It is an honor and a privilege as the NC delegate to GSNN to welcome you to my neck of the woods, Raleigh, North Carolina, the mecca for college basketball (well, half an hour from it, actually) for a different kind of competition. This is Jeopardy!'s annual College Championship, hosted by North Carolina State. So far, Beth Cimini of Boston University and Jayanth Ivengar of Washington-St. Louis are still in the race toward $100,000 and a berth in the next Tournament of Champions for a quarter-mill.

The second place winner is guaranteed at least $50,000 and third-place is ensured $25,000.

Semifinalists are guaranteed at least $10,000, while all tournament players are guaranteed $5000 for participating. Any and all monies, as always, depend on how far the player moves up the bracket.

Here's your third qualifier.

PETER ELLIS Cary, NC Senior, NC State	BEN GOLDMAN Bala Cynwyd, PA Sophomore, NYU	AMANDA WALKER East Wenatchee, WA Junior, Gonzaga

Jeopardy! categories: Name That Roman Emperor, U2 Songs in Other Words, Let's Talk About Six, College-Podge, Podcast Incorporated, A Spanish Inquisition.

Daily Double: $1000 College-Podge. Ben ($1800 to Peter's $3200 and Amanda's $1400) pulls the trigger for all the marbles. The clue: the second "S" in LSUS stands for this city. Ben's response: "What is Seattle?" Correct response: What is Shreveport? Ben has nothing.

End of round:
Peter - $3600
Ben - $200
Amanda - $3000

Double Jeopardy! categories: Raleigh, Movie Stars Go to Work, American Lit, Wolf (Blitzer) Pack, Rocket Science, "B" Plus.

Daily Double #1: $1200 American Lit. Amanda ($4200 to Peter's $3400 and Ben's $200) bets $1200. The clue: the title of this novel refers to "a small log building, close adjoining to 'the house'... his master's dwelling". Amanda's response: blank. Correct response: "What is 'Uncle Tom's Cabin?'" Amanda drops to $3000.

Daily Double #2: $2000 Wolf (Blitzer) Pack. Ben ($8600 to Amanda's $10,200 and Peter's $9200) bets $2000. The clue: in 1991 Wolf returned to Moscow to cover this new Russian president. Ben's response: "Who is Boris Yeltsin?" Right for $10,600.

End of round:
Peter - $9200
Ben - $14,600
Amanda - $11,800

As a reminder, the winner comes back next week automatically, while the rest of the players must vie for four wild card slots.

Final Jeopardy! category: State Capitals. 5 state capitals, all of them on or west of the Mississippi, begin with these 2 letters. Correct response: What are S & A?

Peter's question: What is SA? (RIGHT) Wager: $6000. Final score: $15,200.
Amanda's question: What are SA? (RIGHT) Wager: $3000. Final score: $14,800.
Ben's question: What are  (WRONG) Wager: $4600. Final score: $10,000.

Wager is very much a factor in this game, and the person who, not so much played better, but knew the game enough to bet for the win, stands a better chance at making the finals. That would be Ben, because he gave the go-ahead play to take Peter. The only thing missing, the correct answer. And I'm not just saying so because I hate State with a passion. But if you look at the wagers, you will see that.

Bracketology: Amanda is now the money leader with $14,800, knocking Christopher out of contention, while Antonia is still in it with $11,000. Ben ties Alison with $10,000, meaning that Malisha is also out. But depending on the next couple of days, both Ben and Alison are now in the danger zone.