# University Challenge 2011–12

Series 41 of University Challenge began on 4 July 2011, and aired on BBC Two. Below is a list of the matches played with their scores and outcomes.

## 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 must win one more match to return in the next round (current highest scoring losers, teams that won their first quarter final match, teams that won their second quarter final match having lost their first, or teams that won their first quarter final match and lost their second).
* Teams with yellow scores indicate that two further matches must be played and won (teams that lost their first quarter final match).
* A score in italics indicates a match decided on a tie-breaker question.

### First round

| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Total | Broadcast Date |
| University of Warwick | 220 | 125 | University of Edinburgh | 345 | 4 July 2011 |
| Trinity College, Cambridge | 105 | 225 | University of Birmingham | 330 | 11 July 2011 |
| Worcester College, Oxford | 180 | 190 | Clare College, Cambridge | 370 | 18 July 2011 |
| Queen's University, Belfast | 85 | 235 | Newcastle University | 320 | 25 July 2011 |
| Homerton College, Cambridge | 200 | 205 | Balliol College, Oxford | 405 | 1 August 2011 |
| Christ Church, Oxford | 270 | 105 | University of Bath | 375 | 8 August 2011 |
| University of Plymouth | 45 | 325 | University of Durham | 370 | 15 August 2011 |
| University of St Andrews | 165 | 195 | Merton College, Oxford | 360 | 22 August 2011 |
| University of Manchester | 255 | 70 | Selwyn College, Cambridge | 325 | 29 August 2011 |
| University College London | 185 | 105 | University of York | 290 | 5 September 2011 |
| King's College, Cambridge | 95 | 280 | Queen's College, Oxford | 375 | 12 September 2011 |
| University of Leeds | 220 | 115 | Goldsmiths, University of London | 335 | 19 September 2011 |
| St Anne's College, Oxford | 140 | 205 | Pembroke College, Cambridge | 345 | 26 September 2011 |
| London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine | 155 | 215 | University of Nottingham | 370 | 3 October 2011 |

#### Highest Scoring Losers play-offs

| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Total | Broadcast Date |
| London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine | 115 | 190 | Homerton College, Cambridge | 305 | 10 October 2011 |
| University of St Andrews | 110 | 250 | Worcester College, Oxford | 360 | 17 October 2011 |

### Second round

| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Total | Broadcast Date |
| University of Leeds | 65 | 320 | Clare College, Cambridge | 385 | 24 October 2011 |
| University of Birmingham | 80 | 220 | Newcastle University | 300 | 31 October 2011 |
| University of Durham | 190 | 245 | Homerton College, Cambridge | 435 | 7 November 2011 |
| Queen's College, Oxford | 185 | 200 | Worcester College, Oxford | 385 | 14 November 2011 |
| Christ Church, Oxford | 155 | 215 | University of Manchester | 370 | 21 November 2011 |
| University College London | 220 | 150 | University of Warwick | 370 | 28 November 2011 |
| Merton College, Oxford | 160 | 170 | Balliol College, Oxford | 330 | 5 December 2011 |
| Pembroke College, Cambridge | 280 | 125 | University of Nottingham | 405 | 12 December 2011 |

### Quarter-finals

| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Total | Broadcast Date |
| University of Manchester | 125 | 195 | University College London | 320 | 19 December 2011 |
| Balliol College, Oxford | 160 | 240 | Pembroke College, Cambridge | 400 | 2 January 2012 |
| Worcester College, Oxford | 190 | 150 | Newcastle University | 340 | 9 January 2012 |
| Clare College, Cambridge | 170 | 145 | Homerton College, Cambridge | 315 | 16 January 2012 |
| University College London | 120 | 170 | Worcester College, Oxford | 290 | 23 January 2012 |
| University of Manchester | 330 | 95 | Newcastle University | 425 | 30 January 2012 |
| Pembroke College, Cambridge | 250 | 175 | Clare College, Cambridge | 425 | 6 February 2012 |
| Balliol College, Oxford | 170 | 145 | Homerton College, Cambridge | 315 | 13 February 2012 |
| University of Manchester | 270 | 250 | Clare College, Cambridge | 520 | 20 February 2012 |
| University College London | 235 | 145 | Balliol College, Oxford | 380 | 27 February 2012 |

### Semi-finals

| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Total | Broadcast Date |
| Worcester College, Oxford | 65 | 240 | University of Manchester | 305 | 5 March 2012 |
| Pembroke College, Cambridge | 185 | 125 | University College London | 310 | 12 March 2012 |

### Final

| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Total | Broadcast Date |
| University of Manchester | 180 | 135 | Pembroke College, Cambridge | 315 | 19 March 2012 |
* The trophy and title were awarded to the Manchester team of Luke Kelly, Michael McKenna, Tristan Burke, and Paul Joyce.
* The trophy was presented by Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall at Clarence House.

## Spin-off: Christmas Special 2011

Starting this year, a Christmas special sequence was aired featuring distinguished alumni. Out of 5 first-round winners, the top 4 highest-scoring teams progress to the semi-finals. The teams consist of celebrities who represent their alma maters.

### 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 grey scores won their match but did not achieve a high enough score to proceed to the next round.
* A score in italics indicates a match decided on a tie-breaker question.
First Round
| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Total | Broadcast date |
| University of York | 120 | 125 | University of Manchester | 245 | 19 December 2011 |
| Durham University | 60 | 135 | University of Edinburgh | 195 | 20 December 2011 |
| Magdalen College, Oxford | 130 | 85 | University College London | 215 | 21 December 2011 |
| University of Warwick | 225 | 50 | University of Sheffield | 275 | 22 December 2011 |
| Trinity College, Cambridge | 225 | 80 | University of St Andrews | 305 | 24 December 2011 |

#### Standings for the winners

| Rank | Team | Team captain | Score |
| 1= | University of Warwick | Christian Wolmar | 225 |
| 1= | Trinity College, Cambridge | John Lloyd | 225 |
| 3 | University of Edinburgh | Sally Magnusson | 135 |
| 4 | Magdalen College, Oxford | Alan Hollinghurst | 130 |
| 5 | University of Manchester | Waldemar Januszczak | 125 |
Semi-finals
| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Total | Broadcast date |
| University of Edinburgh | 35 | 265 | University of Warwick | 300 | 25 December 2011 |
| Magdalen College, Oxford | 105 | 160 | Trinity College, Cambridge | 265 | 26 December 2011 |
Final
| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Total | Broadcast date |
| University of Warwick | 60 | 235 | Trinity College, Cambridge | 280 | 27 December 2011 |
The Trinity College, Cambridge team of Robin Bhattacharyya, Daisy Goodwin, John Lloyd, and Edward Stourton beat the University of Warwick team of Vadim Jean, Daisy Christodoulou, Christian Wolmar and Carla Mendonça.