A razor-thin finish
0.5368
points between champion and reserve
Closer than 93% of the 4,710 championships in the data
The Grand Championship was decided by 0.5368 points — closer than 93% of every championship in the data.
- BrewsCue
- BLUE CHIP BBQ
Bands and BBQ at the Point
Sep 12–13, 2025 · Carrollton, KY · 📍 101 Main Street · State championship
Reps: Dave Druetzler, Kent Schuetz, Rachel Schuetz · Prize money: $9,000
BrewsCue won Grand Champion at the Bands and BBQ at the Point on September 12, 2025 in Carrollton, KY at 101 Main Street, scoring 697.0628 in a field of 29 teams. BLUE CHIP BBQ took Reserve Grand Champion with 696.5260. Category winners: Chicken — Blue Smoke Q (176.5600); Pork Ribs — Butts-N-Racks BBQ (179.4400); Pork — HOLD YOUR HORSES BBQ (180.0000); Brisket — BLUE CHIP BBQ (178.8572). The Backyard Series standings were won by Fire Pig with 354.2744.
The contest at a glance (read off the scored boards)
How the field scored
Overall totals, every team on the board — tall stacks are where the pack sat.
167.38
median 677.02
697.06 🏆
How the meats cooked
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
- Master Series — Chicken 176.56
- Master Series — Pork Ribs 179.44
- Master Series — Pork 180 🔥
- Master Series — Brisket 178.86
- Backyard Series — Chicken 177.71
- Backyard Series — Pork Ribs 176.56
- Ancillary — Pork 173.74
- Ancillary — Brisket 172
129.65
180
Entries
30
8 judged meats · 2 ancillary
Top score
697.0628
Winning margin
0.5368
GC over RC
Field average
650.94
167.38697.06
median 677.02 · last place to winner
Tightest race
Chicken
2.2972 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
684.5028
167.38697.06
10th place overall
Field spread
529.6800
winner to last place
Prize money
$9,000
on the line
Double threats
10
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 46%
beats 54% of 4711 Master Series wins in the data
Form held
Moderate
ρ = -0.38 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1,576
avg power rating going in · stronger than 60% of contests
Storylines (6 found in this contest's numbers)
Everything below is read straight out of the results — the number on each card is the one that made it a story.
An upset on the books
25-in-100
shot on pre-contest ratings
The ratings favoured the top seed the other 75 times in 100
BrewsCue came in rated below the field's top team, BLUE CHIP BBQ, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 25-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.
- champion 1650
- top seed 1843
Won without a category win
3 of 4
meats called to the stage
BrewsCue won the Grand Championship without winning a single meat — 3 calls from 4 boards, best of them 3rd. Consistency beat fireworks.
- Chicken 5th
- Pork Ribs 4th
- Pork 11th
- Brisket 3rd
A hat-trick of category wins
3
category wins in a day
Fire Pig won Chicken, Pork Ribs, Pork — a hat-trick.
- Chicken 1st
- Pork Ribs 1st
- Pork 1st
Photo finishes
Tie
closest of 21 calls decided inside half a point
Master Series — Chicken places 7–8: WEQ4U and Cotton BBQ tied on 171.9656 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Master Series — Pork Ribs places 5–6: HIGH ON THE HOG OHIO and WHISKEY WHISKERS BBQ COMPANY tied on 173.1316 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Master Series — Pork Ribs places 7–8: Shiggin aint easy and HOLD YOUR HORSES BBQ tied on 173.1200 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
- Master Series — Chicken 7–8 · tie
- Master Series — Pork Ribs 5–6 · tie
- Master Series — Pork Ribs 7–8 · tie
- Master Series — Pork Ribs 8–9 · tie
A perfect score on the table
2
perfect 180s
2 perfect 180s were scored at this contest — every judge at the table handing back a nine.
- HOLD YOUR HORSES BBQ · Pork
- WEQ4U · Pork
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)
Score distribution
Biggest rating movers (power-rating points won and lost at this contest)
Did form hold? (pre-contest rating vs overall finish — ratings called it if the dots climb to the right)
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Master Series — Chicken | 176.5600 | 174.2628 | 170.8344 |
| Master Series — Pork Ribs | 179.4400 | 173.1316 | 172.5716 |
| Master Series — Pork | 180 | 176.5600 | 170.8344 |
| Master Series — Brisket | 178.8572 | 174.8572 | 170.8344 |
| Backyard Series — Chicken | 177.7144 | 169.6684 | 160.5256 |
| Backyard Series — Pork Ribs | 176.5600 | 170.2628 | 164.5372 |
| Ancillary — Pork | 173.7372 | 168.5600 | 162.8000 |
| Ancillary — Brisket | 172 | 163.9544 | 157.6572 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
30 entries · top 697.0628 · median 677.0168
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BrewsCue | |
| 2 | BLUE CHIP BBQ | |
| 3 | HOLD YOUR HORSES BBQ | |
| 4 | Hot Cole's BBQ | |
| 5 | THUNDER HOG BBQ | |
| 6 | UNCLE TOAD'S COMPETITION BBQ | |
| 7 | WEQ4U | |
| 8 | Butts-N-Racks BBQ | |
| 9 | MUDVILLE BBQ | |
| 10 | Cotton BBQ | |
| 11 | Blue Smoke Q | |
| 12 | HOGGY BOTTOM BOYS, KY | |
| 13 | FLAT BOTTOM BBQ | |
| 14 | Shiggin aint easy | |
| 15 | McQ Smokers | |
| 16 | Bleacher Bums BBQ | |
| 17 | MEMPHIS ORIGINAL BBQ | |
| 18 | HIGH ON THE HOG OHIO | |
| 19 | WHISKEY WHISKERS BBQ COMPANY | |
| 20 | The BBQ Asylum | |
| 21 | BBQ Maestros | |
| 22 | BIG DOGG BBQ - CINCINNATI, OH | |
| 23 | HIGH ON THE HAWG | |
| 24 | The Hogfathers Barbecue | |
| 25 | Pitmaster's Privilege | |
| 26 | Good Grief BBQ | |
| 27 | Loaded Barrel BBQ | |
| 28 | What Up Grill | |
| 29 | IBQN | |
| 30 | Secondhand Smoke |
Chicken
29 entries · top 176.5600 · median 170.2512
Pork Ribs
29 entries · top 179.4400 · median 170.8228
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Butts-N-Racks BBQ | |
| 2 | Blue Smoke Q | |
| 3 | FLAT BOTTOM BBQ | |
| 4 | BrewsCue | |
| 5 | HIGH ON THE HOG OHIO | |
| 6 | WHISKEY WHISKERS BBQ COMPANY | |
| 7 | Shiggin aint easy | |
| 8 | HOLD YOUR HORSES BBQ | |
| 9 | The BBQ Asylum | |
| 10 | MEMPHIS ORIGINAL BBQ | |
| 11 | UNCLE TOAD'S COMPETITION BBQ | |
| 12 | McQ Smokers | |
| 13 | Cotton BBQ | |
| 14 | BLUE CHIP BBQ | |
| 15 | THUNDER HOG BBQ | |
| 16 | BBQ Maestros | |
| 17 | MUDVILLE BBQ | |
| 18 | Bleacher Bums BBQ | |
| 19 | HOGGY BOTTOM BOYS, KY | |
| 20 | Loaded Barrel BBQ | |
| 21 | Hot Cole's BBQ | |
| 22 | HIGH ON THE HAWG | |
| 23 | WEQ4U | |
| 24 | Pitmaster's Privilege | |
| 25 | IBQN | |
| 26 | BIG DOGG BBQ - CINCINNATI, OH | |
| 27 | Good Grief BBQ | |
| 28 | The Hogfathers Barbecue | |
| 29 | What Up Grill |
Pork
29 entries · top 180 · median 169.1428 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | HOLD YOUR HORSES BBQ | |
| 2 | WEQ4U | |
| 3 | Hot Cole's BBQ | |
| 4 | The Hogfathers Barbecue | |
| 5 | HOGGY BOTTOM BOYS, KY | |
| 6 | BLUE CHIP BBQ | |
| 7 | MUDVILLE BBQ | |
| 8 | BIG DOGG BBQ - CINCINNATI, OH | |
| 9 | Shiggin aint easy | |
| 10 | FLAT BOTTOM BBQ | |
| 11 | BrewsCue | |
| 12 | THUNDER HOG BBQ | |
| 13 | UNCLE TOAD'S COMPETITION BBQ | |
| 14 | Blue Smoke Q | |
| 15 | Cotton BBQ | |
| 16 | Bleacher Bums BBQ | |
| 17 | HIGH ON THE HAWG | |
| 18 | IBQN | |
| 19 | HIGH ON THE HOG OHIO | |
| 20 | Loaded Barrel BBQ | |
| 21 | WHISKEY WHISKERS BBQ COMPANY | |
| 22 | MEMPHIS ORIGINAL BBQ | |
| 23 | Butts-N-Racks BBQ | |
| 24 | BBQ Maestros | |
| 25 | The BBQ Asylum | |
| 26 | McQ Smokers | |
| 27 | Pitmaster's Privilege | |
| 28 | What Up Grill | |
| 29 | Good Grief BBQ |
Brisket
29 entries · top 178.8572 · median 168.5828
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BLUE CHIP BBQ | |
| 2 | McQ Smokers | |
| 3 | BrewsCue | |
| 4 | THUNDER HOG BBQ | |
| 5 | Hot Cole's BBQ | |
| 6 | Butts-N-Racks BBQ | |
| 7 | Cotton BBQ | |
| 8 | MUDVILLE BBQ | |
| 9 | HOLD YOUR HORSES BBQ | |
| 10 | MEMPHIS ORIGINAL BBQ | |
| 11 | IBQN | |
| 12 | HOGGY BOTTOM BOYS, KY | |
| 13 | UNCLE TOAD'S COMPETITION BBQ | |
| 14 | Bleacher Bums BBQ | |
| 15 | WEQ4U | |
| 16 | The BBQ Asylum | |
| 17 | WHISKEY WHISKERS BBQ COMPANY | |
| 18 | BIG DOGG BBQ - CINCINNATI, OH | |
| 19 | FLAT BOTTOM BBQ | |
| 20 | BBQ Maestros | |
| 21 | Pitmaster's Privilege | |
| 22 | HIGH ON THE HOG OHIO | |
| 23 | Shiggin aint easy | |
| 24 | Blue Smoke Q | |
| 25 | Good Grief BBQ | |
| 26 | HIGH ON THE HAWG | |
| 27 | The Hogfathers Barbecue | |
| 28 | Loaded Barrel BBQ | |
| 29 | What Up Grill |
Backyard Series
Overall
21 entries · top 354.2744 · median 322.8120
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fire Pig | |
| 2 | SmoQued On Main St | |
| 3 | The Priceless Pitmasters | |
| 4 | Dogpatch Q | |
| 5 | Pullin Out the Butts BBQ | |
| 6 | Uncle Bird O's | |
| 7 | In Da' Pig House BBQ | |
| 8 | Easy E and the Clubhouse Smokers | |
| 9 | Kentucky Kyle BBQ | |
| 10 | Smoke Wagon BBQ KY | |
| 11 | Smokin' Cowboys | |
| 12 | Creek Smoke BBQ | |
| 13 | Uncle Coot's BBQ | |
| 14 | Smoke on the Water | |
| 15 | Jack'd Up BBQ | |
| 16 | Pappy D's | |
| 17 | Kue 2 | |
| 18 | River Rat Smokers | |
| 19 | All Sauced Up | |
| 20 | Dude's Q | |
| 21 | Simplistic's BBQ Team |
Chicken
20 entries · top 177.7144 · median 160.2458
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fire Pig | |
| 2 | Dogpatch Q | |
| 3 | Pullin Out the Butts BBQ | |
| 4 | SmoQued On Main St | |
| 5 | The Priceless Pitmasters | |
| 6 | Uncle Bird O's | |
| 7 | In Da' Pig House BBQ | |
| 8 | Smokin' Cowboys | |
| 9 | Easy E and the Clubhouse Smokers | |
| 10 | Kentucky Kyle BBQ | |
| 11 | Smoke on the Water | |
| 12 | Smoke Wagon BBQ KY | |
| 13 | Creek Smoke BBQ | |
| 14 | Kue 2 | |
| 15 | River Rat Smokers | |
| 16 | Uncle Coot's BBQ | |
| 17 | Dude's Q | |
| 18 | Pappy D's | |
| 19 | Jack'd Up BBQ | |
| 20 | All Sauced Up |
Pork Ribs
21 entries · top 176.5600 · median 161.1204
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fire Pig | |
| 2 | SmoQued On Main St | |
| 3 | The Priceless Pitmasters | |
| 4 | In Da' Pig House BBQ | |
| 5 | Uncle Bird O's | |
| 6 | Smoke Wagon BBQ KY | |
| 7 | Easy E and the Clubhouse Smokers | |
| 8 | Dogpatch Q | |
| 9 | Kentucky Kyle BBQ | |
| 10 | Pullin Out the Butts BBQ | |
| 11 | Smokin' Cowboys | |
| 12 | Simplistic's BBQ Team | |
| 13 | Jack'd Up BBQ | |
| 14 | Creek Smoke BBQ | |
| 15 | All Sauced Up | |
| 16 | Uncle Coot's BBQ | |
| 17 | Pappy D's | |
| 18 | Smoke on the Water | |
| 19 | Kue 2 | |
| 20 | Dude's Q | |
| 21 | River Rat Smokers |
Ancillary
Pork
18 entries · top 173.7372 · median 163.6686
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fire Pig | |
| 2 | Dogpatch Q | |
| 3 | Kentucky Kyle BBQ | |
| 4 | Pullin Out the Butts BBQ | |
| 5 | Smokin' Cowboys | |
| 6 | Smoke Wagon BBQ KY | |
| 7 | Easy E and the Clubhouse Smokers | |
| 8 | Smoke on the Water | |
| 9 | The Priceless Pitmasters | |
| 10 | Pappy D's | |
| 11 | Uncle Bird O's | |
| 12 | Uncle Coot's BBQ | |
| 13 | Jack'd Up BBQ | |
| 14 | Creek Smoke BBQ | |
| 15 | In Da' Pig House BBQ | |
| 16 | Dude's Q | |
| 17 | River Rat Smokers | |
| 18 | All Sauced Up |
Brisket
16 entries · top 172 · median 160.2344
Ancillary categories
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.
Ancillary — Anything But
21 entries · top 180 · median 174.2628 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pullin Out the Butts BBQ | |
| 2 | Kue 2 | |
| 3 | Pitmaster's Privilege | |
| 4 | Shiggin aint easy | |
| 5 | Uncle Bird O's | |
| 6 | BrewsCue | |
| 7 | The Priceless Pitmasters | |
| 8 | HIGH ON THE HAWG | |
| 9 | Loaded Barrel BBQ | |
| 10 | McQ Smokers | |
| 11 | WEQ4U | |
| 12 | All Sauced Up | |
| 13 | What Up Grill | |
| 14 | Smoke on the Water | |
| 15 | FLAT BOTTOM BBQ | |
| 16 | Creek Smoke BBQ | |
| 17 | WHISKEY WHISKERS BBQ COMPANY | |
| 18 | Easy E and the Clubhouse Smokers | |
| 19 | In Da' Pig House BBQ | |
| 20 | Pappy D's | |
| 21 | Dude's Q |
Ancillary — Sauce
28 entries · top 180 · median 171.1256 · 🔥 perfect 180