A new contest record
692.0116
highest overall ever cooked here
692.0116 is the highest overall score this contest has ever produced — past the 691.3828 KILLER B'S BBQ set in 2013.
- old record 691.3828
- set 2013 by KILLER B'S BBQ
Squealin' on the Square 2014
Oct 3–4, 2014 · Laurens, SC
SAUCED! BBQ TEAM won Grand Champion at the Squealin' on the Square on October 3, 2014 in Laurens, SC, scoring 692.0116 in a field of 25 teams. TEMPLAR TEMPTATIONS took Reserve Grand Champion with 683.3256. Category winners: Chicken — VICTORY SMOKERS (173.1428); Pork Ribs — SAUCED! BBQ TEAM (177.7372); Pork — TEMPLAR TEMPTATIONS (172.5600); Brisket — SAUCED! BBQ TEAM (174.2972). This is the 2nd of 6 editions of this contest on record; the 2013 edition was won by KILLER B'S BBQ; the next was held in 2015.
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.
583.79
median 661.04
692.01 🏆
How the meats cooked
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
- Chicken 173.14
- Pork Ribs 177.74
- Pork 172.56
- Brisket 174.30
134.81
177.74
Winning score by edition
What it has taken to win here, 2013 to 2021 — this edition picked out.
Entries
25
4 judged meats
Top score
692.0116
Winning margin
8.6860
GC over RC
Field average
650.12
583.79692.01
median 661.04 · last place to winner
Perfect 180s
0
Tightest race
Chicken
1.1772 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
666.7884
583.79692.01
10th place overall
Field spread
108.2176
winner to last place
Double threats
6
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 64%
beats 36% of 4723 Master Series wins in the data
Came back for more
50%
14 of 28 teams from the previous edition returned
Form held
Moderate
ρ = -0.46 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1,525
avg power rating going in · stronger than 17% of contests
Storylines (5 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 14 calls decided inside half a point
Pork Ribs places 2–3: TEMPLAR TEMPTATIONS and PIGLET ENEMY tied on 171.9656 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork Ribs places 8–9: BLUE SKY BBQ and REC BBQ tied on 169.1200 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Brisket places 9–10: BLUE SKY BBQ and SMOKIN SKULLIES tied on 167.4056 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
- Pork Ribs 2–3 · tie
- Pork Ribs 8–9 · tie
- Brisket 9–10 · tie
- Chicken 8–9 · 0.0116
A double category winner
2
category wins in a day
SAUCED! BBQ TEAM won Pork Ribs, Brisket — a double, and took the Grand Championship on top of it.
- Pork Ribs 1st
- Brisket 1st
How the title was won
3 of 4
meats called to the stage
SAUCED! BBQ TEAM took the title on 3 calls from 4 meats, with 2 outright wins — their weakest board was chicken at 13th.
- Chicken 13th
- Pork Ribs 1st
- Pork 2nd
- Brisket 1st
A contest record in brisket
174.2972
best brisket ever cooked here
SAUCED! BBQ TEAM turned in 174.2972 in brisket — past the 172.5600 that had stood across 1 earlier editions.
- old best 172.5600
- across 1 past editions
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 4, 2013 | Laurens, SC | Laurens, SC | 28 | 691.3828 | KILLER B'S BBQ | TENACIOUS Q |
| Oct 3, 2014 ← this one | Laurens, SC | Laurens, SC 29360 | 25 | 692.0116 | SAUCED! BBQ TEAM | TEMPLAR TEMPTATIONS |
| Oct 2, 2015 | Laurens, SC | Laurens, SC 29360 | 25 | 687.3368 | VICTORY SMOKERS | THE SMOKEHOUSE MAFIA |
| Sep 30, 2016 | Laurens, SC | Downtown | 26 | 694.7656 | REDNECK SCIENTIFIC | ROCKY TOP BARBEQUE |
| Oct 4, 2019 | Laurens, SC | 119 E Laurens St | 19 | 696.5028 | Smoke on This | RIVER ROAD GRILLBILLIES |
| Oct 1, 2021 | Laurens, SC | 119 E Laurens St | 17 | 695.9316 | Continental Barbecue Co. | REDMULE'S BBQ |
| Sep 30, 2022 | Laurens, SC | — | — | — | — | — |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 173.1428 | 171.9656 | 168.5140 |
| Pork Ribs | 177.7372 | 169.7028 | 168 |
| Pork | 172.5600 | 168.5256 | 166.2400 |
| Brisket | 174.2972 | 169.7028 | 167.4056 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
25 entries · top 692.0116 · median 661.0400
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SAUCED! BBQ TEAM | |
| 2 | TEMPLAR TEMPTATIONS | |
| 3 | VICTORY SMOKERS | |
| 4 | SUE E PIGG | |
| 5 | MIDNIGHT BURN | |
| 6 | PIGLET ENEMY | |
| 7 | CONTAGIOUS Q | |
| 8 | DIVA Q | |
| 9 | QUEOLOGY | |
| 10 | BLUE SKY BBQ | |
| 11 | V QUE | |
| 12 | Hey Good Buddy BBQ Team | |
| 13 | BALD HAWG BBQ | |
| 14 | REC BBQ | |
| 15 | NARD'S BACKYARD BBQ | |
| 16 | SMOKIN SKULLIES | |
| 17 | PIG ON FIRE | |
| 18 | BLUE SUEDE QUE | |
| 19 | HICKORY NUT BBQ OF SOUTH CAROLINA | |
| 20 | Grillin and Chillin | |
| 21 | SMOKE SHACK BBQ | |
| 22 | Thursday's Meating BBQ Team | |
| 23 | The Smokin Grill | |
| 24 | Camo Que | |
| 25 | One Eyed Mule Slow Cooked BBQ |
Chicken
25 entries · top 173.1428 · median 167.9656
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | VICTORY SMOKERS | |
| 2 | Hey Good Buddy BBQ Team | |
| 3 | SUE E PIGG | |
| 4 | TEMPLAR TEMPTATIONS | |
| 5 | MIDNIGHT BURN | |
| 6 | REC BBQ | |
| 7 | PIGLET ENEMY | |
| 8 | CONTAGIOUS Q | |
| 9 | DIVA Q | |
| 10 | V QUE | |
| 11 | SMOKE SHACK BBQ | |
| 12 | BALD HAWG BBQ | |
| 13 | SAUCED! BBQ TEAM | |
| 14 | BLUE SKY BBQ | |
| 15 | NARD'S BACKYARD BBQ | |
| 16 | QUEOLOGY | |
| 17 | PIG ON FIRE | |
| 18 | BLUE SUEDE QUE | |
| 19 | Grillin and Chillin | |
| 20 | Thursday's Meating BBQ Team | |
| 21 | SMOKIN SKULLIES | |
| 22 | One Eyed Mule Slow Cooked BBQ | |
| 23 | HICKORY NUT BBQ OF SOUTH CAROLINA | |
| 24 | The Smokin Grill | |
| 25 | Camo Que |
Pork Ribs
25 entries · top 177.7372 · median 167.4628
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SAUCED! BBQ TEAM | |
| 2 | TEMPLAR TEMPTATIONS | |
| 3 | PIGLET ENEMY | |
| 4 | QUEOLOGY | |
| 5 | NARD'S BACKYARD BBQ | |
| 6 | CONTAGIOUS Q | |
| 7 | VICTORY SMOKERS | |
| 8 | BLUE SKY BBQ | |
| 9 | REC BBQ | |
| 10 | BALD HAWG BBQ | |
| 11 | SMOKIN SKULLIES | |
| 12 | SUE E PIGG | |
| 13 | Grillin and Chillin | |
| 14 | MIDNIGHT BURN | |
| 15 | DIVA Q | |
| 16 | PIG ON FIRE | |
| 17 | SMOKE SHACK BBQ | |
| 18 | V QUE | |
| 19 | Hey Good Buddy BBQ Team | |
| 20 | HICKORY NUT BBQ OF SOUTH CAROLINA | |
| 21 | BLUE SUEDE QUE | |
| 22 | Thursday's Meating BBQ Team | |
| 23 | The Smokin Grill | |
| 24 | Camo Que | |
| 25 | One Eyed Mule Slow Cooked BBQ |
Pork
25 entries · top 172.5600 · median 165.1428
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | TEMPLAR TEMPTATIONS | |
| 2 | SAUCED! BBQ TEAM | |
| 3 | MIDNIGHT BURN | |
| 4 | Grillin and Chillin | |
| 5 | SUE E PIGG | |
| 6 | NARD'S BACKYARD BBQ | |
| 7 | Hey Good Buddy BBQ Team | |
| 8 | QUEOLOGY | |
| 9 | BLUE SKY BBQ | |
| 10 | V QUE | |
| 11 | HICKORY NUT BBQ OF SOUTH CAROLINA | |
| 12 | VICTORY SMOKERS | |
| 13 | DIVA Q | |
| 14 | REC BBQ | |
| 15 | CONTAGIOUS Q | |
| 16 | BALD HAWG BBQ | |
| 17 | PIG ON FIRE | |
| 18 | PIGLET ENEMY | |
| 19 | BLUE SUEDE QUE | |
| 20 | SMOKIN SKULLIES | |
| 21 | Thursday's Meating BBQ Team | |
| 22 | The Smokin Grill | |
| 23 | One Eyed Mule Slow Cooked BBQ | |
| 24 | SMOKE SHACK BBQ | |
| 25 | Camo Que |
Brisket
25 entries · top 174.2972 · median 162.8000
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SAUCED! BBQ TEAM | |
| 2 | VICTORY SMOKERS | |
| 3 | DIVA Q | |
| 4 | CONTAGIOUS Q | |
| 5 | QUEOLOGY | |
| 6 | SUE E PIGG | |
| 7 | MIDNIGHT BURN | |
| 8 | PIGLET ENEMY | |
| 9 | BLUE SKY BBQ | |
| 10 | SMOKIN SKULLIES | |
| 11 | V QUE | |
| 12 | TEMPLAR TEMPTATIONS | |
| 13 | Hey Good Buddy BBQ Team | |
| 14 | HICKORY NUT BBQ OF SOUTH CAROLINA | |
| 15 | BLUE SUEDE QUE | |
| 16 | BALD HAWG BBQ | |
| 17 | PIG ON FIRE | |
| 18 | The Smokin Grill | |
| 19 | REC BBQ | |
| 20 | Camo Que | |
| 21 | NARD'S BACKYARD BBQ | |
| 22 | Thursday's Meating BBQ Team | |
| 23 | SMOKE SHACK BBQ | |
| 24 | One Eyed Mule Slow Cooked BBQ | |
| 25 | Grillin and Chillin |