Ones to watch: 2005 - Football
Michaelmas term was a story of disappointing mid-table obscurity for Blues football, a trend that the teams will want to reverse in the new term as a a good BUSA finish and Varsity victory become imperative.
The men's side, strong league favourites after relegation last season, have epitomised inconsistency.
A 4-1 demolishing of current league leaders Northampton came just a week after the dismal 1-0 home defeat at the hands of lowly Derby.
In order to put any real pressure on, the teams above the Blues, captained by Mark Addley, are going to have to convert their obvious talent into results.
To their credit, they have started well. Goals from Nathaniel Armstrong and Scott Hartman helped the Blues to a 4-0 win away at Imperial College last week.
The first home fixture of the term is one to relish; a juicy Derby against title rivals Oxford Brookes on the 26th January.
If they can then go on to take revenge against Derby, the final match of the season against Northampton could turn into a promotion decider.
The team's goal for Hilary term must be to end up champions, although such an achievement already looks as if it might have slipped just out of reach.
The women's Blues know exactly how hard their division is, having only just escaped dropping down last year. This season they have failed to show any more promise after a series of heavy defeats.
There has been the occasional saving grace, including a spectacular 8-4 thrashing of St Mary's. A victory in the return leg of that match on 2nd February could prove decisive as Oxford bid to escape relegation for the second consecutive year.
Failing that, captain Charlotte Coles' team will have one final chance against Chichester to save the Blues from the dreaded drop.
For both sides, much will be dependent on whether Addley and Coles can harness the huge potential out of their players.
This term will also see action in the college football leagues.
The Christmas break saw the premier division split in two; Worcester sitting pretty at the top, having so far displayed a talent for coming out on top of close, even games.
St. Catherine's especially will bear testament to the leaders' ability to produce a final result that makes a mockery of territorial and possessional dominance.
However, with three teams all within three points of the lead, the title is still very much up for grabs should Worcester's form or luck slip up.
The ever-threatening Magdalen - ruing defeats to rivals Worcester and St. Hugh's - lie second, free-scoring and unbeaten Queens look dangerous in third, and consistent St. Hugh's are very much in the reckoning in fourth.
Below these four St. Catz can consider themselves unlucky to have been on the wrong side of a number of close games, and are a good enough team to still have a say in the title race.
At the bottom, with only one point thus far, Keble seem likely relegation candidates.
In the First Division, Pembroke are already looking certainties for promotion, lying 7 points clear at the top.
The rest of the division sees nine teams separated by just six points, so intriguingly not even New and Trinity in joint second place can feel totally safe at this stage.
St. Peter's and Lincoln are contesting the top of the second division.
Cuppers has reached the quarter final stage, where premier league Worcester, St. Hugh's, Magdalen and Balliol are joined by first division Pembroke, New and Brasenose and second division Christ Church.
Lower division wins over premiership teams include Wadham's penalties victory over Queens and Pembroke's victories over both Keble and, impressively, St. Catherines.
20th Jan 2005