Students from one of the UK's most prestigious universities were left baffled and thought Aberdeen and Glasgow were in the Scottish Borders.
The team from Trinity College Cambridge also appeared to think the Old Firm derby took place between Hearts and Rangers in the cringe-worthy incident on University Challenge on Monday night.
Trinity, which was founded in 1546 by King Henry VIII, is among the world's top educational institutions and attracts scholars from across the world.
But the team of four, named Innes, Neogi, Brekke and Kim, were left flummoxed by a question on the Scottish Borders.
Host Jeremy Paxman asked them: "Which town in the Scottish Borders is home to Royal Albert United FC and to a Rugby club that has won the Scottish championship 12 times?"
Bamboozled the team begin naming random football clubs from Scotland.
Conferring among themselves Brekke says: "Hearts, Rangers.."
Neogi replies: "That's the Old Firm derby... which cities, God this is awful- Aberdeen or..."
Voice of reason Kim points out: "Aberdeen is far north."
Neogi again suggests: "Glasgow?"
Kim mistakenly says: "Scottish Borders is like Dumfries and Galloway
An impatient Paxman says: "Come on"
They eventually pass before Paxman gives the correct answer of Hawick.
Despite their ignorance over basic Scottish geography, the team from Trinity romped home to victory beating Durham 190 points to 90.
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