It's two of the most prolific institutions in the Paxman Era - Warwick and Edinburgh.

Edinburgh is the most prolific institution, having appeared in 14 of the previous 17 series - and the last one it missed was all the way back in 1998/9.

Warwick, meanwhile, have appeared in 12 series, though it missed the last one. It did, of course, lift the trophy in 2006/7.

Edinburgh

Disapointing start to the series tonight. Warwick powered ahead of Edinburgh in the later stages, and won 220-125. I doubt Edinburgh's score will be enough for the repechage, which is a shame, as they were a likable team.

Next week, Trinity College Cambridge take on Birmingham!

Apparently, the reason why the opening match is usually good and the losers of it score enough to make the repechage is because the first-round matches aren't broadcast in the order that they were filmed - the producers choosing an exciting one to be the first broadcast.

One presumes, then, that they realised that many viewers found out about this, and thus decided to do things differently in 2008/9 - when not only did Hull narrowly fail to score enough to play again, but also their match against City University wasn't particularly exciting.

Three series later, could we be seeing a repeat situation with Edinburgh?

Quite possibly. I wouldn't rule it out just yet though; after all, Edinburgh's score is only five more than the lowest socre to make the repechage (York's 120 from 2004-05)

Another unspectacular one, Birmingham beating Trinity Cambridge 225-105.

The Brummies built up a decent lead early on and never relinquished it, though they didn't do exceptionally well on the bonuses.

And Paxo hasn't really spat yet at an answer that's way off the mark - though he nearly did so on a bonus asking for a range of hills in Wales, when Birmingham offered the Mendips.

I thought last Monday's match was better than the first actually. And Mr Surgener of Birmingham looks like one to watch.

Great match tonight between Worcester College Oxford and Clare College Cambridge. Worcester started better, but Clare powered ahead in the middle. Worcester recovered, but Clare took it right on the last starter and bonuses to win 190-180! Worcester's score will surely be enough for the repechage.

Yes, the first cracking match of the series.

Those last two bonuses for Clare made all the difference, as both teams answered the same number of starters correctly. Had Clare not got those bonuses, the match would have gone to a tie-break, and who knows what would have happened there?

And Paxo finally showed his true colours when he spat at the suggestion that Margot Fonteyn was an actress.

Next week, it's Northern Ireland versus the North East, as Queen's University Belfast take on Newcastle.

Disapointing match tonight. Started off close, but Newcastle pulled away from Queen's Uni, Belfast late on and won by a convincing 235-85. Newcastle worked well as a team; but both teams spent way too long conferring.

Yep, only 18 starters answered correctly in the entire show.

Paxo was at his very best during the music round, though. It's pretty clear that he hates Eurovision...

Wow, that was a fine match tonight! Two very evenly matches teams and lots of bonuses answered correctly. In the end, Balliol College Oxford beat Homerton College Cambridge by just five points (205-200). Homerton will surely be back in the repechage.

I think we can safely say that Homerton will be back in the repechage, given that it's very rare that a team scores 200 points or more and still loses (although it happened four times in the last series).

But that was definitely the best match of the series so far. Level pegging for the first 10 minutes or so, then Balliol surged ahead and led by 85 after the second picture round, before Homerton made a charge of their own.

Both teams look like ones to watch later in the series - assuming, of course, Homerton come through the repechage.

Next week, it's the turn of the 2007/8 champions, Christ Church Oxford, and Bath.