2025-05-09 – 2025-05-10 · Waynesboro, GA · 📍 Schwank Way · State championship
Reps: ALAN ROTHROCK, DOUG REID · Prize money: $11,150.00
Grand Champion: Optimus Swine (698.2056) · 42 teams
Reserve Champion: 🥈 Kings BBQ Team
Overall totals, every team on the board — tall stacks are where the pack sat.
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
What it has taken to win here, 2014 to 2025 — this edition picked out.
Everything below is read straight out of the results — the number on each card is the one that made it a story.
The ratings favoured the top seed the other 68 times in 100
Optimus Swine came in rated below the field's top team, Organizer Portal, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 32-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.
First to fifth in the overall standings covered just 4.5712 points.
Master Series — Chicken places 2–3: COOL HAND QUE and Kings BBQ Team tied on 178.8572 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Master Series — Chicken places 4–5: Optimus Swine and HalaQyah BBQ tied on 177.7028 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Master Series — Chicken places 7–8: YES, DEAR BBQ and Going Yard BBQ tied on 175.4172 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
Optimus Swine took the title on 2 calls from 4 meats, with 1 outright win — their weakest board was pork at 17th.
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: YES, DEAR BBQ (won 2015), SMOKE CENTRAL BBQ (won 2016), MAYA JANE BBQ CO. (won 2018), ELITE BBQ SMOKERS (won 2021).
This contest was away for 3 years — the previous tracked edition ran on 2022-05-13.
1 perfect 180 was scored at this contest — every judge at the table handing back a nine.
| Date | Where | Venue | Teams | High score | Grand Champion | Reserve Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-05-09 | Waynesboro, GA | Waynesboro, GA 30830 | 42 | 690.7884 | PALMETTO SMOKEHOUSE | WAYLON'S WICKEDLY GOOD Q |
| 2015-05-08 | Waynesboro, GA | Waynesboro, GA 30830 | 39 | 686.1944 | YES, DEAR BBQ | MR.GOODTIME'S BBQ CLUB |
| 2016-05-13 | Waynesboro, GA | Waynesboro, GA 30830 | 41 | 692.4800 | SMOKE CENTRAL BBQ | BALD HAWG BBQ |
| 2017-05-12 | Waynesboro, GA | Schwank Way | 42 | 689.0284 | BOOG-A-LOU SMOKE CREW | KILLER B'S BBQ |
| 2018-05-11 | Waynesboro, GA | Schwank Way | 42 | 691.3372 | MAYA JANE BBQ CO. | KILLER B'S BBQ |
| 2019-05-10 | Waynesboro, GA | Schwank Way | 42 | 689.6228 | SAUCED! BBQ | BARREL FEVER BBQ |
| 2021-05-14 | Waynesboro, GA | Waynesboro, GA 30830 | 42 | 694.2288 | ELITE BBQ SMOKERS | BOOG-A-LOU SMOKE CREW |
| 2022-05-13 | Waynesboro, GA | Schwank Way | 42 | 698.8000 | SMOKE ME SILLY | Kings BBQ Team |
| 2025-05-09 ← this one | Waynesboro, GA | Schwank Way | 42 | 698.2056 | Optimus Swine | Kings BBQ Team |
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Master Series — Chicken | 180.0000 | 177.7028 | 175.4056 |
| Master Series — Pork Ribs | 177.7028 | 174.2628 | 171.9772 |
| Master Series — Pork | 177.7144 | 176.5600 | 171.9772 |
| Master Series — Brisket | 178.8572 | 175.4516 | 173.1200 |
| Ancillary — Chicken | 177.7600 | 173.7600 | 168.6056 |
42 entries · top 698.2056 · median 675.2914
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Optimus Swine | |
| 2 | Kings BBQ Team | |
| 3 | BAD ROOSTER BBQ | |
| 4 | JL Smokers | |
| 5 | PIG ON FIRE | |
| 6 | YES, DEAR BBQ | |
| 7 | MUTTLEY CREW BBQ | |
| 8 | ULTIMATE TAILGATERS BBQ | |
| 9 | Blue Smoke Q | |
| 10 | COOL HAND QUE | |
| 11 | HalaQyah BBQ | |
| 12 | Bubba Grills | |
| 13 | Smoke Central BBQ | |
| 14 | CLAUDE'S Q | |
| 15 | MAYA JANE BBQ CO. | |
| 16 | Going Yard BBQ | |
| 17 | SMOKE SHOW MAFIA | |
| 18 | K & E's Little Smokers | |
| 19 | QMEISTERS | |
| 20 | ROLLIN KOLBZ | |
| 21 | Smoke This | |
| 22 | Elite BBQ Smokers | |
| 23 | Backwoods BBQ | |
| 24 | HPO PIT TEAM | |
| 25 | Mad Dog BBQ | |
| 26 | PeachCoast BBQ | |
| 27 | SMOKIN SKULLIES | |
| 28 | Puck Brothers | |
| 29 | Wine Me, Dine Me and Swine Me | |
| 30 | Organizer Portal | |
| 31 | BARREL FEVER BBQ | |
| 32 | SMOKIN' SWEETMEATS | |
| 33 | STEWBABYS BBQ | |
| 34 | Smoking Fatties BBQ | |
| 35 | Bennetts BBQ & Smokehouse | |
| 36 | Roscoe P Coal-Trane | |
| 37 | OLD HENRY'S BBQ | |
| 38 | Lip Smacking Oinkers | |
| 39 | POOLIE'S BBQ & GRILL | |
| 40 | Hog Wild Butts and Birds | |
| 41 | Palmetto Smoke-House BBQ | |
| 42 | Lick Da Bone BBQ |
41 entries · top 180.0000 · median 170.8228 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | MUTTLEY CREW BBQ | |
| 2 | COOL HAND QUE | |
| 3 | Kings BBQ Team | |
| 4 | Optimus Swine | |
| 5 | HalaQyah BBQ | |
| 6 | ULTIMATE TAILGATERS BBQ | |
| 7 | YES, DEAR BBQ | |
| 8 | Going Yard BBQ | |
| 9 | Smoke This | |
| 10 | Mad Dog BBQ | |
| 11 | Blue Smoke Q | |
| 12 | Bubba Grills | |
| 13 | Smoke Central BBQ | |
| 14 | Organizer Portal | |
| 15 | Backwoods BBQ | |
| 16 | SMOKE SHOW MAFIA | |
| 17 | Puck Brothers | |
| 18 | Elite BBQ Smokers | |
| 19 | CLAUDE'S Q | |
| 20 | PIG ON FIRE | |
| 21 | K & E's Little Smokers | |
| 22 | BAD ROOSTER BBQ | |
| 23 | SMOKIN' SWEETMEATS | |
| 24 | Bennetts BBQ & Smokehouse | |
| 25 | ROLLIN KOLBZ | |
| 26 | MAYA JANE BBQ CO. | |
| 27 | PeachCoast BBQ | |
| 28 | BARREL FEVER BBQ | |
| 29 | HPO PIT TEAM | |
| 30 | SMOKIN SKULLIES | |
| 31 | JL Smokers | |
| 32 | STEWBABYS BBQ | |
| 33 | QMEISTERS | |
| 34 | Wine Me, Dine Me and Swine Me | |
| 35 | Smoking Fatties BBQ | |
| 36 | POOLIE'S BBQ & GRILL | |
| 37 | Palmetto Smoke-House BBQ | |
| 38 | Lip Smacking Oinkers | |
| 39 | Roscoe P Coal-Trane | |
| 40 | OLD HENRY'S BBQ | |
| 41 | Hog Wild Butts and Birds |
42 entries · top 177.7028 · median 168.2630
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | JL Smokers | |
| 2 | Kings BBQ Team | |
| 3 | HalaQyah BBQ | |
| 4 | Blue Smoke Q | |
| 5 | Wine Me, Dine Me and Swine Me | |
| 6 | PeachCoast BBQ | |
| 7 | QMEISTERS | |
| 8 | BAD ROOSTER BBQ | |
| 9 | Mad Dog BBQ | |
| 10 | ULTIMATE TAILGATERS BBQ | |
| 11 | K & E's Little Smokers | |
| 12 | PIG ON FIRE | |
| 13 | Optimus Swine | |
| 14 | Puck Brothers | |
| 15 | Smoke Central BBQ | |
| 16 | SMOKE SHOW MAFIA | |
| 17 | Bubba Grills | |
| 18 | MUTTLEY CREW BBQ | |
| 19 | CLAUDE'S Q | |
| 20 | ROLLIN KOLBZ | |
| 21 | STEWBABYS BBQ | |
| 22 | Smoke This | |
| 23 | HPO PIT TEAM | |
| 24 | MAYA JANE BBQ CO. | |
| 25 | Organizer Portal | |
| 26 | Elite BBQ Smokers | |
| 27 | SMOKIN SKULLIES | |
| 28 | Backwoods BBQ | |
| 29 | YES, DEAR BBQ | |
| 30 | Going Yard BBQ | |
| 31 | BARREL FEVER BBQ | |
| 32 | Lip Smacking Oinkers | |
| 33 | COOL HAND QUE | |
| 34 | SMOKIN' SWEETMEATS | |
| 35 | Bennetts BBQ & Smokehouse | |
| 36 | Smoking Fatties BBQ | |
| 37 | OLD HENRY'S BBQ | |
| 38 | Roscoe P Coal-Trane | |
| 39 | Palmetto Smoke-House BBQ | |
| 40 | Hog Wild Butts and Birds | |
| 41 | POOLIE'S BBQ & GRILL | |
| 42 | Lick Da Bone BBQ |
42 entries · top 177.7144 · median 166.8514
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BAD ROOSTER BBQ | |
| 2 | Bubba Grills | |
| 3 | JL Smokers | |
| 4 | Backwoods BBQ | |
| 5 | YES, DEAR BBQ | |
| 6 | Wine Me, Dine Me and Swine Me | |
| 7 | Blue Smoke Q | |
| 8 | Going Yard BBQ | |
| 9 | Kings BBQ Team | |
| 10 | ULTIMATE TAILGATERS BBQ | |
| 11 | COOL HAND QUE | |
| 12 | PIG ON FIRE | |
| 13 | MAYA JANE BBQ CO. | |
| 14 | K & E's Little Smokers | |
| 15 | Smoke Central BBQ | |
| 16 | HPO PIT TEAM | |
| 17 | Optimus Swine | |
| 18 | HalaQyah BBQ | |
| 19 | SMOKE SHOW MAFIA | |
| 20 | MUTTLEY CREW BBQ | |
| 21 | Lick Da Bone BBQ | |
| 22 | BARREL FEVER BBQ | |
| 23 | CLAUDE'S Q | |
| 24 | Organizer Portal | |
| 25 | PeachCoast BBQ | |
| 26 | QMEISTERS | |
| 27 | ROLLIN KOLBZ | |
| 28 | SMOKIN SKULLIES | |
| 29 | Mad Dog BBQ | |
| 30 | Roscoe P Coal-Trane | |
| 31 | SMOKIN' SWEETMEATS | |
| 32 | Palmetto Smoke-House BBQ | |
| 33 | Smoke This | |
| 34 | STEWBABYS BBQ | |
| 35 | POOLIE'S BBQ & GRILL | |
| 36 | Elite BBQ Smokers | |
| 37 | Smoking Fatties BBQ | |
| 38 | Lip Smacking Oinkers | |
| 39 | OLD HENRY'S BBQ | |
| 40 | Puck Brothers | |
| 41 | Hog Wild Butts and Birds | |
| 42 | Bennetts BBQ & Smokehouse |
42 entries · top 178.8572 · median 166.8170
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Optimus Swine | |
| 2 | PIG ON FIRE | |
| 3 | Elite BBQ Smokers | |
| 4 | CLAUDE'S Q | |
| 5 | ROLLIN KOLBZ | |
| 6 | YES, DEAR BBQ | |
| 7 | MUTTLEY CREW BBQ | |
| 8 | BAD ROOSTER BBQ | |
| 9 | QMEISTERS | |
| 10 | COOL HAND QUE | |
| 11 | JL Smokers | |
| 12 | Smoke This | |
| 13 | SMOKIN SKULLIES | |
| 14 | MAYA JANE BBQ CO. | |
| 15 | ULTIMATE TAILGATERS BBQ | |
| 16 | Smoke Central BBQ | |
| 17 | SMOKIN' SWEETMEATS | |
| 18 | Puck Brothers | |
| 19 | Blue Smoke Q | |
| 20 | SMOKE SHOW MAFIA | |
| 21 | Kings BBQ Team | |
| 22 | HPO PIT TEAM | |
| 23 | K & E's Little Smokers | |
| 24 | Going Yard BBQ | |
| 25 | Bubba Grills | |
| 26 | STEWBABYS BBQ | |
| 27 | BARREL FEVER BBQ | |
| 28 | Mad Dog BBQ | |
| 29 | HalaQyah BBQ | |
| 30 | PeachCoast BBQ | |
| 31 | Organizer Portal | |
| 32 | Backwoods BBQ | |
| 33 | Roscoe P Coal-Trane | |
| 34 | OLD HENRY'S BBQ | |
| 35 | Bennetts BBQ & Smokehouse | |
| 36 | Smoking Fatties BBQ | |
| 37 | Wine Me, Dine Me and Swine Me | |
| 38 | Lip Smacking Oinkers | |
| 39 | Lick Da Bone BBQ | |
| 40 | POOLIE'S BBQ & GRILL | |
| 41 | Hog Wild Butts and Birds | |
| 42 | Palmetto Smoke-House BBQ |
70 entries · top 177.7600 · median 154.5656
Run by the organizers alongside the sanctioned contest. These are judged on their own terms and do not count toward the overall score, so they're kept out of the meat stats above.
30 entries · top 176.6172 · median 155.1200
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lip Smacking Oinkers | |
| 2 | Organizer Portal | |
| 3 | COOL HAND QUE | |
| 4 | QMEISTERS | |
| 5 | MUTTLEY CREW BBQ | |
| 6 | HPO PIT TEAM | |
| 7 | BARREL FEVER BBQ | |
| 8 | MAYA JANE BBQ CO. | |
| 9 | Palmetto Smoke-House BBQ | |
| 10 | BAD ROOSTER BBQ | |
| 11 | JL Smokers | |
| 12 | SMOKIN' SWEETMEATS | |
| 13 | OLD HENRY'S BBQ | |
| 14 | Backwoods BBQ | |
| 15 | K & E's Little Smokers | |
| 16 | ULTIMATE TAILGATERS BBQ | |
| 17 | Bennetts BBQ & Smokehouse | |
| 18 | Kings BBQ Team | |
| 19 | ROLLIN KOLBZ | |
| 20 | Optimus Swine | |
| 21 | SMOKE SHOW MAFIA | |
| 22 | PIG ON FIRE | |
| 23 | STEWBABYS BBQ | |
| 24 | Smoking Fatties BBQ | |
| 25 | Puck Brothers | |
| 26 | Smoke Central BBQ | |
| 27 | Bubba Grills | |
| 28 | Blue Smoke Q | |
| 29 | Roscoe P Coal-Trane | |
| 30 | YES, DEAR BBQ |