May 1997 |
| Exeter College, Oxford | 170 | 180 | The Open University | 14 May 1997 |

### Semi-finals

| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Broadcast Date |
| Magdalen College, Oxford | 240 | 225 | Victoria University of Manchester | 21 May 1997 |
| Charing Cross Hospital | 65 | 415 | The Open University | 28 May 1997 |

### Final

| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Broadcast Date |
| Magdalen College, Oxford | 250 | 195 | The Open University | 4 June 1997 |
* The trophy and title were awarded to the Magdalen team of Colin Andress, Gwilym Thear, Jim Adams, and Alison Reeves.
* The trophy was presented by Germaine Greer.