Two-time champion Mark Williams tackles Mark Davis and 2002 winner Peter Ebdon meets Jamie Cope.
Prof Ebdon said universities were independent, autonomous organisations and liked that to be respected.
O'Sullivan faces Stephen Maguire, while Ebdon is up against Dave Harold - both first-round matches on Monday.
It has also alarmed the heads of the universities most likely to be targeted by Mr Ebdon.
Last year, Ebdon added to his reputation as snooker's man apart by emigrating with his family to Dubai.
Ebdon told the BBC his decision was partly down to tax reasons, low crime rates and good weather.
Several players, including defending champion Peter Ebdon, had expressed worries that the tables were playing differently to normal.
The second of Thursday's games was a scrappy affair, with Cope and Ebdon frequently undone by simple pots.
Former champion Peter Ebdon battled back from 5-2 down to trail debutant Jamie Cope 5-4 after their first session.
Les Ebdon had been put forward by ministers as their preference for director of the Office for Fair Access.
Prof Ebdon said he would hopefully never have to press the "nuclear button".
Prof Ebdon's appointment was supported by "all" his cabinet colleagues, he told MPs.
Ebdon will be hoping for a repeat of the form he showed at the last month's Masters when he reached the semi-finals.
Peter Ebdon and Joe Swail are the other two players already through.
Professor Les Ebdon, the new head of the Office for Fair Access (Offa), has urged universities to set themselves "challenging" admissions targets.
Prof Ebdon has re-stated his continued interest in running Offa and says he is awaiting the decision of the secretary of state.
But he missed a good early opening in the next, and a run of 43 took Ebdon to the brink of victory.
BBC: Peter Ebdon holds aloft the Maplin UK Championship trophy
World Championship runner-up Peter Ebdon was beaten 3-2 by Gloucester's Robert Milkins.
BBC: SPORT | Other Sport... | Snooker | O'Sullivan beats Davis in opener
Meanwhile, in Group Four, Mark Williams and Peter Ebdon drew 3-3 to rule themselves out of the running for a last four spot.
Responding, Mr Cable said the committee's report was purely advisory, and he insisted that Prof Ebdon was the right choice for the job.
And the conference also heard about measures to maintain access to the UK's universities, from Les Ebdon, director of the Office for Fair Access.
Explaining their rejection, the MPs said they "were not convinced by Professor Ebdon's descriptions of the root causes of the obstacles to accessing universities".
"The standard he played to beat John Higgins at the Masters was very high, " said Ebdon, ahead of the Dublin event that begins on Sunday.
It is 10 years since Hendry won his fifth UK title, and he would equal Steve Davis' record of six titles if he beats Ebdon.
BBC: SPORT | Other Sport... | Snooker | Hendry shows class to reach final
Ebdon needed two snookers in the final frame but after getting them he was snookered himself and dropped to the ground in despair in Glasgow.
The appointment is controversial, not least because Mr Cable overruled the decision of a Commons select committee that had declined to approve Mr Ebdon's appointment.
The most blatant example came in the second frame when Ebdon, on 122, missed a very pot-able green to end his bid for a maximum 147.
The Essex left-hander will be hoping to mark his 30th birthday on Sunday with a win over Peter Ebdon, who beat Quinten Hann in the other semi-final.
BBC: SPORT | Other Sport | Snooker | King breezes past Doherty
MPs on the Business, Innovation and Skills Committee opposed Prof Ebdon's appointment to the Office for Fair Access (Offa), but Mr Cable rejected their attempts to block him.
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