Decided by a tiebreaker
Tie
identical totals at the top
The top two teams finished on identical totals — the Grand Championship came down to the KCBS tiebreaker rules.
Tony Stone-Cookeville Cookoff
2015-09-11 – 2015-09-12 · Cookeville, TN · 📍 Cookeville, TN 38506
Grand Champion: WARREN COUNTY PORK CHOPPERS (702.2400) · 31 teams
Reserve Champion: 🥈 QUE'N STEW'N & BREW'N
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.
627.79
median 681.61
702.24 🏆
How the meats cooked
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
- Chicken 178.86
- Pork Ribs 178.86
- Pork 180.00 🔥
- Brisket 179.44
144.51
180.00
Entries
31
4 judged meats · 2 ancillary
Top score
702.2400
Winning margin
Tie
identical totals — KCBS tiebreaker
Field average
677.46
627.79702.24
median 681.61 · last place to winner
Tightest race
Pork
2.8456 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
688.5144
627.79702.24
10th place overall
Field spread
74.4460
winner to last place
Double threats
3
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 24%
beats 76% of 4707 Master Series wins in the data
Came back for more
44%
18 of 41 teams from the previous edition returned
Form held
Strong
ρ = -0.65 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1547
avg power rating going in · stronger than 36% 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.
A new contest record
702.2400
highest overall ever cooked here
702.2400 is the highest overall score this contest has ever produced — past the 698.8572 HIGH ON THE HAWG set in 2014.
- old record 698.8572
- set 2014 by HIGH ON THE HAWG
A knife fight at the top
2.8688
points across the top five
First to fifth in the overall standings covered just 2.8688 points — 2 teams sat within a single point of the lead.
- 1st WARREN COUNTY PORK CHOPPERS
- 2nd QUE'N STEW'N & BREW'N
- 3rd RIVER ROAD GRILLBILLIES
- 4th SWIGGIN PIG
- 5th LATE NIGHT WHISKEY SMOKERS
Photo finishes
Tie
closest of 14 calls decided inside half a point
Chicken places 2–3: BAR-B-Q 101 and SMOKIN NC tied on 177.7144 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 5–6: LAST SMOKER STANDING and WARREN COUNTY PORK CHOPPERS tied on 175.4172 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork Ribs places 4–5: SOGGY BOTTOM SMOKERS and LATE NIGHT WHISKEY SMOKERS tied on 175.4172 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
- Chicken 2–3 · tie
- Chicken 5–6 · tie
- Pork Ribs 4–5 · tie
- Pork 6–7 · tie
How the title was won
3 of 4
meats called to the stage
WARREN COUNTY PORK CHOPPERS took the title on 3 calls from 4 meats, with 1 outright win — their weakest board was brisket at 18th.
- Chicken 6th
- Pork Ribs 6th
- Pork 1st
- Brisket 18th
Back to defend
1
past champions back in the field
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: HIGH ON THE HAWG (won 2014).
- HIGH ON THE HAWG · 2014
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.
- WARREN COUNTY PORK CHOPPERS · 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)
This contest over the years full contest page →
| Date | Where | Venue | Teams | High score | Grand Champion | Reserve Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-09-05 | Cookeville, TN | Cookeville, TN 38501 | 41 | 698.8572 | HIGH ON THE HAWG | BUTTRUB.COM |
| 2015-09-11 ← this one | Cookeville, TN | Cookeville, TN 38506 | 31 | 702.2400 | WARREN COUNTY PORK CHOPPERS | QUE'N STEW'N & BREW'N |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 178.8572 | 175.4172 | 173.1200 |
| Pork Ribs | 178.8572 | 175.4172 | 171.9772 |
| Pork | 180.0000 | 177.1544 | 174.2856 |
| Brisket | 179.4400 | 176.0000 | 174.2628 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
31 entries · top 702.2400 · median 681.6116
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | WARREN COUNTY PORK CHOPPERS | |
| 2 | QUE'N STEW'N & BREW'N | |
| 3 | RIVER ROAD GRILLBILLIES | |
| 4 | SWIGGIN PIG | |
| 5 | LATE NIGHT WHISKEY SMOKERS | |
| 6 | DIRTY OL' BUTT SLAPPERS | |
| 7 | SOGGY BOTTOM SMOKERS | |
| 8 | TEAM ALLEGRO | |
| 9 | Hawg Feathers | |
| 10 | LAST SMOKER STANDING | |
| 11 | HIGH ON THE HAWG | |
| 12 | SONS OF SMOKE | |
| 13 | HOT COLE'S BBQ | |
| 14 | BAR-B-Q 101 | |
| 15 | KNOXVEGAS BBQ | |
| 16 | SMOKIN NC | |
| 17 | WILD BOAR SMOKERS | |
| 18 | BIG ORANGE SMOKERS | |
| 19 | Paradise Ridge | |
| 20 | T-N-T BBQ | |
| 21 | BIG G BBQ | |
| 22 | SMOKIN BRICKS BBQ | |
| 23 | SNORING HOGS BBQ | |
| 24 | SMOKE'M IF U GOT'M | |
| 25 | Cookin Possums | |
| 26 | THE ALGOOD BAR-B-Q PIT CREW | |
| 27 | BBQGURU.NL | |
| 28 | Q SMOKE | |
| 29 | CRITTER COOKER'S | |
| 30 | ONCE IN A BLUE MOON | |
| 31 | PARADISE QUE |
Chicken
31 entries · top 178.8572 · median 170.8228
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SONS OF SMOKE | |
| 2 | BAR-B-Q 101 | |
| 3 | SMOKIN NC | |
| 4 | Hawg Feathers | |
| 5 | LAST SMOKER STANDING | |
| 6 | WARREN COUNTY PORK CHOPPERS | |
| 7 | HOT COLE'S BBQ | |
| 8 | LATE NIGHT WHISKEY SMOKERS | |
| 9 | Q SMOKE | |
| 10 | BIG ORANGE SMOKERS | |
| 11 | SMOKIN BRICKS BBQ | |
| 12 | DIRTY OL' BUTT SLAPPERS | |
| 13 | RIVER ROAD GRILLBILLIES | |
| 14 | THE ALGOOD BAR-B-Q PIT CREW | |
| 15 | QUE'N STEW'N & BREW'N | |
| 16 | TEAM ALLEGRO | |
| 17 | KNOXVEGAS BBQ | |
| 18 | SWIGGIN PIG | |
| 19 | SOGGY BOTTOM SMOKERS | |
| 20 | T-N-T BBQ | |
| 21 | HIGH ON THE HAWG | |
| 22 | PARADISE QUE | |
| 23 | BIG G BBQ | |
| 24 | WILD BOAR SMOKERS | |
| 25 | Cookin Possums | |
| 26 | SNORING HOGS BBQ | |
| 27 | Paradise Ridge | |
| 28 | BBQGURU.NL | |
| 29 | SMOKE'M IF U GOT'M | |
| 30 | ONCE IN A BLUE MOON | |
| 31 | CRITTER COOKER'S |
Pork Ribs
31 entries · top 178.8572 · median 169.6916
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | WILD BOAR SMOKERS | |
| 2 | QUE'N STEW'N & BREW'N | |
| 3 | SWIGGIN PIG | |
| 4 | SOGGY BOTTOM SMOKERS | |
| 5 | LATE NIGHT WHISKEY SMOKERS | |
| 6 | WARREN COUNTY PORK CHOPPERS | |
| 7 | BIG ORANGE SMOKERS | |
| 8 | THE ALGOOD BAR-B-Q PIT CREW | |
| 9 | BIG G BBQ | |
| 10 | Paradise Ridge | |
| 11 | T-N-T BBQ | |
| 12 | RIVER ROAD GRILLBILLIES | |
| 13 | TEAM ALLEGRO | |
| 14 | DIRTY OL' BUTT SLAPPERS | |
| 15 | Q SMOKE | |
| 16 | SMOKIN NC | |
| 17 | HOT COLE'S BBQ | |
| 18 | SMOKIN BRICKS BBQ | |
| 19 | LAST SMOKER STANDING | |
| 20 | HIGH ON THE HAWG | |
| 21 | BAR-B-Q 101 | |
| 22 | SNORING HOGS BBQ | |
| 23 | SONS OF SMOKE | |
| 24 | Cookin Possums | |
| 25 | CRITTER COOKER'S | |
| 26 | Hawg Feathers | |
| 27 | KNOXVEGAS BBQ | |
| 28 | BBQGURU.NL | |
| 29 | SMOKE'M IF U GOT'M | |
| 30 | PARADISE QUE | |
| 31 | ONCE IN A BLUE MOON |
Pork
31 entries · top 180.0000 · median 168.5372 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | WARREN COUNTY PORK CHOPPERS | |
| 2 | KNOXVEGAS BBQ | |
| 3 | QUE'N STEW'N & BREW'N | |
| 4 | DIRTY OL' BUTT SLAPPERS | |
| 5 | TEAM ALLEGRO | |
| 6 | SWIGGIN PIG | |
| 7 | SOGGY BOTTOM SMOKERS | |
| 8 | RIVER ROAD GRILLBILLIES | |
| 9 | Hawg Feathers | |
| 10 | SMOKE'M IF U GOT'M | |
| 11 | LAST SMOKER STANDING | |
| 12 | HIGH ON THE HAWG | |
| 13 | BIG G BBQ | |
| 14 | SNORING HOGS BBQ | |
| 15 | LATE NIGHT WHISKEY SMOKERS | |
| 16 | Paradise Ridge | |
| 17 | Cookin Possums | |
| 18 | SONS OF SMOKE | |
| 19 | WILD BOAR SMOKERS | |
| 20 | BIG ORANGE SMOKERS | |
| 21 | BBQGURU.NL | |
| 22 | THE ALGOOD BAR-B-Q PIT CREW | |
| 23 | BAR-B-Q 101 | |
| 24 | T-N-T BBQ | |
| 25 | ONCE IN A BLUE MOON | |
| 26 | Q SMOKE | |
| 27 | SMOKIN NC | |
| 28 | HOT COLE'S BBQ | |
| 29 | CRITTER COOKER'S | |
| 30 | PARADISE QUE | |
| 31 | SMOKIN BRICKS BBQ |
Brisket
31 entries · top 179.4400 · median 171.9656
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | LATE NIGHT WHISKEY SMOKERS | |
| 2 | RIVER ROAD GRILLBILLIES | |
| 3 | HIGH ON THE HAWG | |
| 4 | HOT COLE'S BBQ | |
| 5 | SWIGGIN PIG | |
| 6 | DIRTY OL' BUTT SLAPPERS | |
| 7 | QUE'N STEW'N & BREW'N | |
| 8 | TEAM ALLEGRO | |
| 9 | Paradise Ridge | |
| 10 | SOGGY BOTTOM SMOKERS | |
| 11 | BAR-B-Q 101 | |
| 12 | SMOKE'M IF U GOT'M | |
| 13 | T-N-T BBQ | |
| 14 | SMOKIN BRICKS BBQ | |
| 15 | LAST SMOKER STANDING | |
| 16 | SMOKIN NC | |
| 17 | SONS OF SMOKE | |
| 18 | WARREN COUNTY PORK CHOPPERS | |
| 19 | Hawg Feathers | |
| 20 | WILD BOAR SMOKERS | |
| 21 | BBQGURU.NL | |
| 22 | SNORING HOGS BBQ | |
| 23 | KNOXVEGAS BBQ | |
| 24 | BIG G BBQ | |
| 25 | BIG ORANGE SMOKERS | |
| 26 | Cookin Possums | |
| 27 | CRITTER COOKER'S | |
| 28 | ONCE IN A BLUE MOON | |
| 29 | THE ALGOOD BAR-B-Q PIT CREW | |
| 30 | Q SMOKE | |
| 31 | PARADISE QUE |
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.
Master Series — Dessert
18 entries · top 180.0000 · median 175.4114 · 🔥 perfect 180
Master Series — Sausage
26 entries · top 180.0000 · median 165.4572 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | QUE'N STEW'N & BREW'N | |
| 2 | RIVER ROAD GRILLBILLIES | |
| 3 | LATE NIGHT WHISKEY SMOKERS | |
| 4 | SMOKE'M IF U GOT'M | |
| 5 | BIG G BBQ | |
| 6 | SOGGY BOTTOM SMOKERS | |
| 7 | Hawg Feathers | |
| 8 | LAST SMOKER STANDING | |
| 9 | KNOXVEGAS BBQ | |
| 10 | SWIGGIN PIG | |
| 11 | T-N-T BBQ | |
| 12 | WARREN COUNTY PORK CHOPPERS | |
| 13 | WILD BOAR SMOKERS | |
| 14 | DIRTY OL' BUTT SLAPPERS | |
| 15 | SMOKIN BRICKS BBQ | |
| 16 | Cookin Possums | |
| 17 | ONCE IN A BLUE MOON | |
| 18 | BAR-B-Q 101 | |
| 19 | SONS OF SMOKE | |
| 20 | Q SMOKE | |
| 21 | HOT COLE'S BBQ | |
| 22 | CRITTER COOKER'S | |
| 23 | SNORING HOGS BBQ | |
| 24 | SMOKIN NC | |
| 25 | BIG ORANGE SMOKERS | |
| 26 | HIGH ON THE HAWG |