I did the Oxford Inter College Quiz a couple years back
(the same format at UC, would have been on UC as well if our college wasn't so terrible at paperwork).

In the group stage (groups of 4, first 2 qualify), we won by a hair on the first match (20 points in it), then absolutely tanked in the second (300 to 75). Our last match was the final one of the group, so we knew that we could still qualify if we won it, but there was one problem. It was against Corpus Christi, who were currently destroying everyone in the televised UC (and not allowed to say the final result, but it was pretty clear), due to their captain, Gail Trimble.

We got lucky, the only day before the deadline for the group stages where we could field a team, she wasn't there, and we managed to beat the rest of her team (who, it's fair to say by looking at the scores, were being carried by her). We qualify with a points difference of over 100 against us. And since we beat Corpus, we're actually at the TOP of the group, despite having the (joint) worst points difference.

In the second round, the match goes to a tie break, so we get 3 more questions, of which each team gets one. Then the final break, a single question, which we failed. (the team that beat us then go on to get the largest point difference against them of the competition in the next round)

Not putting this in the main QOTW since it's way too tenuous
( Tedium Alduce me to interlow myself., Sat 20 Aug 2011, 12:48, Reply)