Sep 25–26, 2015 · Murphysboro, IL
GILLY'S BBQ won Grand Champion at the Murphysboro Barbecue Cook-Off on September 25, 2015 in Murphysboro, IL, scoring 693.1204 in a field of 55 teams. Q-BONES BBQ took Reserve Grand Champion with 692.5600. Category winners: Chicken — Posey County Cookers (178.2972); Pork Ribs — IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ (178.8572); Pork — VICTORY LANE BBQ (175.4056); Brisket — QUAU (177.7028). This is the 3rd of 3 editions of this contest on record; the 2014 edition was won by IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ.
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, 2013 to 2015 — 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.
Closer than 91% of the 4,722 championships in the data
The Grand Championship was decided by 0.5604 points — closer than 91% of every championship in the data.
The ratings favoured the top seed the other 74 times in 100
GILLY'S BBQ came in rated below the field's top team, IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 26-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.
GILLY'S BBQ won the Grand Championship without winning a single meat — 3 calls from 4 boards, best of them 3rd. Consistency beat fireworks.
First to fifth in the overall standings covered just 4.5948 points — 3 teams sat within a single point of the lead.
Chicken places 1–2: Posey County Cookers and FOWL BUTT BBQ tied on 178.2972 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork Ribs places 6–7: F.B.I. BBQ - FAT BOYS OF ILLINOIS and ONE2BBQ tied on 174.2744 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Pork places 8–9: YELLOW RIVER BBQ and QUAU tied on 172.5600 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ (won 2014).
| Date | Where | Venue | Teams | High score | Grand Champion | Reserve Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 19, 2013 | Murphysboro, IL | Murphysboro, IL | 76 | 699.9428 | TRUEBUD BBQ | KILLER HOGS |
| Sep 18, 2014 | Murphysboro, IL | Murphysboro, IL 62966 | 57 | 703.9888 | IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ | ONE2BBQ |
| Sep 25, 2015 ← this one | Murphysboro, IL | Murphysboro, IL 62966 | 55 | 693.1204 | GILLY'S BBQ | Q-BONES BBQ |
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 178.2972 | 174.8456 | 173.1084 |
| Pork Ribs | 178.8572 | 174.3316 | 173.1316 |
| Pork | 175.4056 | 173.7256 | 172.0228 |
| Brisket | 177.7028 | 173.7144 | 171.4056 |
55 entries · top 693.1204 · median 658.1484
55 entries · top 178.2972 · median 167.3828
55 entries · top 178.8572 · median 165.1316
55 entries · top 175.4056 · median 165.1200
55 entries · top 177.7028 · median 163.4056