Murphysboro BBQ Cook-off/Praise the Lard

2025-09-19 – 2025-09-20 · Murphysboro, IL · State championship

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

Grand Champion: WeQ4u (706.2628) · 56 teams

🥇

WEQ4U

706.2628 · Master Series — Overall

🥈

TRIPLE H BBQ

704.5256 · Master Series — Overall

🥉

BrewsCue

703.3828 · Master Series — Overall

Entries

4 categories

Top score

706.2628

Winning margin

1.7372

GC over RC

Field average

677.26

median 690.49

Perfect 180s

8 🔥

Tightest race

Chicken

1.1428 pts across the top 5

Top-10 cutoff

699.3828

what a walk cost here

Field spread

403.5544

winner to last place

Prize money

$12,700.00

on the line

Most consistent

WEQ4U

avg finish 12.50 across 4 meats

Double threats

teams with 2+ top-5 calls

Widest winning margin

Pork

won by 1.1428 pts — Heavy Smoke BBQ

How hot was the win?

Top 12%

beats 88% of 2715 overall wins in the data

Field strength

1615

avg power rating going in · stronger than 95% of contests

Top-rated in the field

JANKY LEG BBQ

rated 1891 pre-contest

Storylines

🧳 Out-of-towners took the title

WeQ4U took the Grand Championship home to IN.

🔥 A day of perfect scores

8 perfect 180s were scored at this contest.

🏟️ A stacked field

The field averaged a 1615 power rating going in — stronger than 95% of every contest tracked.

🃏 An upset on the books

WeQ4U came in rated below the field's top team, JANKY LEG BBQ, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 28-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	Murphysboro, IL	58	708.5716	The BBQ Bus
2025-09-19 ← this one	Murphysboro, IL	56	706.2628	WeQ4u
2026-09-25	Murphysboro, IL	—	—	—

Official results on kcbs.us ↗

Master Series — Brisket

55 entries · top 180.0000 · median 171.9656 · 🔥 perfect 180

#	Team	Score
1	THE BBQ BUS	180.0000 🔥
2	Glamping Grillers	180.0000 🔥
3	CONTINENTAL BARBEQUE CO.	180.0000 🔥
4	Blinkys Offset BBQ	178.2972
5	THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE SMOKE	177.7144
6	TENNESSEE SMOKE SHOWIN	177.7144
7	ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN	177.7028
8	TRIPLE H BBQ	177.1428
9	RAZORRACKS	176.5716
10	Pappy Jack's BBQ	176.5600
11	JANKY LEG BBQ	176.5600
12	IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ	175.4056
13	Hot Cole's BBQ	174.8800
14	Pits and Grills	174.8456
15	RUB MY RACK	174.2628
16	A & W BBQ COMPANY	174.2628
17	BrewsCue	174.2628
18	T-Rex BBQ	174.2628
19	Fitt'n Ta Que	173.7028
20	BBQ Maestros	173.7028
21	SmartSights BBQ	173.1200
22	WEQ4U	173.1200
23	In Hognito	172.5600
24	GOOD GOOGLY GOO BBQ	172.5484
25	Nice Butts BBQ	172.0000
26	NEVER EASY BBQ	171.9772
27	OWENSBORO PORK PULLERS	171.9772
28	Givey's Que	171.9656
29	Shiggin aint easy	171.9656
30	Cotton BBQ	171.9656
31	Sailor Nicks BBQ	171.9656
32	Justice BBQ	171.4056
33	MAN MEAT BBQ	170.8228
34	Organizer Portal	170.8228
35	Take It Easy BBQ	170.8228
36	Poppa Pig	170.2628
37	Eleven Thirteen Q	169.6800
38	Can Country Outlaw BBQ	169.6684
39	Smokin Suckers	169.1200
40	Ambition Que	168.5372
41	UGLY BABY BBQ	168.5140
42	Bleacher Bums BBQ	167.3944
43	WE WILL ROCK QUE	167.3828
44	Heavy Smoke BBQ	167.3828
45	Lil Bear BBQ	167.3828
46	Bumpy Pickle	167.3828
47	Thin Blue Smoke MS	166.8572
48	Smoke Daddy's BBQ	166.2860
49	Party Q	166.2856
50	HOME FARM BBQ	165.6916
51	Get Your Grill On	165.0972
52	SmokinGhost BBQ	165.0972
53	CCS Holy Smokes	162.8000
54	Dewey, Smoke'm and Howe	161.6572
55	Dry Bones BBQ	161.0972

Master Series — Chicken

54 entries · top 180.0000 · median 173.4286 · 🔥 perfect 180

#	Team	Score
1	Ambition Que	180.0000 🔥
2	Justice BBQ	180.0000 🔥
3	Pappy Jack's BBQ	178.8800
4	WE WILL ROCK QUE	178.8572
5	SmokinGhost BBQ	178.8572
6	Eleven Thirteen Q	178.2972
7	Cotton BBQ	177.7144
8	BrewsCue	177.7028
9	WEQ4U	177.7028
10	Pits and Grills	177.7028
11	HOME FARM BBQ	177.1428
12	Get Your Grill On	176.5828
13	Bleacher Bums BBQ	176.5600
14	Smokin Suckers	176.5600
15	Givey's Que	176.0000
16	GOOD GOOGLY GOO BBQ	176.0000
17	T-Rex BBQ	175.4172
18	BBQ Maestros	175.4172
19	MAN MEAT BBQ	175.4056
20	Sailor Nicks BBQ	175.4056
21	THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE SMOKE	174.2744
22	IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ	174.2628
23	CONTINENTAL BARBEQUE CO.	174.2628
24	Poppa Pig	174.2628
25	Bumpy Pickle	173.7256
26	Nice Butts BBQ	173.7144
27	In Hognito	173.7028
28	Take It Easy BBQ	173.1544
29	Hot Cole's BBQ	173.1084
30	JANKY LEG BBQ	173.1084
31	Shiggin aint easy	173.1084
32	NEVER EASY BBQ	172.5600
33	A & W BBQ COMPANY	172.0000
34	RAZORRACKS	171.9772
35	ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN	171.9772
36	TRIPLE H BBQ	171.9656
37	Dry Bones BBQ	170.8344
38	Can Country Outlaw BBQ	170.8228
39	Lil Bear BBQ	170.8228
40	UGLY BABY BBQ	170.2744
41	Heavy Smoke BBQ	169.6800
42	OWENSBORO PORK PULLERS	169.1084
43	Party Q	168.5488
44	Thin Blue Smoke MS	168.5372
45	RUB MY RACK	168.5256
46	TENNESSEE SMOKE SHOWIN	167.3944
47	Glamping Grillers	167.3828
48	THE BBQ BUS	167.3828
49	Dewey, Smoke'm and Howe	165.1084
50	Smoke Daddy's BBQ	162.8000
51	Organizer Portal	162.7884
52	CCS Holy Smokes	161.6456
53	SmartSights BBQ	155.9656
54	Fitt'n Ta Que	150.1940

Master Series — Overall

56 entries · top 706.2628 · median 690.4914

#	Team	Score
1	WEQ4U	706.2628
2	TRIPLE H BBQ	704.5256
3	BrewsCue	703.3828
4	Pits and Grills	702.8228
5	ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN	702.8116
6	THE BBQ BUS	702.8000
7	THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE SMOKE	701.6804
8	RAZORRACKS	699.9660
9	IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ	699.9312
10	Cotton BBQ	699.3828
11	Shiggin aint easy	698.7884
12	Sailor Nicks BBQ	698.2172
13	CONTINENTAL BARBEQUE CO.	697.6572
14	T-Rex BBQ	697.0744
15	JANKY LEG BBQ	697.0628
16	Eleven Thirteen Q	696.5028
17	MAN MEAT BBQ	695.8968
18	SmokinGhost BBQ	695.3716
19	Heavy Smoke BBQ	695.3600
20	Justice BBQ	695.3484
21	Take It Easy BBQ	694.2400
22	A & W BBQ COMPANY	694.2284
23	Smokin Suckers	694.2056
24	GOOD GOOGLY GOO BBQ	693.6340
25	Hot Cole's BBQ	693.0740
26	Nice Butts BBQ	690.8232
27	Bleacher Bums BBQ	690.7888
28	Poppa Pig	690.7656
29	Pappy Jack's BBQ	690.2172
30	WE WILL ROCK QUE	689.6344
31	TENNESSEE SMOKE SHOWIN	689.0748
32	NEVER EASY BBQ	689.0628
33	In Hognito	687.3944
34	Can Country Outlaw BBQ	686.7312
35	Givey's Que	686.1712
36	Glamping Grillers	685.5768
37	Bumpy Pickle	684.4912
38	Ambition Que	684.4456
39	HOME FARM BBQ	683.3372
40	Organizer Portal	683.2912
41	Thin Blue Smoke MS	682.2400
42	RUB MY RACK	682.1484
43	BBQ Maestros	679.3144
44	OWENSBORO PORK PULLERS	676.4456
45	UGLY BABY BBQ	675.8512
46	Get Your Grill On	675.3260
47	Dry Bones BBQ	674.7660
48	SmartSights BBQ	667.3372
49	Lil Bear BBQ	666.1140
50	Party Q	661.1088
51	Fitt'n Ta Que	658.1024
52	CCS Holy Smokes	650.6628
53	Dewey, Smoke'm and Howe	647.8052
54	Smoke Daddy's BBQ	641.5432
55	Blinkys Offset BBQ	513.1088
56	Watson Beans and BBQ	302.7084

Master Series — Pork

56 entries · top 180.0000 · median 172.2858 · 🔥 perfect 180

#	Team	Score
1	Heavy Smoke BBQ	180.0000 🔥
2	IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ	178.8572
3	Organizer Portal	178.8572
4	Dry Bones BBQ	178.8572
5	Take It Easy BBQ	178.8572
6	Nice Butts BBQ	177.7144
7	Sailor Nicks BBQ	177.7144
8	Shiggin aint easy	177.7028
9	Cotton BBQ	177.7028
10	MAN MEAT BBQ	177.7028
11	Poppa Pig	176.5600
12	Justice BBQ	176.5600
13	THE BBQ BUS	176.5600
14	Eleven Thirteen Q	176.5600
15	Pits and Grills	176.0000
16	SmokinGhost BBQ	176.0000
17	WEQ4U	175.4400
18	JANKY LEG BBQ	175.4172
19	TRIPLE H BBQ	175.4172
20	ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN	175.4172
21	RAZORRACKS	175.4172
22	WE WILL ROCK QUE	174.8572
23	T-Rex BBQ	174.2744
24	BrewsCue	173.7028
25	Can Country Outlaw BBQ	173.1200
26	Smokin Suckers	173.1200
27	Thin Blue Smoke MS	172.5828
28	NEVER EASY BBQ	172.5600
29	SmartSights BBQ	172.0116
30	Hot Cole's BBQ	171.9772
31	THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE SMOKE	171.9772
32	HOME FARM BBQ	170.8228
33	Givey's Que	170.8228
34	A & W BBQ COMPANY	170.2628
35	Bumpy Pickle	170.2628
36	GOOD GOOGLY GOO BBQ	169.6800
37	Bleacher Bums BBQ	169.6800
38	Ambition Que	169.6800
39	CONTINENTAL BARBEQUE CO.	169.1200
40	Blinkys Offset BBQ	168.5716
41	In Hognito	168.5372
42	RUB MY RACK	168.5256
43	Get Your Grill On	167.3944
44	TENNESSEE SMOKE SHOWIN	167.3944
45	Pappy Jack's BBQ	167.3828
46	Fitt'n Ta Que	167.3828
47	Lil Bear BBQ	166.2512
48	Glamping Grillers	166.2284
49	Party Q	165.7144
50	OWENSBORO PORK PULLERS	165.6800
51	Dewey, Smoke'm and Howe	165.1084
52	BBQ Maestros	163.9544
53	UGLY BABY BBQ	161.6456
54	CCS Holy Smokes	157.6800
55	Watson Beans and BBQ	157.0856
56	Smoke Daddy's BBQ	153.6456

Master Series — Pork Ribs

56 entries · top 180.0000 · median 171.9656 · 🔥 perfect 180

#	Team	Score
1	TRIPLE H BBQ	180.0000 🔥
2	WEQ4U	180.0000 🔥
3	THE BBQ BUS	178.8572
4	Heavy Smoke BBQ	178.2972
5	BrewsCue	177.7144
6	THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE SMOKE	177.7144
7	ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN	177.7144
8	A & W BBQ COMPANY	177.7028
9	Bleacher Bums BBQ	177.1544
10	TENNESSEE SMOKE SHOWIN	176.5716
11	Shiggin aint easy	176.0116
12	RAZORRACKS	176.0000
13	UGLY BABY BBQ	175.4172
14	SmokinGhost BBQ	175.4172
15	Smokin Suckers	175.4056
16	GOOD GOOGLY GOO BBQ	175.4056
17	CONTINENTAL BARBEQUE CO.	174.2744
18	Pits and Grills	174.2744
19	Thin Blue Smoke MS	174.2628
20	Sailor Nicks BBQ	173.1316
21	Can Country Outlaw BBQ	173.1200
22	T-Rex BBQ	173.1200
23	Bumpy Pickle	173.1200
24	Hot Cole's BBQ	173.1084
25	In Hognito	172.5944
26	Cotton BBQ	172.0000
27	JANKY LEG BBQ	171.9772
28	Eleven Thirteen Q	171.9656
29	Glamping Grillers	171.9656
30	NEVER EASY BBQ	171.9656
31	MAN MEAT BBQ	171.9656
32	Take It Easy BBQ	171.4056
33	IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ	171.4056
34	RUB MY RACK	170.8344
35	Organizer Portal	170.8228
36	Poppa Pig	169.6800
37	HOME FARM BBQ	169.6800
38	OWENSBORO PORK PULLERS	169.6800
39	WE WILL ROCK QUE	168.5372
40	CCS Holy Smokes	168.5372
41	Pappy Jack's BBQ	167.3944
42	Nice Butts BBQ	167.3944
43	Givey's Que	167.3828
44	Justice BBQ	167.3828
45	Fitt'n Ta Que	166.8228
46	Get Your Grill On	166.2516
47	BBQ Maestros	166.2400
48	SmartSights BBQ	166.2400
49	Blinkys Offset BBQ	166.2400
50	Ambition Que	166.2284
51	Dry Bones BBQ	163.9772
52	Lil Bear BBQ	161.6572
53	Party Q	160.5600
54	Smoke Daddy's BBQ	158.8116
55	Dewey, Smoke'm and Howe	155.9312
56	Watson Beans and BBQ	145.6228