VPD Back the Blue BBQ Competition
2025-10-24 – 2025-10-25 · Vidalia, LA · State championship
Reps: MARIA LOHMAN, WAYNE LOHMAN · Prize money: $13,400.00
Grand Champion: Sweet Bayou BBQ (700.5256) · 33 teams
Entries
33
4 categories
Top score
700.5256
Winning margin
1.1772
GC over RC
Field average
651.12
median 682.74
Perfect 180s
2 🔥
Tightest race
Chicken
1.7372 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
687.9316
what a walk cost here
Field spread
382.2284
winner to last place
Prize money
$13,400.00
on the line
Double threats
5
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 32%
beats 68% of 2715 overall wins in the data
Field strength
1550
avg power rating going in · stronger than 56% of contests
Storylines
🪒 A razor-thin finish
The Grand Championship was decided by 1.1772 points — closer than 78% of every championship in the data.
🃏 An upset on the books
Sweet Bayou BBQ came in rated below the field's top team, Poppa Pig, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 16-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)
Score distribution
This contest over the years
| Date | Where | Teams | High score | Grand Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-11-03 | Vidalia, LA | 27 | 709.1200 | Glamping Grillers |
| 2024-10-25 | Vidalia, LA | 31 | 704.5140 | Poppa Pig? |
| 2025-10-24 ← this one | Vidalia, LA | 33 | 700.5256 | Sweet Bayou BBQ |
| 2026-10-23 | Vidalia, LA | — | — | — |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series — Brisket
33 entries · top 180.0000 · median 167.3828 · 🔥 perfect 180
Master Series — Chicken
32 entries · top 179.4400 · median 168.5256
Master Series — Overall
33 entries · top 700.5256 · median 682.7428
Master Series — Pork
33 entries · top 177.7144 · median 168.5372
Master Series — Pork Ribs
32 entries · top 180.0000 · median 171.4172 · 🔥 perfect 180