Smoke on the Falls
2023-04-07 – 2023-04-08 · Gadsden, AL · 📍 1600 Noccalula Rd · State championship
Reps: CAROL BIGLER, JANET APPLETON, RANDY G BIGLER, SAM APPLETON · Prize money: $11,220.00
Grand Champion: We Will Rock 'Que (690.8000) · 39 teams
Reserve Champion: 🥈 COOL HAND QUE
Entries
Top score
Winning margin
Field average
Tightest race
Top-10 cutoff
Field spread
Prize money
Double threats
How hot was the win?
Traveled in
Came back for more
Form held
Field strength
Storylines
👑 A dynasty in the making
The Specialists has won this contest 2 times across its 11 tracked editions.
🪒 A razor-thin finish
The Grand Championship was decided by 0.0344 points — closer than 95% of every championship in the data.
🧳 Out-of-towners took the title
WE WILL ROCK QUE took the Grand Championship home to IN.
🧹 A double category winner
RIBLIFE won Chicken, Pork Ribs — a double.
📸 Photo finishes
Master Series — Chicken places 5–6: Fat, Drunk & Stupid BBQ Team and DANG GOOD BBQ tied on 173.1200 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Master Series — Chicken places 7–8: SWIG-N-PIG and Organizer Portal tied on 173.1084 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker. Master Series — Chicken places 9–10: ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN and PIGLITICALLY INCORRECT BBQ tied on 171.9656 — settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.
🃏 An upset on the books
WE WILL ROCK QUE came in rated below the field's top team, ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN, and took the Grand Championship anyway — roughly a 17-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
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)
Where the field came from (home regions on file)
This contest over the years full contest page →
| Date | Where | Venue | Teams | High score | Grand Champion | Reserve Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-04-12 | Gadsden, AL | 34 | 696.5718 | SWIGGIN PIG | BIG BLUE QUE | |
| 2015-04-10 | Gadsden, AL 35904 | 34 | 699.9884 | The Specialists | UNCULTURED SWINE | |
| 2017-04-07 | 1500 Noccalula Rd | 28 | 704.5488 | SMOKIN BUTT CREW | Organizer Portal | |
| 2018-04-13 | 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 | 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 ← this one | 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 | 180.0000 | 173.1200 | 171.9656 |
| Master Series — Pork Ribs | 175.4628 | 173.1200 | 170.8344 |
| Master Series — Pork | 177.7144 | 173.1084 | 170.8228 |
| Master Series — Brisket | 178.8572 | 172.5600 | 170.8228 |
| Backyard Series — Chicken | 178.8572 | 175.4172 | 171.9656 |
| Backyard Series — Pork Ribs | 175.4172 | 173.1200 | 170.8228 |
Official results on kcbs.us ↗
Master Series
Overall
39 entries · top 690.8000 · median 668.3768
Chicken
39 entries · top 180.0000 · median 167.3828 · 🔥 perfect 180
Pork Ribs
38 entries · top 175.4628 · median 167.1202
Pork
39 entries · top 177.7144 · median 166.8228
Brisket
38 entries · top 178.8572 · median 167.4114
Backyard Series
Overall
47 entries · top 354.2744 · median 331.9200
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | RIBLIFE | |
| 2 | Deviant Smoke | |
| 3 | Secondhand Smoke BBQ Team | |
| 4 | Dixie Pigs & Chick's BBQ Team | |
| 5 | Maggie's Farm | |
| 6 | Pig Destroyer | |
| 7 | VETERAN PORK PULLERS | |
| 8 | LEE LA Q | |
| 9 | SMALL BATCH BBQ | |
| 10 | RUNNING STYLE BBQ - GA | |
| 11 | NORALA BBQ TEAM | |
| 12 | PUCKDADDY'S KILLER Q | |
| 13 | MAGNOLIA | |
| 14 | Bourbon & Blues BBQ | |
| 15 | Outhouse smokers | |
| 16 | Swine N Brine BBQ | |
| 17 | Just Cluckin Off | |
| 18 | Hound Hogs BBQ Supply Co | |
| 19 | Bentley Que | |
| 20 | REDBONES BBQ | |
| 21 | BAMA QUE'N & BREW'N | |
| 22 | 2 Swine Crew | |
| 23 | THIN BLUE SWINE BBQ | |
| 24 | Colonel Rusty's BBQ | |
| 25 | BAMA BOYS BBQ | |
| 26 | JT'S SMOKE SHACK | |
| 27 | Rollin Smoke BBQ | |
| 28 | Slingin Pig Meat | |
| 29 | Wreckless BBQ Crew | |
| 30 | SLATER HOUSE BBQ | |
| 31 | The Catering Vets | |
| 32 | ETOWAH SMOKE | |
| 33 | Creekside BBQ | |
| 34 | Eastside Grillin & Chillin | |
| 35 | HUNTER'S HOT ASH BBQ | |
| 36 | Modest Meats | |
| 37 | Simply Smoked | |
| 38 | Pork Life | |
| 39 | Kaddie Kue BBQ Team | |
| 40 | Goin Hawg Wild | |
| 41 | Cuz it Hurts | |
| 42 | Sand Valley Backyard BBQRS | |
| 43 | Charlie Brown BBQ | |
| 44 | Circle W Meats | |
| 45 | The Smokin' Huskies | |
| 46 | 931 BBQ | |
| 47 | Smoke-a-Billies |
Chicken
46 entries · top 178.8572 · median 167.7086
Pork Ribs
46 entries · top 175.4172 · median 166.2400
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | RIBLIFE | |
| 2 | Deviant Smoke | |
| 3 | LEE LA Q | |
| 4 | Maggie's Farm | |
| 5 | Bourbon & Blues BBQ | |
| 6 | 931 BBQ | |
| 7 | Pig Destroyer | |
| 8 | Swine N Brine BBQ | |
| 9 | Secondhand Smoke BBQ Team | |
| 10 | NORALA BBQ TEAM | |
| 11 | BAMA QUE'N & BREW'N | |
| 12 | Outhouse smokers | |
| 13 | SMALL BATCH BBQ | |
| 14 | Just Cluckin Off | |
| 15 | MAGNOLIA | |
| 16 | PUCKDADDY'S KILLER Q | |
| 17 | Hound Hogs BBQ Supply Co | |
| 18 | ETOWAH SMOKE | |
| 19 | Dixie Pigs & Chick's BBQ Team | |
| 20 | Bentley Que | |
| 21 | RUNNING STYLE BBQ - GA | |
| 22 | REDBONES BBQ | |
| 23 | VETERAN PORK PULLERS | |
| 24 | JT'S SMOKE SHACK | |
| 25 | Colonel Rusty's BBQ | |
| 26 | 2 Swine Crew | |
| 27 | The Catering Vets | |
| 28 | THIN BLUE SWINE BBQ | |
| 29 | Rollin Smoke BBQ | |
| 30 | BAMA BOYS BBQ | |
| 31 | Modest Meats | |
| 32 | SLATER HOUSE BBQ | |
| 33 | Goin Hawg Wild | |
| 34 | Creekside BBQ | |
| 35 | Wreckless BBQ Crew | |
| 36 | Cuz it Hurts | |
| 37 | Circle W Meats | |
| 38 | Kaddie Kue BBQ Team | |
| 39 | Pork Life | |
| 40 | Slingin Pig Meat | |
| 41 | HUNTER'S HOT ASH BBQ | |
| 42 | Simply Smoked | |
| 43 | The Smokin' Huskies | |
| 44 | Eastside Grillin & Chillin | |
| 45 | Charlie Brown BBQ | |
| 46 | Sand Valley Backyard BBQRS |
Ancillary categories
Run by the organizers alongside the sanctioned contest. These are judged on their own terms and do not count toward the overall score, so they're kept out of the meat stats above.
Kids-Q — Kids-Q 11-15
5 entries · top 177.7028 · median 171.4056
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dunn Right BBQ | |
| 2 | Mad Cow | |
| 3 | Homerun Hamburgers | |
| 4 | The Grilling King | |
| 5 | THE SPICE GIRLS |
Kids-Q — Kids-Q 5-10
10 entries · top 174.8572 · median 168.2686
| # | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Burger Shark | |
| 2 | Pop & Squeeze | |
| 3 | Will's Skillz on the Grill | |
| 4 | Red Headed Rascal | |
| 5 | Poo's BBQ | |
| 6 | Smokin Yogi's | |
| 7 | Barbie-Q | |
| 8 | The Buns Jovi's | |
| 9 | Rollin' Smoke Jr | |
| 10 | The Hangry Burger |