Oct 9–10, 2026 · Topeka, KS · 📍 3435 SE East Edge Rd · State championship
Reps: Clara Williams, Jonathan B Williams · Prize money: $10,000
Smokin Outlaws won Grand Champion at the Smoke on the Water on October 9, 2026 in Topeka, KS at 3435 SE East Edge Rd, scoring 706.2516 in a field of 25 teams. Meat Candy Q took Reserve Grand Champion with 706.2400. Category winners: Chicken — Smokin Outlaws (180.0000); Pork Ribs — Smokin Outlaws (177.7144); Pork — Team Crawford (180.0000); Brisket — Smokin Outlaws (178.8572). This is the 14th of 14 editions of this contest on record; the 2025 edition was won by Squealin N Dealin 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 2026 — 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 98% of the 4,722 championships in the data
The Grand Championship was decided by 0.0116 points — closer than 98% of every championship in the data.
Smokin Outlaws won Chicken, Pork Ribs, Brisket — a hat-trick, and took the Grand Championship on top of it.
3 perfect 180s were scored at this contest — every judge at the table handing back a nine.
2 of 14 tracked editions
Thunder Hog BBQ has won this contest 2 times across its 14 tracked editions.
Petie's Smokin Pits finished 3rd overall in the first contest the data has them cooking at all.
Chicken places 1–2: Smokin Outlaws and Meat Candy Q tied on 180.0000 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 4–5: KC Meat Sweats and Petie's Smokin Pits tied on 177.1428 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Chicken places 7–8: Team Crawford and Squelin' and Dealin' BBQ tied on 173.1084 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
Smokin Outlaws took the title on 3 calls from 4 meats, with 3 outright wins — their weakest board was pork at 15th.
| 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 | 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 ← this one | Topeka, KS | 3435 SE East Edge Rd | 25 | 706.2516 | Smokin' Outlaws | Meat Candy Q |
| Category | 1st | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 180 | 177.1428 | 171.9656 |
| Pork Ribs | 177.7144 | 176.0116 | 171.4172 |
| Pork | 180 | 177.1428 | 170.8572 |
| Brisket | 178.8572 | 173.1084 | 168.5372 |
25 entries · top 706.2516 · median 680.4800
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Smokin Outlaws | |
| 2 | Meat Candy Q | |
| 3 | Petie's Smokin Pits | |
| 4 | Who's Cookin' | |
| 5 | Cities Edge BBQ | |
| 6 | KC Meat Sweats | |
| 7 | Rock N Blues BBQ | |
| 8 | Wood Hook BBQ | |
| 9 | Squelin' and Dealin' BBQ | |
| 10 | Smoke Wurx BBQ | |
| 11 | Team Crawford | |
| 12 | M2 Smokin Q | |
| 13 | Mission Imporkable | |
| 14 | Electrified BBQ | |
| 15 | In Deep Sauce | |
| 16 | Pine Tar BBQ | |
| 17 | Tornado BBQ | |
| 18 | Grills Gone Wild | |
| 19 | Birdie's BBQ | |
| 20 | Burin' Sands | |
| 21 | Too Sauced BBQ | |
| 22 | Smokin' Beaver BBQ | |
| 23 | Blaz'n Weazel BBQ | |
| 24 | Smokin' Hogg Butts | |
| 25 | It Is BBQ My Dudes |
25 entries · top 180 · median 170.8228 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Smokin Outlaws | |
| 2 | Meat Candy Q | |
| 3 | Wood Hook BBQ | |
| 4 | KC Meat Sweats | |
| 5 | Petie's Smokin Pits | |
| 6 | Grills Gone Wild | |
| 7 | Team Crawford | |
| 8 | Squelin' and Dealin' BBQ | |
| 9 | Rock N Blues BBQ | |
| 10 | Who's Cookin' | |
| 11 | Electrified BBQ | |
| 12 | In Deep Sauce | |
| 13 | Cities Edge BBQ | |
| 14 | Smoke Wurx BBQ | |
| 15 | Tornado BBQ | |
| 16 | Too Sauced BBQ | |
| 17 | M2 Smokin Q | |
| 18 | Burin' Sands | |
| 19 | Mission Imporkable | |
| 20 | Pine Tar BBQ | |
| 21 | Smokin' Beaver BBQ | |
| 22 | Birdie's BBQ | |
| 23 | Smokin' Hogg Butts | |
| 24 | It Is BBQ My Dudes | |
| 25 | Blaz'n Weazel BBQ |
25 entries · top 177.7144 · median 169.6800
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Smokin Outlaws | |
| 2 | Smoke Wurx BBQ | |
| 3 | Meat Candy Q | |
| 4 | Petie's Smokin Pits | |
| 5 | Rock N Blues BBQ | |
| 6 | Squelin' and Dealin' BBQ | |
| 7 | Who's Cookin' | |
| 8 | KC Meat Sweats | |
| 9 | Electrified BBQ | |
| 10 | Cities Edge BBQ | |
| 11 | In Deep Sauce | |
| 12 | Too Sauced BBQ | |
| 13 | M2 Smokin Q | |
| 14 | Blaz'n Weazel BBQ | |
| 15 | Wood Hook BBQ | |
| 16 | Team Crawford | |
| 17 | Pine Tar BBQ | |
| 18 | Tornado BBQ | |
| 19 | Grills Gone Wild | |
| 20 | Mission Imporkable | |
| 21 | Smokin' Beaver BBQ | |
| 22 | Burin' Sands | |
| 23 | Birdie's BBQ | |
| 24 | Smokin' Hogg Butts | |
| 25 | It Is BBQ My Dudes |
25 entries · top 180 · median 170.2628 · 🔥 perfect 180
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Team Crawford | |
| 2 | Who's Cookin' | |
| 3 | Meat Candy Q | |
| 4 | Petie's Smokin Pits | |
| 5 | Cities Edge BBQ | |
| 6 | M2 Smokin Q | |
| 7 | Mission Imporkable | |
| 8 | Wood Hook BBQ | |
| 9 | Rock N Blues BBQ | |
| 10 | Tornado BBQ | |
| 11 | Birdie's BBQ | |
| 12 | Squelin' and Dealin' BBQ | |
| 13 | Pine Tar BBQ | |
| 14 | Smoke Wurx BBQ | |
| 15 | Smokin Outlaws | |
| 16 | Electrified BBQ | |
| 17 | Blaz'n Weazel BBQ | |
| 18 | In Deep Sauce | |
| 19 | Grills Gone Wild | |
| 20 | Smokin' Beaver BBQ | |
| 21 | Burin' Sands | |
| 22 | KC Meat Sweats | |
| 23 | Too Sauced BBQ | |
| 24 | Smokin' Hogg Butts | |
| 25 | It Is BBQ My Dudes |
25 entries · top 178.8572 · median 167.9656
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Smokin Outlaws | |
| 2 | KC Meat Sweats | |
| 3 | Mission Imporkable | |
| 4 | Cities Edge BBQ | |
| 5 | Rock N Blues BBQ | |
| 6 | Petie's Smokin Pits | |
| 7 | Pine Tar BBQ | |
| 8 | Meat Candy Q | |
| 9 | Smoke Wurx BBQ | |
| 10 | Squelin' and Dealin' BBQ | |
| 11 | M2 Smokin Q | |
| 12 | Who's Cookin' | |
| 13 | Wood Hook BBQ | |
| 14 | Tornado BBQ | |
| 15 | In Deep Sauce | |
| 16 | Electrified BBQ | |
| 17 | Birdie's BBQ | |
| 18 | Smokin' Beaver BBQ | |
| 19 | Team Crawford | |
| 20 | Grills Gone Wild | |
| 21 | Burin' Sands | |
| 22 | Blaz'n Weazel BBQ | |
| 23 | Smokin' Hogg Butts | |
| 24 | Too Sauced BBQ | |
| 25 | It Is BBQ My Dudes |