Imperial’s University Challenge hopes dashed in loss to Queen’s University, Belfast
Team’s second loss means they are out of the competition this year
Imperial College’s University Challenge team have lost their second quarter–final match to the Queen’s University, Belfast by 170-180. The loss means the team have been eliminated from the competition, ending their chance at a record sixth win of the popular quiz show.
The round was tense with both teams reaching neck and neck at 170 points each by the last round. However, following a tiebreaker answered by team captain Daniel Rankin, Imperial’s team were removed from the competition.
Host Amol Rajan described the loss as “what a way to go out”, congratulating the team on upholding “the enormous, enormous standards of previous Imperial teams.”
Team captain Matthew Spry described the experience as a “great time”, and commended Queen’s University as a “fantastic team.”
“There’s no shame in going out [to them]”, he said at the close of the round.
The team also lost their previous match to Christ’s College, Cambridge. However, as they had scored the most points of both the second round and the season against Wadham College, Oxford, they were able to compete again for a chance to remain in the competition.
Imperial College previously won University Challenge in 1996, 2001, 2020, 2022, and 2024. The College has the record for most wins at five, followed by the University of Manchester, and Keble College, Oxford, with four wins each.
