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Tennessee Scholars’ Bowl, an exciting academic tournament featuring 59 teams from high schools in East Tennessee and Southeast Kentucky, begins airing its 39th season Monday, Jan. 9. New episodes air weekdays at 5:30 p.m. through March 29.

Frank Murphy returns as host of Tennessee Scholars’ Bowl for his seventh season. Murphy is an experienced broadcaster, podcaster and improviser in the Knoxville area. For the 2023 season, Murphy has taken on the added responsibility of preparing the questions that he asks the students.

Public, private, parochial and home schools participate in Tennessee Scholars’ Bowl. Tennessee counties represented in the 2023 tournament are Anderson, Blount, Carter, Claiborne, Cocke, Greene, Hamblen, Hawkins, Jefferson, Knox, Loudon, McMinn, Monroe, Roane, Scott, Sevier, Sullivan, Unicoi and Washington. In addition, Bell and Pulaski counties in Kentucky have schools in the 2023 contest.

Lakeway Area schools appearing are Jefferson County Jan. 10 and 30; Greeneville High Jan. 11; Morristown East January 12 and 16; and Cherokee Feb. 17.

Teams of four students answer questions in literature, language, science, art, math, geography, music, sports, history, religion, current events, and more. Each game is a single elimination match. Winning teams advance to rounds of 32, 16, eight, and four before the final two teams compete for the Frank Miller Memorial Trophy and a $1,000 cash stipend in the championship match.

After the first-round games are completed, the “Threshold of 32” begins airing Feb. 15. The “Smart 16” begins airing March 9. The “Educated Eight” begins airing March 21. The “Philosophical Four” begins airing March 27. The championship match will air March 29.

Recent Tennessee Scholars’ Bowl champions include Maryville High School in 2022, Hardin Valley Academy in 2021, Cedar Springs Homeschool in 2020 and 2019, Webb School of Knoxville in 2018, and Farragut High School in 2017.

Viewers who have videotapes or DVDs of Scholars’ Bowl episodes from the 1980s or 90s are encouraged to email scholars@easttennesseepbs.org to have the shows digitized and possibly included in a retrospective for the show’s upcoming 40th anniversary.