Oct 3–4, 2025 · Lyons, GA · 📍 168 Miot St · State championship
Reps: Alan Rothrock, Doug Reid · Prize money: $15,000
HICKORY BARBEQUE COMPANY won Grand Champion at The Real Squeal BBQ & Music Festival on October 3, 2025 in Lyons, GA at 168 Miot St, scoring 703.9428 in a field of 32 teams. COCAMOKE SMOKE BBQ took Reserve Grand Champion with 701.6456. Category winners: Chicken — MAYA JANE BBQ CO. (180.0000); Pork Ribs — Kings BBQ Team (178.8572); Pork — Blue Smoke Q (180.0000); Brisket — COCAMOKE SMOKE BBQ (180.0000). The Backyard Series standings were won by Pop's Little Helper with 349.1772. This is the 10th of 10 editions of this contest on record; the 2024 edition came before it.
Overall totals, every team on the board — tall stacks are where the pack sat.
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
What it has taken to win here, 2016 to 2025 — this edition picked out.
Everything below is read straight out of the results — the number on each card is the one that made it a story.
The ratings favoured the top seed the other 78 times in 100
HICKORY BARBEQUE COMPANY came in rated below the field's top team, Poppa Pig, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 22-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.
HICKORY BARBEQUE COMPANY won the Grand Championship without winning a single meat — 3 calls from 4 boards, best of them 2nd. Consistency beat fireworks.
4 perfect 180s were scored at this contest — every judge at the table handing back a nine.
2 of 10 tracked editions
SMOKE ME SILLY has won this contest 2 times across its 10 tracked editions.
Master Series — Chicken places 3–4: OFF THE CHAIN and Smoke Central BBQ tied on 177.7144 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Master Series — Chicken places 5–6: HICKORY BARBEQUE COMPANY and Kings BBQ Team tied on 175.4172 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Master Series — Chicken places 8–9: County Line Swine and CLAUDE'S Q tied on 174.2628 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: YES, DEAR BBQ (won 2023).
| Date | Where | Venue | Teams | High score | Grand Champion | Reserve Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 7, 2016 | Lyons, GA | Lyons, GA | 26 | 697.6456 | THE SMOKEHOUSE MAFIA | SAUCED! BBQ TEAM |
| Oct 13, 2017 | Lyons, GA | 168 Miot St | 29 | 699.3600 | SMOKE ME SILLY | Uncle Kenny's Take-Away |
| Oct 12, 2018 | Lyons, GA | 168 Miot St | 26 | 703.9772 | SMOKE ME SILLY | SAUCED! BBQ TEAM |
| Oct 11, 2019 | Lyons, GA | 168 Miot St | 27 | 689.6456 | Que'n Stew'n & Brew'n | ANGRY JACK BBQ |
| Oct 9, 2020 | Lyons, GA | 168 Miot St | 37 | 703.9428 | Who Cares BBQ | HOT WACHULA'S |
| Oct 8, 2021 | Lyons, GA | 168 Miot St | 26 | 699.3484 | Uncle Kenny's BBQ | ROLLIN KOLBZ |
| Oct 7, 2022 | Lyons, GA | 168 Miot St | 30 | 706.2516 | Who Cares BBQ | Organizer Portal |
| Oct 6, 2023 | Lyons, GA | 168 Miot St | 29 | 708.5488 | YES, DEAR BBQ | SMOKIN' SWEETMEATS |
| Oct 4, 2024 | Lyons, GA | — | — | — | — | — |
| Oct 3, 2025 ← this one | Lyons, GA | 168 Miot St | 32 | 703.9428 | Hickory Barbeque Company | COCAMOKE SMOKE BBQ |
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Master Series — Chicken | 180 | 175.4172 | 173.1084 |
| Master Series — Pork Ribs | 178.8572 | 176.5600 | 173.1316 |
| Master Series — Pork | 180 | 175.4056 | 174.2628 |
| Master Series — Brisket | 180 | 175.4172 | 174.2628 |
| Backyard Series — Chicken | 174.3200 | 149.7256 | — |
| Backyard Series — Pork Ribs | 175.4400 | 150.9372 | — |
32 entries · top 703.9428 · median 687.6056
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | HICKORY BARBEQUE COMPANY | |
| 2 | COCAMOKE SMOKE BBQ | |
| 3 | MAYA JANE BBQ CO. | |
| 4 | YES, DEAR BBQ | |
| 5 | Blue Smoke Q | |
| 6 | Kings BBQ Team | |
| 7 | Poppa Pig | |
| 8 | COOL HAND QUE | |
| 9 | QMEISTERS | |
| 10 | Pop's Smoke on the Hill | |
| 11 | Bull and Boar BBQ | |
| 12 | Holy Smokes | |
| 13 | ZIPS BBQ | |
| 14 | PeachCoast BBQ | |
| 15 | Going Yard BBQ | |
| 16 | Smoke Central BBQ | |
| 17 | SMOKE SHOW MAFIA | |
| 18 | SMOKIN' SWEETMEATS | |
| 19 | CLAUDE'S Q | |
| 20 | K & E's Little Smokers | |
| 21 | County Line Swine | |
| 22 | Peckerwood Country Club | |
| 23 | OFF THE CHAIN | |
| 24 | Quenut BBQ | |
| 25 | HPO PIT TEAM | |
| 26 | Flying B BBQ | |
| 27 | Sunbelt Grillers | |
| 28 | B-rads bbq | |
| 29 | Sweat's BBQ | |
| 30 | Bolden's Best BBQ | |
| 31 | OLD HENRY'S BBQ | |
| 32 | Chops |
32 entries · top 180 · median 170.8286 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | MAYA JANE BBQ CO. | |
| 2 | Poppa Pig | |
| 3 | OFF THE CHAIN | |
| 4 | Smoke Central BBQ | |
| 5 | HICKORY BARBEQUE COMPANY | |
| 6 | Kings BBQ Team | |
| 7 | Going Yard BBQ | |
| 8 | County Line Swine | |
| 9 | CLAUDE'S Q | |
| 10 | COOL HAND QUE | |
| 11 | ZIPS BBQ | |
| 12 | K & E's Little Smokers | |
| 13 | Blue Smoke Q | |
| 14 | Quenut BBQ | |
| 15 | Bull and Boar BBQ | |
| 16 | HPO PIT TEAM | |
| 17 | Peckerwood Country Club | |
| 18 | Flying B BBQ | |
| 19 | PeachCoast BBQ | |
| 20 | QMEISTERS | |
| 21 | B-rads bbq | |
| 22 | YES, DEAR BBQ | |
| 23 | COCAMOKE SMOKE BBQ | |
| 24 | Pop's Smoke on the Hill | |
| 25 | SMOKIN' SWEETMEATS | |
| 26 | SMOKE SHOW MAFIA | |
| 27 | Bolden's Best BBQ | |
| 28 | Holy Smokes | |
| 29 | Sunbelt Grillers | |
| 30 | Sweat's BBQ | |
| 31 | OLD HENRY'S BBQ | |
| 32 | Chops |
32 entries · top 178.8572 · median 171.9714
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kings BBQ Team | |
| 2 | YES, DEAR BBQ | |
| 3 | COCAMOKE SMOKE BBQ | |
| 4 | Going Yard BBQ | |
| 5 | Bull and Boar BBQ | |
| 6 | Pop's Smoke on the Hill | |
| 7 | PeachCoast BBQ | |
| 8 | Holy Smokes | |
| 9 | County Line Swine | |
| 10 | Blue Smoke Q | |
| 11 | Poppa Pig | |
| 12 | HICKORY BARBEQUE COMPANY | |
| 13 | ZIPS BBQ | |
| 14 | SMOKE SHOW MAFIA | |
| 15 | SMOKIN' SWEETMEATS | |
| 16 | QMEISTERS | |
| 17 | Smoke Central BBQ | |
| 18 | K & E's Little Smokers | |
| 19 | OFF THE CHAIN | |
| 20 | COOL HAND QUE | |
| 21 | MAYA JANE BBQ CO. | |
| 22 | Sunbelt Grillers | |
| 23 | CLAUDE'S Q | |
| 24 | Peckerwood Country Club | |
| 25 | Quenut BBQ | |
| 26 | Flying B BBQ | |
| 27 | OLD HENRY'S BBQ | |
| 28 | B-rads bbq | |
| 29 | HPO PIT TEAM | |
| 30 | Sweat's BBQ | |
| 31 | Bolden's Best BBQ | |
| 32 | Chops |
32 entries · top 180 · median 170.8286 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blue Smoke Q | |
| 2 | PeachCoast BBQ | |
| 3 | MAYA JANE BBQ CO. | |
| 4 | Pop's Smoke on the Hill | |
| 5 | QMEISTERS | |
| 6 | CLAUDE'S Q | |
| 7 | YES, DEAR BBQ | |
| 8 | HICKORY BARBEQUE COMPANY | |
| 9 | Holy Smokes | |
| 10 | COCAMOKE SMOKE BBQ | |
| 11 | COOL HAND QUE | |
| 12 | Bull and Boar BBQ | |
| 13 | K & E's Little Smokers | |
| 14 | SMOKE SHOW MAFIA | |
| 15 | Smoke Central BBQ | |
| 16 | HPO PIT TEAM | |
| 17 | Flying B BBQ | |
| 18 | ZIPS BBQ | |
| 19 | SMOKIN' SWEETMEATS | |
| 20 | Poppa Pig | |
| 21 | B-rads bbq | |
| 22 | OFF THE CHAIN | |
| 23 | Kings BBQ Team | |
| 24 | County Line Swine | |
| 25 | Bolden's Best BBQ | |
| 26 | Sunbelt Grillers | |
| 27 | Going Yard BBQ | |
| 28 | Quenut BBQ | |
| 29 | Peckerwood Country Club | |
| 30 | Sweat's BBQ | |
| 31 | OLD HENRY'S BBQ | |
| 32 | Chops |
32 entries · top 180 · median 171.6914 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | COCAMOKE SMOKE BBQ | |
| 2 | HICKORY BARBEQUE COMPANY | |
| 3 | COOL HAND QUE | |
| 4 | Holy Smokes | |
| 5 | YES, DEAR BBQ | |
| 6 | QMEISTERS | |
| 7 | Kings BBQ Team | |
| 8 | SMOKIN' SWEETMEATS | |
| 9 | ZIPS BBQ | |
| 10 | Poppa Pig | |
| 11 | Peckerwood Country Club | |
| 12 | SMOKE SHOW MAFIA | |
| 13 | MAYA JANE BBQ CO. | |
| 14 | Bull and Boar BBQ | |
| 15 | Quenut BBQ | |
| 16 | Blue Smoke Q | |
| 17 | Going Yard BBQ | |
| 18 | Pop's Smoke on the Hill | |
| 19 | Smoke Central BBQ | |
| 20 | PeachCoast BBQ | |
| 21 | CLAUDE'S Q | |
| 22 | K & E's Little Smokers | |
| 23 | County Line Swine | |
| 24 | Sweat's BBQ | |
| 25 | HPO PIT TEAM | |
| 26 | OFF THE CHAIN | |
| 27 | Sunbelt Grillers | |
| 28 | Flying B BBQ | |
| 29 | OLD HENRY'S BBQ | |
| 30 | B-rads bbq | |
| 31 | Bolden's Best BBQ | |
| 32 | Chops |
7 entries · top 349.1772 · median 306.8112
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pop's Little Helper | |
| 2 | Smoke Street BBQ | |
| 3 | Backwoods BBQ | |
| 4 | B&B Bar b que | |
| 5 | HD BBQ | |
| 6 | Okefenokee Smokies | |
| 7 | Red Stag Tavern |
7 entries · top 174.3200 · median 150.2172
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pop's Little Helper | |
| 2 | Smoke Street BBQ | |
| 3 | B&B Bar b que | |
| 4 | Backwoods BBQ | |
| 5 | HD BBQ | |
| 6 | Okefenokee Smokies | |
| 7 | Red Stag Tavern |
7 entries · top 175.4400 · median 157.1656
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Smoke Street BBQ | |
| 2 | Pop's Little Helper | |
| 3 | Backwoods BBQ | |
| 4 | Red Stag Tavern | |
| 5 | HD BBQ | |
| 6 | B&B Bar b que | |
| 7 | Okefenokee Smokies |