Who is a student with a chance?

Television viewers have seen North Carolina rivalries unfold on the hardwood, the 50-yard line and even the diamond.

Next month will be no different - just add podiums and subtract the balls.

Four local college students will compete in Raleigh's RBC Center against 11 other students Oct. 1 and Oct. 2 for a $100,000 grand prize in the 2005 Jeopardy! College Championship. The 10 episodes of the show will air between Nov. 7 and Nov. 18.

Sophomore Chris Chilton will represent UNC-Chapel Hill, and three others will play for Duke University, N.C. State University and N.C. Central University: Qinxian He, Peter Ellis and Malisha Butts, respectively.

"We definitely wanted to have local representation," said Grant Loud, a Jeopardy! promotions manager.

The UNC-CH sophomore English and Latin double-major said he learned he was a finalist after being greeted by an ABC camera crew outside his Latin class.

Chilton's journey began at The Streets of Southpoint on Aug. 27 - the third stop of the Jeopardy! "Brain Bus" in the state.

"It's been a tradition at my household for a long time," he said of his experience with the show.

After passing an initial 10-question quiz, Chilton moved attempted a 50-question oral test recorded by Johnny Gilbert, the show's announcer.

"If you can pass that 50-question test, you could - on any night - play enough material to win the show," Loud said.

Only 12 people made it past the second round, Chilton said.

Chilton said he is somewhat concerned about preparing for the show - which is heavy on pop-culture trivia.

"I've been playing the Jeopardy! CD-ROM game to study," he said, which was a gift from his girlfriend.

But as for his forte: "I probably shouldn't say," he said. "It'd be a curse."

His former Raleigh Charter High School Quiz Bowl coach Betsy Newmark, however, can attest to Chilton's strengths.

"He was our go-to guy on art history," she said. "He made a CD where he found a rock song for each state with either the name of the state or a city in the lyrics. He knew all the obscure stuff."

Newmark remembers Chilton's shining moment when a competition against Chapel Hill High School came down to the wire during his junior year.

"The question was, 'Who painted 'Broadway Boogie Woogie?'" she recalls. "As soon as they said 'Broadway,' Chris answered, 'Piet Mondrian.' That was his moment of glory," she said.

If all things go as planned, Chilton could see a similar moment in Raleigh's RBC Center.

"I'd probably put most of the money away," he said. "My roommate wants me to add that I'd probably put most of the money away after taking him to the Caribbean."

 

Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.