A new contest record
713.1316
highest overall ever cooked here
713.1316 is the highest overall score this contest has ever produced — past the 703.9428 Kings BBQ Team set in 2024.
- old record 703.9428
- set 2024 by Kings BBQ Team
Plant City Pig Jam 2025
Nov 21–22, 2025 · Plant City, FL · 📍 1500 S. Park Road · State championship
Reps: Carolyn Wells, Jeanne Titus, Mike Garretson · Prize money: $17,200
TILLMAN'S BBQ won Grand Champion at the Plant City Pig Jam on November 21, 2025 in Plant City, FL at 1500 S. Park Road, scoring 713.1316 in a field of 31 teams. Kings BBQ Team took Reserve Grand Champion with 698.8228. Category winners: Chicken — Bourbon & Blues BBQ (180.0000); Pork Ribs — COCAMOKE SMOKE BBQ (180.0000); Pork — TILLMAN'S BBQ (180.0000); Brisket — TILLMAN'S BBQ (180.0000). The Backyard Series standings were won by Dogpatch Q with 350.2744. This is the 9th of 10 editions of this contest on record; the 2024 edition was won by Kings BBQ Team; the next is scheduled for November 20, 2026.
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.
630.09
median 677.02
713.13 🏆
How the meats cooked
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
- Master Series — Chicken 180 🔥
- Master Series — Pork Ribs 180 🔥
- Master Series — Pork 180 🔥
- Master Series — Brisket 180 🔥
- Backyard Series — Chicken 177.74
- Backyard Series — Pork Ribs 176.56
- Ancillary — Pork 177.71
- Ancillary — Brisket 173.12
20
180
Winning score by edition
What it has taken to win here, 2013 to 2025 — this edition picked out.
Entries
31
8 judged meats
Top score
713.1316
Winning margin
14.3088
GC over RC
Field average
675.08
630.09713.13
median 677.02 · last place to winner
Perfect 180s
4 🔥
Tightest race
Pork Ribs
2.2856 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
689.0628
630.09713.13
10th place overall
Field spread
83.0404
winner to last place
Prize money
$17,200
on the line
Double threats
9
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 1%
beats 99% of 4711 Master Series wins in the data
Came back for more
58%
25 of 43 teams from the previous edition returned
Form held
Strong
ρ = -0.69 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1,544
avg power rating going in · stronger than 33% of contests
Storylines (9 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.
An upset on the books
27-in-100
shot on pre-contest ratings
The ratings favoured the top seed the other 73 times in 100
Tillman's BBQ came in rated below the field's top team, Kings BBQ Team, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 27-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.
- champion 1609
- top seed 1783
A statement win
14.3088
points clear of the field
Wider than 95% of the 4,710 championships in the data
The champion won by 14.3088 points — a wider margin than 95% of championships in the data.
A day of perfect scores
4
perfect 180s
4 perfect 180s were scored at this contest — every judge at the table handing back a nine.
- TILLMAN'S BBQ · Brisket
- Bourbon & Blues BBQ · Chicken
- TILLMAN'S BBQ · Pork
Photo finishes
Tie
closest of 16 calls decided inside half a point
Master Series — Chicken places 2–3: Bearded Monkeys Twisted Q and TILLMAN'S BBQ tied on 178.8572 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Master Series — Chicken places 4–5: KEEPIN IT SMOKIN BBQ and Going Yard BBQ tied on 177.7028 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Master Series — Chicken places 6–7: DONE RIGHT SMOKIN and COCAMOKE SMOKE BBQ tied on 176.5600 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
- Master Series — Chicken 2–3 · tie
- Master Series — Chicken 4–5 · tie
- Master Series — Chicken 6–7 · tie
- Master Series — Pork Ribs 9–10 · tie
A double category winner
2
category wins in a day
TILLMAN'S BBQ won Pork, Brisket — a double, and took the Grand Championship on top of it.
- Pork 1st
- Brisket 1st
How the title was won
4 of 4
meats called to the stage
TILLMAN'S BBQ took the title on 4 calls from 4 meats, with 2 outright wins — their weakest board was pork ribs at 6th.
- Chicken 3rd
- Pork Ribs 6th
- Pork 1st
- Brisket 1st
A contest record in pork
180.0000
best pork ever cooked here
TILLMAN'S BBQ turned in 180.0000 in pork — past the 179.4400 that had stood across 8 earlier editions.
- old best 179.4400
- across 8 past editions
Back to defend
2
past champions back in the field
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: Smokin' Ain't EZ (won 2023), Kings BBQ Team (won 2024).
- Smokin' Ain't EZ · 2023
- Kings BBQ Team · 2024
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 22, 2013 | Plant City, FL | Plant City, FL | 53 | 678.7772 | WARREN COUNTY PORK CHOPPERS | CHIX, SWINE & BOVINE BBQ |
| Nov 21, 2014 | Plant City, FL | Plant City, FL 33563 | 39 | 681.1884 | HOT WACHULA'S | CHIX, SWINE & BOVINE BBQ |
| Nov 18, 2016 | Plant City, FL | 1500 South Park Rd | 38 | 696.5028 | SWAMP BOYS | UNCLE TOAD'S COMPETITION BBQ |
| Nov 22, 2019 | Plant City, FL | 1500 S Park RD | 39 | 701.6912 | Pig-Chicka-Cow-Cow | SWAMP BOYS |
| Nov 19, 2021 | Plant City, FL | Plant City, FL 33565 | 37 | 695.9888 | King's BBQ | CONTINENTAL BARBEQUE CO. |
| Nov 18, 2022 | Plant City, FL | 1500 S. Park Road | 25 | 695.3716 | Fantasy Q | KEEPIN IT SMOKIN BBQ |
| Nov 17, 2023 | Plant City, FL | 1500 S. Park Road | 25 | 695.3944 | Smokin' Ain't EZ | Rum Runners |
| Nov 22, 2024 | Plant City, FL | 1500 S. Park Road | 26 | 703.9428 | Kings BBQ Team | Shiggin aint easy |
| Nov 21, 2025 ← this one | Plant City, FL | 1500 S. Park Road | 31 | 713.1316 | TILLMAN'S BBQ | Kings BBQ Team |
| Nov 20, 2026 | Plant City, FL | — | — | — | — | — |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Master Series — Chicken | 180 | 177.7028 | 174.2628 |
| Master Series — Pork Ribs | 180 | 175.4172 | 173.1200 |
| Master Series — Pork | 180 | 176 | 173.1428 |
| Master Series — Brisket | 180 | 174.2628 | 170.8228 |
| Backyard Series — Chicken | 177.7372 | 173.1200 | 168.5372 |
| Backyard Series — Pork Ribs | 176.5600 | 174.2744 | 169.6800 |
| Ancillary — Pork | 177.7144 | 171.4172 | 165.1200 |
| Ancillary — Brisket | 173.1200 | 169.1428 | 159.9312 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
31 entries · top 713.1316 · median 677.0172
Chicken
31 entries · top 180 · median 169.6800 · 🔥 perfect 180
Pork Ribs
31 entries · top 180 · median 170.8228 · 🔥 perfect 180
Pork
31 entries · top 180 · median 170.8228 · 🔥 perfect 180
Brisket
31 entries · top 180 · median 165.6684 · 🔥 perfect 180
Backyard Series
Overall
20 entries · top 350.2744 · median 338.5486
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dogpatch Q | |
| 2 | Nuts & Butts | |
| 3 | Powered by Smoke | |
| 4 | When Pigs Fly Family BBQ | |
| 5 | Porkin the Porkers | |
| 6 | PIPKIN CREEK BBQ CO. | |
| 7 | K-Dubs BBQ | |
| 8 | BBQmyway | |
| 9 | JP BBQ and Catering | |
| 10 | Belly Bustin Bistro | |
| 11 | Team QGS | |
| 12 | Grande Oaks BBQ | |
| 13 | Jessi James Smoking Guns BBQ | |
| 14 | Neighbor's BBQ | |
| 15 | Drunkin Brothers BBQ | |
| 16 | Tasty Tinley's | |
| 17 | Dirt Road Smokers | |
| 18 | Evans Family Ranch | |
| 19 | GET'N-A-FLL | |
| 20 | Propane Ninja |
Chicken
19 entries · top 177.7372 · median 168.5372
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nuts & Butts | |
| 2 | Dogpatch Q | |
| 3 | PIPKIN CREEK BBQ CO. | |
| 4 | Porkin the Porkers | |
| 5 | Powered by Smoke | |
| 6 | K-Dubs BBQ | |
| 7 | When Pigs Fly Family BBQ | |
| 8 | Neighbor's BBQ | |
| 9 | Drunkin Brothers BBQ | |
| 10 | Team QGS | |
| 11 | JP BBQ and Catering | |
| 12 | BBQmyway | |
| 13 | Belly Bustin Bistro | |
| 14 | Jessi James Smoking Guns BBQ | |
| 15 | Grande Oaks BBQ | |
| 16 | Tasty Tinley's | |
| 17 | Dirt Road Smokers | |
| 18 | Evans Family Ranch | |
| 19 | GET'N-A-FLL |
Pork Ribs
20 entries · top 176.5600 · median 168.8400
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BBQmyway | |
| 2 | Belly Bustin Bistro | |
| 3 | Powered by Smoke | |
| 4 | Dogpatch Q | |
| 5 | When Pigs Fly Family BBQ | |
| 6 | JP BBQ and Catering | |
| 7 | Porkin the Porkers | |
| 8 | Nuts & Butts | |
| 9 | Grande Oaks BBQ | |
| 10 | K-Dubs BBQ | |
| 11 | Team QGS | |
| 12 | PIPKIN CREEK BBQ CO. | |
| 13 | Jessi James Smoking Guns BBQ | |
| 14 | Evans Family Ranch | |
| 15 | Tasty Tinley's | |
| 16 | Dirt Road Smokers | |
| 17 | GET'N-A-FLL | |
| 18 | Neighbor's BBQ | |
| 19 | Drunkin Brothers BBQ | |
| 20 | Propane Ninja |
Ancillary
Pork
20 entries · top 177.7144 · median 164.8514
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | When Pigs Fly Family BBQ | |
| 2 | Dogpatch Q | |
| 3 | Powered by Smoke | |
| 4 | JP BBQ and Catering | |
| 5 | Jessi James Smoking Guns BBQ | |
| 6 | Nuts & Butts | |
| 7 | BBQmyway | |
| 8 | Neighbor's BBQ | |
| 9 | Belly Bustin Bistro | |
| 10 | Drunkin Brothers BBQ | |
| 11 | Porkin the Porkers | |
| 12 | Tasty Tinley's | |
| 13 | PIPKIN CREEK BBQ CO. | |
| 14 | Dirt Road Smokers | |
| 15 | Propane Ninja | |
| 16 | Team QGS | |
| 17 | Evans Family Ranch | |
| 18 | GET'N-A-FLL | |
| 19 | Grande Oaks BBQ | |
| 20 | K-Dubs BBQ |
Brisket
20 entries · top 173.1200 · median 159.6398
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dirt Road Smokers | |
| 2 | BBQmyway | |
| 3 | Dogpatch Q | |
| 4 | Powered by Smoke | |
| 5 | Nuts & Butts | |
| 6 | Belly Bustin Bistro | |
| 7 | Team QGS | |
| 8 | When Pigs Fly Family BBQ | |
| 9 | Jessi James Smoking Guns BBQ | |
| 10 | PIPKIN CREEK BBQ CO. | |
| 11 | Porkin the Porkers | |
| 12 | K-Dubs BBQ | |
| 13 | Evans Family Ranch | |
| 14 | Grande Oaks BBQ | |
| 15 | JP BBQ and Catering | |
| 16 | GET'N-A-FLL | |
| 17 | Drunkin Brothers BBQ | |
| 18 | Tasty Tinley's | |
| 19 | Neighbor's BBQ | |
| 20 | Propane Ninja |