# University Challenge 2009–10

Series 39 of University Challenge began on 6 July 2009 and aired on BBC Two. Below is a list of the matches played with their scores and outcomes.

## Schedule

The series comprised 37 matches over five rounds, airing between July 2009 and April 2010.
| Round | Dates | Matches | Teams | Change |
| First Round | 6 July 2009 – 26 October 2009 | 14 + 2 | 28 | 28→16 |
| Second Round | 2 November 2009 – 21 December 2009 | 8 | 16 | 16→8 |
| Quarter-finals | 4 January 2010 – 15 March 2010 | 8 + 2 | 8 | 8→4 |
| Semi-finals | 22 March 2010 – 29 March 2010 | 2 | 4 | 4→2 |

## Format

The format of the show changed for the first time in many years. The quarter-finals were not a straight knock-out competition but involved a variant on the Swiss pairs format. Each of the eight teams that reached the quarter-final stage played two matches. Any team who won both of these matches progressed immediately to the semi-final; any team losing both were eliminated from the competition. The four remaining teams engaged in an additional play-off round for the other two semi-final places.

## 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.
* Orange scores indicate a further match must be played and won (highest scoring first round 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).
* 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 |
| Christ's College, Cambridge | 170 | 200 | University of Warwick | 370 | 6 July 2009 |
| Royal Veterinary College | 60 | 235 | University of Manchester | 295 | 13 July 2009 |
| Loughborough University | 205 | 175 | University College London | 380 | 20 July 2009 |
| Clare College, Cambridge | 165 | 215 | Jesus College, Oxford | 380 | 27 July 2009 |
| University of Nottingham | 145 | 180 | Girton College, Cambridge | 325 | 3 August 2009 |
| University of Edinburgh | 170 | 155 | University of Central Lancashire | 325 | 10 August 2009 |
| King's College London | 155 | 140 | Cardiff University | 295 | 24 August 2009 |
| Newnham College, Cambridge | 260 | 120 | University of Sussex | 380 | 31 August 2009 |
| Imperial College London | 175 | 135 | University of Southampton | 310 | 7 September 2009 |
| St John's College, Oxford | 270 | 90 | Durham University | 360 | 14 September 2009 |
| Magdalene College, Cambridge | 135 | 145 | St Hugh's College, Oxford | 270 | 21 September 2009 |
| University of York | 55 | 200 | St George's, University of London | 255 | 28 September 2009 |
| University of St Andrews | 255 | 150 | Somerville College, Oxford | 405 | 5 October 2009 |
| Emmanuel College, Cambridge | 165 | 205 | Regent's Park College, Oxford | 370 | 12 October 2009 |

#### Highest Scoring Losers play-offs

| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Total | Broadcast Date |
| University College London | 220 | 145 | Clare College, Cambridge | 365 | 19 October 2009 |
| Christ's College, Cambridge | 105 | 280 | Emmanuel College, Cambridge | 385 | 26 October 2009 |

### Second round

| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Total | Broadcast Date |
| Girton College, Cambridge | 170 | 160 | St George's, University of London | 330 | 2 November 2009 |
| Newnham College, Cambridge | 110 | 185 | University of St Andrews | 295 | 9 November 2009 |
| St John's College, Oxford | 220 | 190 | Loughborough University | 410 | 16 November 2009 |
| University College London | 185 | 260 | Emmanuel College, Cambridge | 445 | 23 November 2009 |
| Imperial College London | 280 | 80 | St Hugh's College, Oxford | 360 | 30 November 2009 |
| Jesus College, Oxford | 200 | 170 | University of Warwick | 370 | 7 December 2009 |
| University of Edinburgh | 170 | 150 | Regent's Park College, Oxford | 320 | 14 December 2009 |
| University of Manchester | 210 | 90 | King's College London | 300 | 21 December 2009 |

### Quarter-finals

| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Total | Broadcast Date |
| St John's College, Oxford | 280 | 55 | Girton College, Cambridge | 335 | 4 January 2010 |
| University of St Andrews | 50 | 195 | University of Manchester | 245 | 11 January 2010 |
| Imperial College London | 240 | 110 | University of Edinburgh | 350 | 18 January 2010 |
| Jesus College, Oxford | 125 | 280 | Emmanuel College, Cambridge | 405 | 25 January 2010 |
| St John's College, Oxford | 150 | 140 | University of Manchester | 290 | 1 February 2010 |
| Girton College, Cambridge | 140 | 115 | University of St Andrews | 255 | 8 February 2010 |
| Imperial College London | 160 | 275 | Emmanuel College, Cambridge | 435 | 15 February 2010 |
| University of Edinburgh | 195 | 185 | Jesus College, Oxford | 380 | 22 February 2010 |
| University of Manchester | 170 | 165 | University of Edinburgh | 335 | 1 March 2010 |
| Girton College, Cambridge | 100 | 200 | Imperial College London | 300 | 15 March 2010 |

### Semi-finals

| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Total | Broadcast Date |
| St John's College, Oxford | 260 | 170 | Imperial College London | 430 | 22 March 2010 |
| Emmanuel College, Cambridge | 315 | 120 | University of Manchester | 435 | 29 March 2010 |

### Final

| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Total | Broadcast Date |
| St John's College, Oxford | 100 | 315 | Emmanuel College, Cambridge | 415 | 5 April 2010 |
* The trophy and title were awarded to the Emmanuel team of Andy Hastings, Jenny Harris, Alexander Guttenplan, and Josh Scott.
* The trophy was presented by Carol Ann Duffy.