A new contest record
695.9428
highest overall ever cooked here
695.9428 is the highest overall score this contest has ever produced — past the 687.3024 Mac Attack BBQ set in 2024.
- old record 687.3024
- set 2024 by Mac Attack BBQ
September Fest 2025
Sep 19–20, 2025 · Coldwater, MI · 📍 262 S. Sprage St. · State championship
Reps: Becky Druetzler, Dave Druetzler · Prize money: $3,020
QUE U won Grand Champion at the September Fest on September 19, 2025 in Coldwater, MI at 262 S. Sprage St., scoring 695.9428 in a field of 26 teams. PEACE LOVE & SMOKINESS took Reserve Grand Champion with 689.6224. Category winners: Chicken — QUE U (178.2972); Pork Ribs — B&R SMOKE (175.4288); Pork — Buckeye Blue Smoke BBQ (177.7028); Brisket — PEACE LOVE & SMOKINESS (180.0000). The Backyard Series standings were won by Fire Pig with 349.7028. This is the 2nd of 7 editions of this contest on record; the 2024 edition was won by Mac Attack BBQ; the next was held in 2025.
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.
626.35
median 674.48
695.94 🏆
How the meats cooked
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
- Master Series — Chicken 178.30
- Master Series — Pork Ribs 175.43
- Master Series — Pork 177.70
- Master Series — Brisket 180 🔥
- Backyard Series — Chicken 178.30
- Backyard Series — Pork Ribs 171.41
144.58
180
Winning score by edition
What it has taken to win here, 2024 to 2026 — this edition picked out.
Entries
26
6 judged meats
Top score
695.9428
Winning margin
6.3204
GC over RC
Field average
670.20
626.35695.94
median 674.48 · last place to winner
Tightest race
Chicken
2.2972 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
680.4568
626.35695.94
10th place overall
Field spread
69.5884
winner to last place
Prize money
$3,020
on the line
Double threats
9
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 51%
beats 49% of 4714 Master Series wins in the data
Came back for more
50%
11 of 22 teams from the previous edition returned
Form held
Moderate
ρ = -0.47 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1,566
avg power rating going in · stronger than 51% of contests
Storylines (7 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.
Photo finishes
Tie
closest of 9 calls decided inside half a point
Master Series — Chicken places 5–6: BooyaQ and Team Cookie tied on 176.0000 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Master Series — Pork places 8–9: SMOKIN' OUTLAWS and RedHog BBQ tied on 169.6800 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Master Series — Brisket places 8–9: JaBs and DAT'S BBQ tied on 171.9656 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
- Master Series — Chicken 5–6 · tie
- Master Series — Pork 8–9 · tie
- Master Series — Brisket 8–9 · tie
- Master Series — Pork Ribs 8–9 · 0.0116
A double category winner
2
category wins in a day
Fire Pig won Chicken, Pork Ribs — a double.
- Chicken 1st
- Pork Ribs 1st
How the title was won
3 of 4
meats called to the stage
QUE U took the title on 3 calls from 4 meats, with 1 outright win — their weakest board was brisket at 16th.
- Chicken 1st
- Pork Ribs 2nd
- Pork 2nd
- Brisket 16th
A contest record in brisket
180.0000
best brisket ever cooked here
PEACE LOVE & SMOKINESS turned in 180.0000 in brisket — past the 178.8572 that had stood across 1 earlier editions.
- old best 178.8572
- across 1 past editions
Back to defend
1
past champions back in the field
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: Mac Attack BBQ (won 2024).
- Mac Attack BBQ · 2024
A perfect score on the table
1
perfect 180s
1 perfect 180 was scored at this contest — every judge at the table handing back a nine.
- PEACE LOVE & SMOKINESS · Brisket
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)
This contest over the years full contest page →
| Date | Where | Venue | Teams | High score | Grand Champion | Reserve Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 13, 2024 | Coldwater, MI | 262 S. Sprage St. | 18 | 687.3024 | Mac Attack BBQ | PB&J'S BBQ |
| Sep 19, 2025 ← this one | Coldwater, MI | 262 S. Sprage St. | 26 | 695.9428 | Que U | PEACE LOVE & SMOKINESS |
| Sep 19, 2025 | Coldwater, MI | 262 S. Sprage St. | 14 | 176.5600 | Smoke'N'Stooges | — |
| Sep 11, 2026 | Coldwater, MI | 262 S. Sprage St. | 16 | 694.2632 | Bay 5 BBQ | DAT'S BBQ |
| Sep 11, 2026 | Coldwater, MI | 262 S. Sprage St. | 16 | 179.4400 | Q-Jitsu | — |
| Sep 10, 2027 | Coldwater, MI | — | — | — | — | — |
| Sep 11, 2027 | Coldwater, MI | — | — | — | — | — |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Master Series — Chicken | 178.2972 | 176 | 170.8344 |
| Master Series — Pork Ribs | 175.4288 | 172.5828 | 170.2744 |
| Master Series — Pork | 177.7028 | 171.9656 | 169.6684 |
| Master Series — Brisket | 180 | 173.1200 | 171.4172 |
| Backyard Series — Chicken | 178.2972 | 152 | — |
| Backyard Series — Pork Ribs | 171.4056 | 151.9544 | — |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
26 entries · top 695.9428 · median 674.4800
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | QUE U | |
| 2 | PEACE LOVE & SMOKINESS | |
| 3 | Buckeye Blue Smoke BBQ | |
| 4 | DB BBQ | |
| 5 | B&R SMOKE | |
| 6 | JaBs | |
| 7 | iBQ'n | |
| 8 | SMOKIN' OUTLAWS | |
| 9 | Q-JITSU | |
| 10 | Team Cookie | |
| 11 | BO B Q BBQ | |
| 12 | DAT'S BBQ | |
| 13 | Dino-Q | |
| 14 | RedHog BBQ | |
| 15 | Kalamazoo Pit Posse | |
| 16 | BooyaQ | |
| 17 | Harris Holy Hog | |
| 18 | Bay 5 BBQ | |
| 19 | MAC ATTACK BBQ | |
| 20 | JAYBIRD'S BBQ | |
| 21 | PapaDads BBQ | |
| 22 | Smoke’N’Stooges | |
| 23 | MC Barbeque | |
| 24 | Thin Blue BBQ | |
| 25 | Billy Bob Q | |
| 26 | Murphy's Leftovers |
Chicken
26 entries · top 178.2972 · median 169.0970
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | QUE U | |
| 2 | PEACE LOVE & SMOKINESS | |
| 3 | DAT'S BBQ | |
| 4 | B&R SMOKE | |
| 5 | BooyaQ | |
| 6 | Team Cookie | |
| 7 | DB BBQ | |
| 8 | Harris Holy Hog | |
| 9 | Buckeye Blue Smoke BBQ | |
| 10 | JaBs | |
| 11 | JAYBIRD'S BBQ | |
| 12 | SMOKIN' OUTLAWS | |
| 13 | Q-JITSU | |
| 14 | iBQ'n | |
| 15 | RedHog BBQ | |
| 16 | BO B Q BBQ | |
| 17 | Dino-Q | |
| 18 | MAC ATTACK BBQ | |
| 19 | Bay 5 BBQ | |
| 20 | MC Barbeque | |
| 21 | Kalamazoo Pit Posse | |
| 22 | PapaDads BBQ | |
| 23 | Smoke’N’Stooges | |
| 24 | Billy Bob Q | |
| 25 | Thin Blue BBQ | |
| 26 | Murphy's Leftovers |
Pork Ribs
26 entries · top 175.4288 · median 167.4230
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | B&R SMOKE | |
| 2 | QUE U | |
| 3 | JAYBIRD'S BBQ | |
| 4 | Kalamazoo Pit Posse | |
| 5 | Q-JITSU | |
| 6 | iBQ'n | |
| 7 | MAC ATTACK BBQ | |
| 8 | BO B Q BBQ | |
| 9 | Thin Blue BBQ | |
| 10 | Buckeye Blue Smoke BBQ | |
| 11 | SMOKIN' OUTLAWS | |
| 12 | Bay 5 BBQ | |
| 13 | Smoke’N’Stooges | |
| 14 | Dino-Q | |
| 15 | Team Cookie | |
| 16 | JaBs | |
| 17 | Harris Holy Hog | |
| 18 | DB BBQ | |
| 19 | RedHog BBQ | |
| 20 | DAT'S BBQ | |
| 21 | PEACE LOVE & SMOKINESS | |
| 22 | Billy Bob Q | |
| 23 | PapaDads BBQ | |
| 24 | MC Barbeque | |
| 25 | Murphy's Leftovers | |
| 26 | BooyaQ |
Pork
26 entries · top 177.7028 · median 167.6800
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Buckeye Blue Smoke BBQ | |
| 2 | QUE U | |
| 3 | PapaDads BBQ | |
| 4 | JaBs | |
| 5 | BooyaQ | |
| 6 | Dino-Q | |
| 7 | Harris Holy Hog | |
| 8 | SMOKIN' OUTLAWS | |
| 9 | RedHog BBQ | |
| 10 | DB BBQ | |
| 11 | Q-JITSU | |
| 12 | Smoke’N’Stooges | |
| 13 | PEACE LOVE & SMOKINESS | |
| 14 | MAC ATTACK BBQ | |
| 15 | Kalamazoo Pit Posse | |
| 16 | iBQ'n | |
| 17 | B&R SMOKE | |
| 18 | BO B Q BBQ | |
| 19 | Bay 5 BBQ | |
| 20 | DAT'S BBQ | |
| 21 | Thin Blue BBQ | |
| 22 | Team Cookie | |
| 23 | JAYBIRD'S BBQ | |
| 24 | Murphy's Leftovers | |
| 25 | MC Barbeque | |
| 26 | Billy Bob Q |
Brisket
26 entries · top 180 · median 167.3942 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | PEACE LOVE & SMOKINESS | |
| 2 | DB BBQ | |
| 3 | Team Cookie | |
| 4 | BO B Q BBQ | |
| 5 | iBQ'n | |
| 6 | SMOKIN' OUTLAWS | |
| 7 | Dino-Q | |
| 8 | JaBs | |
| 9 | DAT'S BBQ | |
| 10 | Bay 5 BBQ | |
| 11 | RedHog BBQ | |
| 12 | Q-JITSU | |
| 13 | Kalamazoo Pit Posse | |
| 14 | Buckeye Blue Smoke BBQ | |
| 15 | Murphy's Leftovers | |
| 16 | QUE U | |
| 17 | BooyaQ | |
| 18 | MC Barbeque | |
| 19 | B&R SMOKE | |
| 20 | PapaDads BBQ | |
| 21 | Billy Bob Q | |
| 22 | Smoke’N’Stooges | |
| 23 | MAC ATTACK BBQ | |
| 24 | JAYBIRD'S BBQ | |
| 25 | Harris Holy Hog | |
| 26 | Thin Blue BBQ |
Backyard Series
Overall
5 entries · top 349.7028 · median 319.3828
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fire Pig | |
| 2 | Porkasaurus Rex BBQ | |
| 3 | Smoky J's BBQ | |
| 4 | Bad Larry's BBQ | |
| 5 | Titan-Q |
Chicken
5 entries · top 178.2972 · median 155.3600
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fire Pig | |
| 2 | Porkasaurus Rex BBQ | |
| 3 | Titan-Q | |
| 4 | Smoky J's BBQ | |
| 5 | Bad Larry's BBQ |
Pork Ribs
5 entries · top 171.4056 · median 158.7884
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fire Pig | |
| 2 | Smoky J's BBQ | |
| 3 | Porkasaurus Rex BBQ | |
| 4 | Bad Larry's BBQ | |
| 5 | Titan-Q |