Rhythm & BBQ Festival (BACKYARD ONLY)
2026-06-19 – 2026-06-20 · Morris, IL
Reps: CHARLIE BRINZA, JEANNE TITUS · Prize money: $2,550.00
Grand Champion: All Smoked Up BBQ (354.2972) · 41 teams
Entries
41
3 categories
Top score
354.2972
Winning margin
0.0228
GC over RC
Field average
334.83
median 339.94
Perfect 180s
1 🔥
Tightest race
Pork Ribs
2.2856 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
345.1200
what a walk cost here
Field spread
53.3600
winner to last place
Prize money
$2,550.00
on the line
Double threats
3
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 80%
beats 20% of 2715 overall wins in the data
Field strength
1551
avg power rating going in · stronger than 57% of contests
Storylines
🪒 A razor-thin finish
The Grand Championship was decided by 0.0228 points — closer than 96% of every championship in the data.
🃏 An upset on the books
All Smoked Up BBQ came in rated below the field's top team, Rollin Smoke BBQ, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 25-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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-06-20 | Morris, IL | 36 | 355.4172 | Rudes BBQ |
| 2026-06-19 ← this one | Morris, IL | 41 | 354.2972 | All Smoked Up BBQ |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Ancillary — Best dish
29 entries · top 180.0000 · median 168.5600 · 🔥 perfect 180
Backyard Series — Chicken
41 entries · top 178.8572 · median 167.9884
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Smoked By The Brooks | |
| 2 | All Smoked Up BBQ | |
| 3 | Blended Smoke BBQ | |
| 4 | Smoke Fire & Brew | |
| 5 | Smoke Til Ya Broke | |
| 6 | PUDDLEDUCK BBQ | |
| 7 | RedHog BBQ | |
| 8 | Sermerstout BBQ | |
| 9 | Ishy Links BBQ | |
| 10 | Bramble BBQ | |
| 11 | Big Bear BBQ | |
| 12 | Wapatui Smokers | |
| 13 | SMOKIN E'S BBQ | |
| 14 | Rudes BBQ | |
| 15 | Skinny Pig BBQ | |
| 16 | Sugba Smokehouse | |
| 17 | Shmack Q | |
| 18 | Rollin Smoke BBQ | |
| 19 | Too Sauced Guys Bar-B-Que | |
| 20 | RUBY CREEK BBQ | |
| 21 | BBQ MIKE | |
| 22 | River City Smoque | |
| 23 | Fam Bam-A-Q | |
| 24 | Bulldog BBQ | |
| 25 | Rub Sauce & 2 Smoking Barrels | |
| 26 | The Brisket Brothers | |
| 27 | Grillers Anonymous | |
| 28 | Reid's Southern Kitchen & Smokehouse | |
| 29 | Crooked Bend Kitchen Company | |
| 30 | Lyondell Basell Cook Team | |
| 31 | 2 Sauced 2 Pork | |
| 32 | TJD Smokehouse | |
| 33 | HOT EMBERS BBQ | |
| 34 | Meathouse Bob-B-Que | |
| 35 | 309 BBQ | |
| 36 | Bullet Proof BBQ | |
| 37 | Diabolical Pig | |
| 38 | Big Foot BBQ | |
| 39 | Table Slappin BBQ | |
| 40 | Whatcha Smokin' | |
| 41 | Culinary Creations |
Backyard Series — Overall
41 entries · top 354.2972 · median 339.9428
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | All Smoked Up BBQ | |
| 2 | Smoked By The Brooks | |
| 3 | Smoke Til Ya Broke | |
| 4 | SMOKIN E'S BBQ | |
| 5 | Bramble BBQ | |
| 6 | Blended Smoke BBQ | |
| 7 | Sugba Smokehouse | |
| 8 | Smoke Fire & Brew | |
| 9 | Ishy Links BBQ | |
| 10 | Big Bear BBQ | |
| 11 | Sermerstout BBQ | |
| 12 | RedHog BBQ | |
| 13 | Rollin Smoke BBQ | |
| 14 | Wapatui Smokers | |
| 15 | Skinny Pig BBQ | |
| 16 | RUBY CREEK BBQ | |
| 17 | Fam Bam-A-Q | |
| 18 | PUDDLEDUCK BBQ | |
| 19 | River City Smoque | |
| 20 | BBQ MIKE | |
| 21 | Shmack Q | |
| 22 | Too Sauced Guys Bar-B-Que | |
| 23 | Rudes BBQ | |
| 24 | HOT EMBERS BBQ | |
| 25 | Big Foot BBQ | |
| 26 | 2 Sauced 2 Pork | |
| 27 | Rub Sauce & 2 Smoking Barrels | |
| 28 | TJD Smokehouse | |
| 29 | The Brisket Brothers | |
| 30 | Grillers Anonymous | |
| 31 | Meathouse Bob-B-Que | |
| 32 | Lyondell Basell Cook Team | |
| 33 | Table Slappin BBQ | |
| 34 | Reid's Southern Kitchen & Smokehouse | |
| 35 | 309 BBQ | |
| 36 | Bullet Proof BBQ | |
| 37 | Crooked Bend Kitchen Company | |
| 38 | Diabolical Pig | |
| 39 | Whatcha Smokin' | |
| 40 | Culinary Creations | |
| 41 | Bulldog BBQ |
Backyard Series — Pork Ribs
41 entries · top 178.8572 · median 169.7144
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SMOKIN E'S BBQ | |
| 2 | Smoke Til Ya Broke | |
| 3 | Big Foot BBQ | |
| 4 | All Smoked Up BBQ | |
| 5 | Sugba Smokehouse | |
| 6 | Bramble BBQ | |
| 7 | Smoked By The Brooks | |
| 8 | Fam Bam-A-Q | |
| 9 | RUBY CREEK BBQ | |
| 10 | HOT EMBERS BBQ | |
| 11 | River City Smoque | |
| 12 | Rollin Smoke BBQ | |
| 13 | BBQ MIKE | |
| 14 | Blended Smoke BBQ | |
| 15 | Big Bear BBQ | |
| 16 | Ishy Links BBQ | |
| 17 | Wapatui Smokers | |
| 18 | Skinny Pig BBQ | |
| 19 | 2 Sauced 2 Pork | |
| 20 | Smoke Fire & Brew | |
| 21 | Sermerstout BBQ | |
| 22 | Too Sauced Guys Bar-B-Que | |
| 23 | RedHog BBQ | |
| 24 | TJD Smokehouse | |
| 25 | Shmack Q | |
| 26 | Table Slappin BBQ | |
| 27 | Rudes BBQ | |
| 28 | PUDDLEDUCK BBQ | |
| 29 | Meathouse Bob-B-Que | |
| 30 | The Brisket Brothers | |
| 31 | Grillers Anonymous | |
| 32 | Rub Sauce & 2 Smoking Barrels | |
| 33 | Lyondell Basell Cook Team | |
| 34 | 309 BBQ | |
| 35 | Bullet Proof BBQ | |
| 36 | Reid's Southern Kitchen & Smokehouse | |
| 37 | Culinary Creations | |
| 38 | Whatcha Smokin' | |
| 39 | Crooked Bend Kitchen Company | |
| 40 | Diabolical Pig | |
| 41 | Bulldog BBQ |