Oct 15–16, 2021 · Topeka, KS · 📍 3435 SE East Edge Rd · State championship
Reps: Clara Williams, Jonathan B Williams · Prize money: $5,250
MAD MUTT'S BBQ won Grand Champion at the Smoke on the Water on October 15, 2021 in Topeka, KS at 3435 SE East Edge Rd, scoring 699.3600 in a field of 25 teams. SMOKE RINGERS took Reserve Grand Champion with 698.2744. Category winners: Chicken — FAIRWAY SMOKERS (175.4056); Pork Ribs — Bocephus BBQ (177.7144); Pork — FAIRWAY SMOKERS (177.7144); Brisket — MAD MUTT'S BBQ (178.8572). This is the 7th of 14 editions of this contest on record; the 2021 edition was won by The BBQ Bus; the next was held in 2022.
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 2025 — 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 85% of the 4,714 championships in the data
The Grand Championship was decided by 1.0856 points — closer than 85% of every championship in the data.
The ratings favoured the top seed the other 77 times in 100
MAD MUTT'S BBQ came in rated below the field's top team, MAN MEAT BBQ, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 23-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings.
2 of 13 tracked editions
Thunder Hog BBQ has won this contest 2 times across its 13 tracked editions.
Chicken places 1–2: FAIRWAY SMOKERS and Cities Edge BBQ tied on 175.4056 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 2–3: Cities Edge BBQ and TEXAS SMOKE WHISPERER tied on 175.4056 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 4–5: 777 BBQ and Bocephus BBQ tied on 174.8456 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
FAIRWAY SMOKERS won Chicken, Pork — a double.
MAD MUTT'S BBQ took the title on 4 calls from 4 meats, with 1 outright win — their weakest board was pork ribs at 10th.
| Date | Where | Venue | Teams | High score | Grand Champion | Reserve Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 11, 2013 | Topeka, KS | Topeka, KS | 43 | 687.4516 | CHICKHOOVENSWINE BBQ | BLACK EYE BBQ |
| Oct 9, 2015 | Topeka, KS | Topeka, KS 66605 | 33 | 696.5600 | JO-BAWB'S BBQ | BOXER Q BBQ |
| May 6, 2017 | Liberty, IN | 3801 West Old Dunlapsville RD | 26 | 695.9084 | VICTORY SMOKERS | GREY STREET BBQ |
| May 5, 2018 | Liberty, IN | 3801 West Old Dunlapsville RD | 28 | 693.6684 | GREY STREET BBQ | BANKIN BABY BBQ |
| May 4, 2019 | Liberty, IN | 381 W Old Dunlapsville | 26 | 696.5140 | Thunder Hog BBQ | SLIPPERY PETE'S BBQ |
| May 1, 2021 | Liberty, IN | 3801 W Old Dunlapsville Rd | 27 | 706.2400 | The BBQ Bus | GETTIN PIGGY WITH IT BACKYARD BBQ |
| Oct 15, 2021 ← this one | Topeka, KS | 3435 SE East Edge Rd | 25 | 699.3600 | Mad Mutt's BBQ | SMOKE RINGERS |
| Apr 29, 2022 | Liberty, IN | 3801 W Old Dunlapsville Rd | 25 | 707.9888 | Thunder Hog BBQ | SCUFFLETOWN SMOKERS |
| Oct 14, 2022 | Topeka, KS | 3435 SE East Edge Rd | 28 | 701.6688 | Cow Creek BBQ | MAN MEAT BBQ |
| Oct 13, 2023 | Topeka, KS | 3435 SE East Edge Rd | 39 | 707.4176 | Slaps BBQ | WOOD HOOK BBQ |
| Sep 20, 2024 | Pine Bluff, AR | 1 Regional Park Dr | 42 | 698.2628 | Kith n Kin | SHAKE 'N BAKE BBQ |
| Oct 11, 2024 | Topeka, KS | 3435 SE East Edge Rd | 31 | 700.5372 | Colorado Bulldawg BBQ | Bocephus BBQ |
| Oct 10, 2025 | Topeka, KS | 3435 SE East Edge Rd | 30 | 703.3828 | Squealin N Dealin BBQ | Damn Fine Beef & Swine |
| Oct 9, 2026 | Topeka, KS | — | — | — | — | — |
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 175.4056 | 174.8456 | 170.8228 |
| Pork Ribs | 177.7144 | 173.7144 | 170.8228 |
| Pork | 177.7144 | 176.5600 | 171.9772 |
| Brisket | 178.8572 | 173.1200 | 167.3944 |
25 entries · top 699.3600 · median 673.6344
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | MAD MUTT'S BBQ | |
| 2 | SMOKE RINGERS | |
| 3 | TEXAS SMOKE WHISPERER | |
| 4 | FAIRWAY SMOKERS | |
| 5 | Bocephus BBQ | |
| 6 | TOPEKA BBQ SHOP | |
| 7 | Cow Creek BBQ | |
| 8 | MAN MEAT BBQ | |
| 9 | Cities Edge BBQ | |
| 10 | Ambition Que | |
| 11 | 777 BBQ | |
| 12 | WOOD HOOK BBQ | |
| 13 | M.T. POCKETS | |
| 14 | ROCK N BLUES BBQ | |
| 15 | BLUE BUCKET BBQ | |
| 16 | M Squared Smokin' Q | |
| 17 | Burnt & Ernie | |
| 18 | Tar & Feather'd | |
| 19 | Rev-N-Rob | |
| 20 | RURdy4BBQ | |
| 21 | RICH AND STU'S VOODOO BBQ | |
| 22 | SILVER FOX BBQ | |
| 23 | Happy Basset BBQ and Beer | |
| 24 | Flat Tire BBQ | |
| 25 | Who's Cooking |
25 entries · top 175.4056 · median 168.5372
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | FAIRWAY SMOKERS | |
| 2 | Cities Edge BBQ | |
| 3 | TEXAS SMOKE WHISPERER | |
| 4 | 777 BBQ | |
| 5 | Bocephus BBQ | |
| 6 | TOPEKA BBQ SHOP | |
| 7 | SMOKE RINGERS | |
| 8 | MAD MUTT'S BBQ | |
| 9 | MAN MEAT BBQ | |
| 10 | ROCK N BLUES BBQ | |
| 11 | Cow Creek BBQ | |
| 12 | BLUE BUCKET BBQ | |
| 13 | Ambition Que | |
| 14 | WOOD HOOK BBQ | |
| 15 | M.T. POCKETS | |
| 16 | RICH AND STU'S VOODOO BBQ | |
| 17 | M Squared Smokin' Q | |
| 18 | RURdy4BBQ | |
| 19 | SILVER FOX BBQ | |
| 20 | Tar & Feather'd | |
| 21 | Flat Tire BBQ | |
| 22 | Rev-N-Rob | |
| 23 | Burnt & Ernie | |
| 24 | Who's Cooking | |
| 25 | Happy Basset BBQ and Beer |
25 entries · top 177.7144 · median 169.1428
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bocephus BBQ | |
| 2 | SMOKE RINGERS | |
| 3 | Cities Edge BBQ | |
| 4 | FAIRWAY SMOKERS | |
| 5 | WOOD HOOK BBQ | |
| 6 | 777 BBQ | |
| 7 | TOPEKA BBQ SHOP | |
| 8 | Cow Creek BBQ | |
| 9 | Rev-N-Rob | |
| 10 | MAD MUTT'S BBQ | |
| 11 | TEXAS SMOKE WHISPERER | |
| 12 | BLUE BUCKET BBQ | |
| 13 | Ambition Que | |
| 14 | MAN MEAT BBQ | |
| 15 | M Squared Smokin' Q | |
| 16 | M.T. POCKETS | |
| 17 | Tar & Feather'd | |
| 18 | ROCK N BLUES BBQ | |
| 19 | RICH AND STU'S VOODOO BBQ | |
| 20 | Burnt & Ernie | |
| 21 | RURdy4BBQ | |
| 22 | SILVER FOX BBQ | |
| 23 | Happy Basset BBQ and Beer | |
| 24 | Flat Tire BBQ | |
| 25 | Who's Cooking |
25 entries · top 177.7144 · median 168.5372
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | FAIRWAY SMOKERS | |
| 2 | MAD MUTT'S BBQ | |
| 3 | TOPEKA BBQ SHOP | |
| 4 | TEXAS SMOKE WHISPERER | |
| 5 | MAN MEAT BBQ | |
| 6 | M.T. POCKETS | |
| 7 | SMOKE RINGERS | |
| 8 | Ambition Que | |
| 9 | Cow Creek BBQ | |
| 10 | Bocephus BBQ | |
| 11 | ROCK N BLUES BBQ | |
| 12 | WOOD HOOK BBQ | |
| 13 | 777 BBQ | |
| 14 | Burnt & Ernie | |
| 15 | M Squared Smokin' Q | |
| 16 | Cities Edge BBQ | |
| 17 | BLUE BUCKET BBQ | |
| 18 | Flat Tire BBQ | |
| 19 | Rev-N-Rob | |
| 20 | Who's Cooking | |
| 21 | Happy Basset BBQ and Beer | |
| 22 | SILVER FOX BBQ | |
| 23 | RICH AND STU'S VOODOO BBQ | |
| 24 | RURdy4BBQ | |
| 25 | Tar & Feather'd |
25 entries · top 178.8572 · median 167.3828
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | MAD MUTT'S BBQ | |
| 2 | TEXAS SMOKE WHISPERER | |
| 3 | Cow Creek BBQ | |
| 4 | SMOKE RINGERS | |
| 5 | WOOD HOOK BBQ | |
| 6 | Ambition Que | |
| 7 | Cities Edge BBQ | |
| 8 | MAN MEAT BBQ | |
| 9 | FAIRWAY SMOKERS | |
| 10 | Bocephus BBQ | |
| 11 | M.T. POCKETS | |
| 12 | ROCK N BLUES BBQ | |
| 13 | 777 BBQ | |
| 14 | TOPEKA BBQ SHOP | |
| 15 | Tar & Feather'd | |
| 16 | M Squared Smokin' Q | |
| 17 | BLUE BUCKET BBQ | |
| 18 | RURdy4BBQ | |
| 19 | Happy Basset BBQ and Beer | |
| 20 | Burnt & Ernie | |
| 21 | Who's Cooking | |
| 22 | RICH AND STU'S VOODOO BBQ | |
| 23 | SILVER FOX BBQ | |
| 24 | Rev-N-Rob | |
| 25 | Flat Tire BBQ |