A statement win
10.8916
points clear of the field
Wider than 89% of the 4,742 championships in the data
The champion won by 10.8916 points — a wider margin than 89% of championships in the data.
Smoke on the Falls
2020-09-18 – 2020-09-19 · Gadsden, AL · 📍 1500 Noccalula Rd · State championship
Reps: CHERE AMEND, JANET APPLETON, SAM APPLETON · Prize money: $11,220.00
Grand Champion: Rooters-N-Tooters (699.3944) · 28 teams
Reserve Champion: 🥈 UNDER THE RADAR
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.
484.91
median 662.14
699.39 🏆
How the meats cooked
Every board on one scale — the bar runs last score to first, the dot is the median.
- Master Series — Chicken 177.70
- Master Series — Pork Ribs 176.00
- Master Series — Pork 178.86
- Master Series — Brisket 180.00 🔥
- Backyard Series — Chicken 175.46
- Backyard Series — Pork Ribs 180.00 🔥
20.00
180.00
Winning score by edition
What it has taken to win here, 2013 to 2026 — this edition picked out.
Entries
48
6 judged meats
Top score
699.3944
Winning margin
10.8916
GC over RC
Field average
657.58
484.91699.39
median 662.14 · last place to winner
Tightest race
Chicken
3.4856 pts across the top 5
Top-10 cutoff
677.0172
484.91699.39
10th place overall
Field spread
214.4800
winner to last place
Prize money
$11,220.00
on the line
Double threats
7
teams with 2+ top-5 calls
How hot was the win?
Top 35%
beats 65% of 4707 Master Series wins in the data
Came back for more
47%
37 of 79 teams from the previous edition returned
Form held
Moderate
ρ = -0.53 between pre-contest rating and finish
Field strength
1558
avg power rating going in · stronger than 44% 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 dynasty in the making
2×
wins at this contest
2 of 11 tracked editions
The Specialists has won this contest 2 times across its 11 tracked editions.
- 2015
- 2018
Photo finishes
Tie
closest of 13 calls decided inside half a point
Master Series — Chicken places 3–4: Fat, Drunk & Stupid BBQ Team and BALD HAWG BBQ tied on 172.5600 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Master Series — Pork Ribs places 1–2: CONTAGIOUS Q and ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN tied on 176.0000 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Master Series — Pork places 4–5: SLAYTON'S BARBEQUE COMPANY and Organizer Portal tied on 174.2628 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
- Master Series — Chicken 3–4 · tie
- Master Series — Pork Ribs 1–2 · tie
- Master Series — Pork 4–5 · tie
- Master Series — Brisket 6–7 · tie
How the title was won
4 of 4
meats called to the stage
ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN took the title on 4 calls from 4 meats, with 1 outright win — their weakest board was brisket at 7th.
- Chicken 1st
- Pork Ribs 2nd
- Pork 6th
- Brisket 7th
A contest record in pork
178.8572
best pork ever cooked here
BEES KNEES BBQ TEAM turned in 178.8572 in pork — past the 177.1544 that had stood across 5 earlier editions.
- old best 177.1544
- across 5 past editions
Back to defend
2
past champions back in the field
Past winners of this contest cooked this edition: SMOKIN BUTT CREW (won 2017), Contagious Q (won 2019).
- SMOKIN BUTT CREW · 2017
- Contagious Q · 2019
A perfect score on the table
2
perfect 180s
2 perfect 180s were scored at this contest — every judge at the table handing back a nine.
- LEE LA Q · Pork Ribs
- BALD HAWG BBQ · Brisket
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-04-12 | Gadsden, AL | Gadsden, AL | 34 | 696.5718 | SWIGGIN PIG | BIG BLUE QUE |
| 2015-04-10 | Gadsden, AL | Gadsden, AL 35904 | 34 | 699.9884 | The Specialists | UNCULTURED SWINE |
| 2017-04-07 | Gadsden, AL | 1500 Noccalula Rd | 28 | 704.5488 | SMOKIN BUTT CREW | Organizer Portal |
| 2018-04-13 | Gadsden, AL | 1500 Noccalula Rd | 38 | 697.1084 | THE SPECIALISTS | Organizer Portal |
| 2019-04-12 | Gadsden, AL | 1500 Noccalula Rd | 30 | 699.9656 | Contagious Q | CHOOCHOO BBQ |
| 2020-09-18 ← this one | Gadsden, AL | 1500 Noccalula Rd | 28 | 699.3944 | Rooters-N-Tooters | UNDER THE RADAR |
| 2021-04-09 | Gadsden, AL | Gadsden, AL 35901 | 38 | 699.3600 | chicken fried bbq | LC BBQ |
| 2022-04-08 | Gadsden, AL | 1600 Noccalula Rd | 34 | 700.5028 | Smoke Me Silly | GETTIN' BASTED |
| 2023-04-07 | Gadsden, AL | 1600 Noccalula Rd | 39 | 690.8000 | We Will Rock 'Que | COOL HAND QUE |
| 2024-04-12 | Gadsden, AL | 1500 Noccalula Rd | 31 | 699.9428 | We Will Rock 'Que | FRED VEGAS SMOKERS |
| 2026-04-03 | Gadsden, AL | 1600 Noccalula Rd | 36 | 714.2628 | ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN | COOL HAND QUE |
What a call cost (the score it took to finish 1st, 5th and 10th)
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Master Series — Chicken | 177.7028 | 171.9772 | 169.1316 |
| Master Series — Pork Ribs | 176.0000 | 171.9772 | 166.8460 |
| Master Series — Pork | 178.8572 | 174.2628 | 169.1084 |
| Master Series — Brisket | 180.0000 | 173.1200 | 171.9656 |
| Backyard Series — Chicken | 175.4628 | 171.9772 | 169.7256 |
| Backyard Series — Pork Ribs | 180.0000 | 170.8228 | 167.9772 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
28 entries · top 699.3944 · median 662.1370
Chicken
28 entries · top 177.7028 · median 167.9714
Pork Ribs
28 entries · top 176.0000 · median 163.3944
Pork
28 entries · top 178.8572 · median 165.1028
Brisket
28 entries · top 180.0000 · median 167.4114 · 🔥 perfect 180
Backyard Series
Overall
48 entries · top 352.5600 · median 328.2572
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | LEE LA Q | |
| 2 | Q30 BBQ | |
| 3 | RIBLIFE | |
| 4 | LEM'S MEAT VARNISH | |
| 5 | PERFECTLY BLENDED | |
| 6 | PUCKDADDY'S KILLER Q | |
| 7 | Lems Meat Varnish | |
| 8 | Swine N' Brine BBQ, LLC | |
| 9 | Lenox and Son BBQ Co. | |
| 10 | JT'S SMOKE SHACK | |
| 11 | Just Cluckin' Off | |
| 12 | HICKORY HANGOVER | |
| 13 | Dang Good BBQ | |
| 14 | SWINEBERG'S BBQ | |
| 15 | East Coast BBQ | |
| 16 | VETERAN PORK PULLERS | |
| 17 | Holy Smokin' BBQ Team | |
| 18 | Bubba Q | |
| 19 | HELL ON SQUEALS | |
| 20 | The Real Squeal BBQ | |
| 21 | Poppalicious | |
| 22 | REDBONES BBQ | |
| 23 | ROLLIN KOLBZ | |
| 24 | Pork Life | |
| 25 | Steak Princess BBQ | |
| 26 | FALLIN' APART BBQ | |
| 27 | Batwing BBQ | |
| 28 | Smokin' A Fatty | |
| 29 | K. Bee's Bar B Q | |
| 30 | Slingin' Pig Meat | |
| 31 | Bama Boys BBQ | |
| 32 | BAMA QUE'N & BREW'N | |
| 33 | Second Hand Smoke | |
| 34 | 4 Seasons BBQ | |
| 35 | Rollin' Smoke BBQ | |
| 36 | Barking Pig BBQ | |
| 37 | Ribs for your pleasure | |
| 38 | Outhouse Smokers | |
| 39 | Dixie Pigs & Chick's BBQ Team | |
| 40 | BobbeeQ | |
| 41 | Crazy Legs Barbecue | |
| 42 | Average Joe's BBQ | |
| 43 | Blackstone BBQ | |
| 44 | Rob-N-The Que | |
| 45 | Circle W Meats | |
| 46 | Cuz It Hurts | |
| 47 | M&H BBQ LLC | |
| 48 | Black Creek BBQ |
Chicken
48 entries · top 175.4628 · median 165.0914
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Q30 BBQ | |
| 2 | PUCKDADDY'S KILLER Q | |
| 3 | LEE LA Q | |
| 4 | RIBLIFE | |
| 5 | PERFECTLY BLENDED | |
| 6 | LEM'S MEAT VARNISH | |
| 7 | Dang Good BBQ | |
| 8 | Batwing BBQ | |
| 9 | HELL ON SQUEALS | |
| 10 | SWINEBERG'S BBQ | |
| 11 | HICKORY HANGOVER | |
| 12 | Slingin' Pig Meat | |
| 13 | Smokin' A Fatty | |
| 14 | Lenox and Son BBQ Co. | |
| 15 | Lems Meat Varnish | |
| 16 | ROLLIN KOLBZ | |
| 17 | Just Cluckin' Off | |
| 18 | East Coast BBQ | |
| 19 | Dixie Pigs & Chick's BBQ Team | |
| 20 | Pork Life | |
| 21 | REDBONES BBQ | |
| 22 | BAMA QUE'N & BREW'N | |
| 23 | Steak Princess BBQ | |
| 24 | Bubba Q | |
| 25 | JT'S SMOKE SHACK | |
| 26 | Swine N' Brine BBQ, LLC | |
| 27 | FALLIN' APART BBQ | |
| 28 | Rollin' Smoke BBQ | |
| 29 | BobbeeQ | |
| 30 | Holy Smokin' BBQ Team | |
| 31 | Poppalicious | |
| 32 | Bama Boys BBQ | |
| 33 | The Real Squeal BBQ | |
| 34 | Second Hand Smoke | |
| 35 | K. Bee's Bar B Q | |
| 36 | 4 Seasons BBQ | |
| 37 | Crazy Legs Barbecue | |
| 38 | VETERAN PORK PULLERS | |
| 39 | Barking Pig BBQ | |
| 40 | Rob-N-The Que | |
| 41 | Blackstone BBQ | |
| 42 | Ribs for your pleasure | |
| 43 | Cuz It Hurts | |
| 44 | Circle W Meats | |
| 45 | Average Joe's BBQ | |
| 46 | Black Creek BBQ | |
| 47 | M&H BBQ LLC | |
| 48 | Outhouse Smokers |
Pork Ribs
48 entries · top 180.0000 · median 163.3828 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | LEE LA Q | |
| 2 | VETERAN PORK PULLERS | |
| 3 | Swine N' Brine BBQ, LLC | |
| 4 | Outhouse Smokers | |
| 5 | JT'S SMOKE SHACK | |
| 6 | LEM'S MEAT VARNISH | |
| 7 | RIBLIFE | |
| 8 | Lems Meat Varnish | |
| 9 | PERFECTLY BLENDED | |
| 10 | The Real Squeal BBQ | |
| 11 | Holy Smokin' BBQ Team | |
| 12 | Q30 BBQ | |
| 13 | Just Cluckin' Off | |
| 14 | Lenox and Son BBQ Co. | |
| 15 | Poppalicious | |
| 16 | Bubba Q | |
| 17 | HICKORY HANGOVER | |
| 18 | Ribs for your pleasure | |
| 19 | PUCKDADDY'S KILLER Q | |
| 20 | East Coast BBQ | |
| 21 | K. Bee's Bar B Q | |
| 22 | Barking Pig BBQ | |
| 23 | FALLIN' APART BBQ | |
| 24 | REDBONES BBQ | |
| 25 | Average Joe's BBQ | |
| 26 | Steak Princess BBQ | |
| 27 | SWINEBERG'S BBQ | |
| 28 | Second Hand Smoke | |
| 29 | Bama Boys BBQ | |
| 30 | Dang Good BBQ | |
| 31 | Pork Life | |
| 32 | 4 Seasons BBQ | |
| 33 | ROLLIN KOLBZ | |
| 34 | Circle W Meats | |
| 35 | HELL ON SQUEALS | |
| 36 | BAMA QUE'N & BREW'N | |
| 37 | Cuz It Hurts | |
| 38 | Batwing BBQ | |
| 39 | Smokin' A Fatty | |
| 40 | Rollin' Smoke BBQ | |
| 41 | M&H BBQ LLC | |
| 42 | Slingin' Pig Meat | |
| 43 | Blackstone BBQ | |
| 44 | Crazy Legs Barbecue | |
| 45 | Rob-N-The Que | |
| 46 | BobbeeQ | |
| 47 | Dixie Pigs & Chick's BBQ Team | |
| 48 | Black Creek BBQ |