University Challenge 2017-18: Second Round Review and Quarter-Final Preview

OK, so after a rather patchy first round, this year's UC has sprung to life, as most of us expected it to, in the second round, with some great matches, including two I'd say would be excellent starters (no pun intended) for someone who wishes to take up watching the show, and Monday's show, as pointed out on Twitter afterwards, giving us the largest aggregate score in years.

So, who are the runners and riders who we'll be watching for the rest of the series? Well, here they are in order of qualification, along with their total and aggregate scores:

• Emmanuel College Cambridge (340 over two matches, 170)
• St John's College Cambridge (540 over two matches, 270)
• Ulster (505 over three matches, 168.33)
• Edinburgh (335 over two matches, 167.5)
• Bristol (435 over two matches, 217.5)
• Newcastle (385 over two matches, 192.5)
• Fitzwilliam College Cambridge (400 over two matches, 200)
• Merton College Oxford (540 over two matches, 270)

So those are the basic statistics, so what else do these teams have going for them?

Well, Merton and St John's have both accumulated the same points total over two high scoring matches; both are strong on both the buzzer and bonus fronts, and have defeated decent teams in both rounds. On paper, you'd have to fancy both to progress to the semis, and you wouldn't be daft to bet on them being the two finalists, but anything can happen.

Of the remaining teams, Bristol and Fitzwilliam have been fairly consistent thus far, both scoring similar scores in both their matches, and overcoming decent opposition on all occasions, with all four players contributing as well. If odds were taken on who'd be the final four, you'd say these four would probably be the favourites.

Newcastle and Emmanuel have both won their matches largely on the buzzer, Emmanuel's matches having been decided on the final starter and in the opening minutes respectively, while Newcastle won both their matches comfortably, but with very different aggregate scores. Ulster came through the play-offs, narrowly losing to Edinburgh in the first round, then comfortably winning their play-off and narrowly winning a close second round match. So too did the Scots side, who also won their second match by just a point. Both have very similar aggregate scores, the two lowest of the group. These four will probably start as outsiders, but given the caliber of teams they've played thus far, shouldn't be written off totally.

So, we have two obvious favourites, two lukewarm favourites, and four pretty similar teams who are more than capable of springing a few surprises. It's going to be an interesting round, hopefully.

On the diversity front, I'm pleased to inform that only one all-male team (Fitzwilliam) are left in the contest, meaning we are guaranteed at least one woman in the final. And I mean one, as the other seven teams all have just one woman on them, and only one of those is a captain. So we're certainly more diverse on that front than in recent years, but there is still room for improvement.

In terms of regional representation, Cambridge have three teams through, Oxford have one, while Northern Ireland, Scotland and the North and South of England all have one team through. So while we don't have an even split, and the odds of an Oxbridge final are lower than the last three series, where we still ended up with one, the fact the two ante-post favourites are Cambridge and Oxford doesn't really help matters.

All I can hope is that the momentum of the second round carries on, and we can get some great matches in the group phase, and that, like last series, the series doesn't peter out like a lot of the series this decade and remains enthralling to the end.

I'll be back on Monday with my usual UC write-up; I'll see yous then then, I guess.