Murphysboro BBQ Cook-off/Praise the Lard

2024-09-20 – 2024-09-21 · Murphysboro, IL · State championship

Reps: CAROLYN WELLS, DEBRA GAGE, WILLIAM GAGE · Prize money: $12,700.00

Grand Champion: The BBQ Bus (708.5716) · 58 teams

🥇

THE BBQ BUS

708.5716 · Master Series — Overall

🥈

WE WILL ROCK QUE

702.8344 · Master Series — Overall

🥉

MAN MEAT BBQ

701.0972 · Master Series — Overall

Entries

4 categories

Top score

708.5716

Winning margin

5.7372

GC over RC

Field average

675.42

median 684.18

Perfect 180s

5 🔥

Tightest race

Chicken

1.1428 pts across the top 5

Top-10 cutoff

697.0628

what a walk cost here

Field spread

119.8176

winner to last place

Prize money

$12,700.00

on the line

Most consistent

THE BBQ BUS

avg finish 6.50 across 4 meats

Double threats

teams with 2+ top-5 calls

Widest winning margin

Pork Ribs

won by 3.4284 pts — JANKY LEG BBQ

How hot was the win?

Top 6%

beats 94% of 2715 overall wins in the data

Field strength

1599

avg power rating going in · stronger than 90% of contests

Top-rated in the field

JANKY LEG BBQ

rated 1907 pre-contest

Storylines

🔥 A day of perfect scores

5 perfect 180s were scored at this contest.

🏟️ A stacked field

The field averaged a 1599 power rating going in — stronger than 90% of every contest tracked.

🃏 An upset on the books

THE BBQ BUS came in rated below the field's top team, JANKY LEG BBQ, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 27-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.

Score curves (score by finishing position — steep cliffs mean a spread field, flat lines a knife fight)

Category showdown (top / average / median score per meat)

This contest over the years

Date	Where	Teams	High score	Grand Champion
2022-09-23	Murphysboro, IL	46	702.8344	Smokin' Ghost
2023-09-21	Murphysboro, IL	50	701.1200	Janky Leg BBQ
2024-09-20 ← this one	Murphysboro, IL	58	708.5716	The BBQ Bus
2025-09-19	Murphysboro, IL	56	706.2628	WeQ4u
2026-09-25	Murphysboro, IL	—	—	—

Official results on kcbs.us ↗

Master Series — Brisket

58 entries · top 180.0000 · median 168.5256 · 🔥 perfect 180

#	Team	Score
1	MAN MEAT BBQ	180.0000 🔥
2	Mulkey's BBQ	180.0000 🔥
3	SmokeMasters BBQ	177.7144
4	QUE U	177.7028
5	THE BBQ BUS	177.7028
6	Eleven Thirteen Q	176.5600
7	ALE YEAH BBQ	176.0000
8	Posey County Cookers	174.2628
9	WE WILL ROCK QUE	174.2628
10	ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN	174.2628
11	Nice Butts BBQ	174.2628
12	IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ	173.1316
13	JaBs BBQ	173.1084
14	T-Squared BBQ	173.1084
15	TRIPLE H BBQ	173.1084
16	Matty Macks	172.5600
17	JANKY LEG BBQ	171.9656
18	CHICK HUGGINS BBQ	170.8228
19	LOCAL YOKELS BBQ	170.8228
20	GOOD GOOGLY GOO BBQ	170.8228
21	SCUFFLETOWN SMOKERS	170.8112
22	Bleacher Bums BBQ	170.2972
23	Backdraft Cooking Systems	170.2856
24	Darty-Q	169.6800
25	WEQ4U	169.6800
26	SmokinGhost BBQ	169.1200
27	Fittin Ta Que	168.5372
28	Can Country Outlaw BBQ	168.5372
29	CONTINENTAL BARBEQUE CO.	168.5256
30	MACHETE BOYS BBQ	168.5256
31	RUSTY PIG BBQ	166.8228
32	TENNESSEE SMOKE SHOWIN	166.8228
33	Work Wives BBQ	166.2740
34	Glamping Grillers	166.2628
35	Cotton BBQ	166.2284
36	On The Brink BBQ	165.0972
37	Bumpy Pickle BBQ	164.5372
38	Dewey, Smoke'm & Howe	164.0000
39	HEFTY LEFTY BBQ	163.9428
40	Shiggin aint easy	163.9428
41	DB BBQ	163.3828
42	TWISTED PIG	163.3712
43	POKER SMOKERS	162.8228
44	STICKS & STONES BBQ	162.8000
45	NEVER EASY BBQ	161.6456
46	Wicked Pig BBQ	159.4056
47	Blinkys Offset BBQ	159.3712
48	MUDVILLE BBQ	159.3600
49	T-Rex BBQ	158.2056
50	SWEET CLEAVER BBQ	158.2056
51	Ellsworth BBQ	154.2628
52	Get Your Grill On	154.2172
53	2 Phat's BBQ	153.0972
54	Smokin J's	153.0744
55	Some Day Them	152.5716
56	Party Q	151.9888
57	Serial Grillers	147.3372
58	Cream City Q	142.8000

Master Series — Chicken

58 entries · top 180.0000 · median 173.6914 · 🔥 perfect 180

#	Team	Score
1	GOOD GOOGLY GOO BBQ	180.0000 🔥
2	IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ	179.4400
3	DB BBQ	178.8572
4	CONTINENTAL BARBEQUE CO.	178.8572
5	MACHETE BOYS BBQ	178.8572
6	ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN	178.8572
7	ALE YEAH BBQ	178.8572
8	Bumpy Pickle BBQ	178.2972
9	Wicked Pig BBQ	177.7372
10	THE BBQ BUS	177.7144
11	WE WILL ROCK QUE	177.7144
12	SWEET CLEAVER BBQ	177.7028
13	SCUFFLETOWN SMOKERS	177.7028
14	NEVER EASY BBQ	177.1428
15	LOCAL YOKELS BBQ	176.5600
16	Eleven Thirteen Q	175.4172
17	QUE U	175.4172
18	Can Country Outlaw BBQ	175.4172
19	RUSTY PIG BBQ	175.4172
20	TRIPLE H BBQ	175.4056
21	JANKY LEG BBQ	175.4056
22	Work Wives BBQ	174.8572
23	Matty Macks	174.8572
24	TENNESSEE SMOKE SHOWIN	174.8572
25	STICKS & STONES BBQ	174.2744
26	Glamping Grillers	174.2628
27	HEFTY LEFTY BBQ	174.2628
28	SmokinGhost BBQ	174.2628
29	JaBs BBQ	174.2628
30	SmokeMasters BBQ	173.1200
31	MUDVILLE BBQ	173.1200
32	Darty-Q	171.9772
33	CHICK HUGGINS BBQ	171.9656
34	TWISTED PIG	170.8344
35	Posey County Cookers	170.8228
36	WEQ4U	170.8228
37	T-Rex BBQ	170.8228
38	Nice Butts BBQ	170.2628
39	MAN MEAT BBQ	168.5372
40	Bleacher Bums BBQ	168.0000
41	T-Squared BBQ	166.2400
42	Mulkey's BBQ	166.2400
43	Ellsworth BBQ	165.6684
44	Shiggin aint easy	165.0856
45	Fittin Ta Que	165.0856
46	POKER SMOKERS	163.9428
47	Get Your Grill On	162.2512
48	Party Q	161.7032
49	Cotton BBQ	161.6572
50	2 Phat's BBQ	161.0972
51	On The Brink BBQ	161.0972
52	Serial Grillers	160.5484
53	Blinkys Offset BBQ	159.9656
54	Backdraft Cooking Systems	159.9428
55	Dewey, Smoke'm & Howe	150.2400
56	Some Day Them	147.3828
57	Cream City Q	145.0972
58	Smokin J's	124.3312

Master Series — Overall

58 entries · top 708.5716 · median 684.1828

#	Team	Score
1	THE BBQ BUS	708.5716
2	WE WILL ROCK QUE	702.8344
3	MAN MEAT BBQ	701.0972
4	QUE U	700.5028
5	GOOD GOOGLY GOO BBQ	699.9312
6	LOCAL YOKELS BBQ	699.3716
7	JANKY LEG BBQ	698.1940
8	IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ	697.1088
9	ALE YEAH BBQ	697.0856
10	CONTINENTAL BARBEQUE CO.	697.0628
11	Eleven Thirteen Q	696.5144
12	TRIPLE H BBQ	696.4912
13	ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN	694.7884
14	SmokeMasters BBQ	694.2404
15	Mulkey's BBQ	692.4800
16	RUSTY PIG BBQ	691.9316
17	SmokinGhost BBQ	691.9200
18	SCUFFLETOWN SMOKERS	691.3024
19	Bleacher Bums BBQ	689.1316
20	Posey County Cookers	688.4684
21	TENNESSEE SMOKE SHOWIN	687.9544
22	Matty Macks	687.9200
23	Glamping Grillers	687.9200
24	HEFTY LEFTY BBQ	687.3140
25	WEQ4U	686.7656
26	Work Wives BBQ	685.6800
27	Can Country Outlaw BBQ	685.6116
28	CHICK HUGGINS BBQ	685.0284
29	JaBs BBQ	684.4568
30	Darty-Q	683.9088
31	Wicked Pig BBQ	682.2512
32	MACHETE BOYS BBQ	682.1484
33	NEVER EASY BBQ	681.5884
34	MUDVILLE BBQ	681.0172
35	DB BBQ	680.4456
36	SWEET CLEAVER BBQ	678.1484
37	T-Squared BBQ	677.0056
38	Nice Butts BBQ	670.7312
39	T-Rex BBQ	670.6856
40	STICKS & STONES BBQ	670.1372
41	Fittin Ta Que	670.1256
42	Cotton BBQ	668.9940
43	TWISTED PIG	668.9712
44	Shiggin aint easy	668.4340
45	Blinkys Offset BBQ	667.3140
46	Bumpy Pickle BBQ	665.5884
47	Backdraft Cooking Systems	662.6968
48	Get Your Grill On	659.3028
49	POKER SMOKERS	652.9252
50	Ellsworth BBQ	645.0396
51	Serial Grillers	640.4228
52	Dewey, Smoke'm & Howe	633.5772
53	On The Brink BBQ	632.9716
54	2 Phat's BBQ	631.2572
55	Party Q	630.7204
56	Some Day Them	610.7200
57	Cream City Q	610.6972
58	Smokin J's	588.7540

Master Series — Pork

58 entries · top 180.0000 · median 171.4114 · 🔥 perfect 180

#	Team	Score
1	SmokinGhost BBQ	180.0000 🔥
2	Blinkys Offset BBQ	178.2972
3	THE BBQ BUS	177.1544
4	HEFTY LEFTY BBQ	177.1428
5	RUSTY PIG BBQ	176.5600
6	MUDVILLE BBQ	176.5600
7	LOCAL YOKELS BBQ	176.5600
8	ALE YEAH BBQ	176.0000
9	MAN MEAT BBQ	176.0000
10	WE WILL ROCK QUE	175.4400
11	Mulkey's BBQ	175.4172
12	Eleven Thirteen Q	175.4172
13	TRIPLE H BBQ	175.4172
14	GOOD GOOGLY GOO BBQ	175.4056
15	Darty-Q	174.2628
16	Bleacher Bums BBQ	174.2628
17	JaBs BBQ	174.2628
18	DB BBQ	174.2628
19	Wicked Pig BBQ	173.7028
20	T-Squared BBQ	173.1200
21	CONTINENTAL BARBEQUE CO.	173.1200
22	Get Your Grill On	173.1200
23	Can Country Outlaw BBQ	173.1084
24	TENNESSEE SMOKE SHOWIN	172.5600
25	Posey County Cookers	172.5600
26	Shiggin aint easy	172.0000
27	Work Wives BBQ	171.9772
28	QUE U	171.9656
29	SmokeMasters BBQ	171.4172
30	SWEET CLEAVER BBQ	171.4056
31	Cotton BBQ	171.4056
32	Glamping Grillers	170.8344
33	T-Rex BBQ	170.8228
34	NEVER EASY BBQ	170.8228
35	CHICK HUGGINS BBQ	170.8228
36	JANKY LEG BBQ	170.8228
37	WEQ4U	170.2628
38	Matty Macks	169.6800
39	SCUFFLETOWN SMOKERS	169.6800
40	MACHETE BOYS BBQ	169.6684
41	IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ	168.5256
42	Fittin Ta Que	168.5256
43	Serial Grillers	168.0000
44	ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN	167.9656
45	TWISTED PIG	167.3828
46	STICKS & STONES BBQ	166.8228
47	Cream City Q	166.8228
48	2 Phat's BBQ	164.5372
49	POKER SMOKERS	164.5256
50	Dewey, Smoke'm & Howe	163.3944
51	Backdraft Cooking Systems	161.6456
52	Ellsworth BBQ	161.1428
53	Some Day Them	159.3600
54	Nice Butts BBQ	157.6456
55	On The Brink BBQ	157.0972
56	Smokin J's	155.3828
57	Bumpy Pickle BBQ	151.3484
58	Party Q	149.6112

Master Series — Pork Ribs

58 entries · top 180.0000 · median 170.8228 · 🔥 perfect 180

#	Team	Score
1	JANKY LEG BBQ	180.0000 🔥
2	Bleacher Bums BBQ	176.5716
3	MAN MEAT BBQ	176.5600
4	Glamping Grillers	176.5600
5	CONTINENTAL BARBEQUE CO.	176.5600
6	IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ	176.0116
7	WEQ4U	176.0000
8	THE BBQ BUS	176.0000
9	LOCAL YOKELS BBQ	175.4288
10	QUE U	175.4172
11	WE WILL ROCK QUE	175.4172
12	TENNESSEE SMOKE SHOWIN	173.7144
13	ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN	173.7028
14	GOOD GOOGLY GOO BBQ	173.7028
15	RUSTY PIG BBQ	173.1316
16	SCUFFLETOWN SMOKERS	173.1084
17	Work Wives BBQ	172.5716
18	TRIPLE H BBQ	172.5600
19	SmokeMasters BBQ	171.9888
20	MUDVILLE BBQ	171.9772
21	NEVER EASY BBQ	171.9772
22	HEFTY LEFTY BBQ	171.9656
23	CHICK HUGGINS BBQ	171.4172
24	Wicked Pig BBQ	171.4056
25	Bumpy Pickle BBQ	171.4056
26	SWEET CLEAVER BBQ	170.8344
27	T-Rex BBQ	170.8344
28	Backdraft Cooking Systems	170.8228
29	Mulkey's BBQ	170.8228
30	Matty Macks	170.8228
31	Posey County Cookers	170.8228
32	Get Your Grill On	169.7144
33	Cotton BBQ	169.7028
34	Blinkys Offset BBQ	169.6800
35	Eleven Thirteen Q	169.1200
36	Nice Butts BBQ	168.5600
37	Can Country Outlaw BBQ	168.5488
38	SmokinGhost BBQ	168.5372
39	Darty-Q	167.9888
40	Fittin Ta Que	167.9772
41	Party Q	167.4172
42	Shiggin aint easy	167.4056
43	TWISTED PIG	167.3828
44	STICKS & STONES BBQ	166.2400
45	ALE YEAH BBQ	166.2284
46	MACHETE BOYS BBQ	165.0972
47	Serial Grillers	164.5372
48	T-Squared BBQ	164.5372
49	Ellsworth BBQ	163.9656
50	DB BBQ	163.9428
51	JaBs BBQ	162.8228
52	POKER SMOKERS	161.6340
53	Cream City Q	155.9772
54	Smokin J's	155.9656
55	Dewey, Smoke'm & Howe	155.9428
56	2 Phat's BBQ	152.5256
57	Some Day Them	151.4056
58	On The Brink BBQ	149.6800