2026 Season

← 2025 2027 →

The 2026 season is still being cooked — 44 contests left on the calendar, and every number below moves as results come in.

📰 Read it as The Smoke Ring 📊 The season in charts 📋 The boards 🔢 More numbers 🗓 All 2026 contests

Contests

408

316 scored · 92 still out · 43 cancelled

Teams competing

3,607

876 new · 2,731 back from before

Team entries

8,124

2.3 contests per team

Different champions

199

241 contests won · 138 won just once

It took this to win

702.35

average winning Master overall · won by 4.17 on average

Top score

717.7144

PRAIRIE SMOKE & SPICE BBQ

Perfect 180s

583 🔥

19.3 per 1,000 meat entries

States & provinces

busiest MO (32)

Typical field

teams · biggest was 157

Came back

43.7%

1,858 of 4,255 teams from 2025

Purse on the line

$1,975,115

listed across 242 contests

State championships

166

contests carrying a state title

Team of the Year

👑 Backyard Series — DAWGS BBQ (1356 pts) full board ↗
👑 Master Series — JANKY LEG BBQ (2682 pts) full board ↗
🥇 Chicken (Backyard) — Rollin Smoke BBQ (1291 pts)
🥇 Pork Ribs (Backyard) — PUDDLEDUCK BBQ (1331 pts)
🥇 Brisket (Master) — SMOKIN' OUTLAWS (2423 pts)
🥇 Chicken (Master) — ELJEFE SMOKE (2331 pts)
🥇 Pork (Master) — ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN (2517 pts)
🥇 Pork Ribs (Master) — BBQ Hot Yard (2550 pts)

Storylines (11 found in the 2026 numbers)

Everything here is read out of the results — the number on each card is the one that made it a story.

Team of the Year

2,682 Master Series points

JANKY LEG BBQ finished 2026 as KCBS Master Series Team of the Year on 2,682 points.

Backyard: DAWGS BBQ

The season’s big winner

5× grand championships in 2026

5 of the 241 contests won this season

B'S QUE was one of 3 teams to take 5 grand championships in 2026 — out of 241 won by 199 different teams.

PUDDLEDUCK BBQ ×5
Rough Cut Q ×5
Colorado Bulldawg BBQ ×4

The score of the year

717.7144 highest Master overall of 2026

PRAIRIE SMOKE & SPICE BBQ put up 717.7144 at Throttled Up BBQ Throwdown — 15.36 points clear of what a 2026 win averaged.

Throttled Up BBQ Throwdown
Jun 6, 2026

The closest finish

0.0004 points between first and second

GOD'S COUNTRY BBQ beat Uncle Jesse's BBQ by 0.0004 at 11th Annual Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge — the narrowest Master win of 2026, and 3 more finished dead level and went to the KCBS tiebreaker.

11th Annual Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge
Jan 16, 2026

Rookie champion

1× GC in their first season

Keij Smokin Hot cooked their first tracked KCBS contest in 2026 and won 1 grand championship — one of 6 rookies to take a title.

6 contests cooked
class of 2026: 876 new teams

The biggest upset

6% their odds against the top seed

6% — what the rating gave them going in

Titans of BBQ (rated 1511) won Giant National Capital Barbecue Battle out of a field headed by SHAKE 'N BAKE BBQ at 1994.

31 teams
Jun 26, 2026

The season’s biggest climb

+160.1 power rating gained in 2026

BBQ Hot Yard added 160.1 rating points across 18 rated contests in 2026 — they sit at #780 today.

18 rated contests
now #780 at 1630

Perfect boxes

583 perfect 180s in 2026

Judges handed out 583 perfect 180s in 2026 — 19.3 for every 1,000 meat entries. ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN collected 8 of them.

ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN ×8
TRIPLE H BBQ ×8
Colorado Bulldawg BBQ ×6

Most miles cooked

31 contests entered in 2026

MAN MEAT BBQ entered 31 contests in 2026 — the busiest season anyone cooked.

0 GCs
18 top-ten overalls
11 states/provinces

The biggest room

157 teams at one contest

The 2026 average field was 27 teams

The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle - Kansas State Championship drew 157 teams, against a 2026 average of 27 — Gettin' Basted won it.

Jun 26, 2026
KS

A shorter calendar

-7% contests against 2025

KCBS ran 408 contests in 2026, down 32 on the 440 of 2025.

408 in 2026
440 in 2025

The season in charts

When they cooked (contests per month)

Where they cooked (busiest states and provinces)

How the season scored (every Master overall, in 10-point bins)

How big the fields were (contests by number of teams)

How the meats scored (average of every entry, /180)

2026 in the run of seasons (2026 picked out in both)

Contests held, season by season

What it took to win (average winning Master overall, /720)

The boards

Master Series Team of the Year (top 10)

#	Team	Points
1	JANKY LEG BBQ	2682
2	B'S QUE	2607
3	ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN	2562
4	TRIPLE H BBQ	2547
5	SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA	2543
6	Colorado Bulldawg BBQ	2521
7	Justice BBQ	2431
8	Meat Candy Q	2414
9	BBQ Hot Yard	2404
10	SCUFFLETOWN SMOKERS	2335

Backyard Series Team of the Year (top 10)

#	Team	Points
1	DAWGS BBQ	1356
2	PUDDLEDUCK BBQ	1349
3	Rough Cut Q	1340
4	Rollin Smoke BBQ	1331
5	Rudes BBQ	1316
6	Dogpatch Q	1303
7	FENDER BENDER BBQ	1302
8	All Smoked Up BBQ	1286
9	Leaning Jowler BBQ	1270
10	FIRE & SHINE BBQ	1258

Most Grand Championships

#	Team	GCs
1	B'S QUE	5
2	PUDDLEDUCK BBQ	5
3	Rough Cut Q	5
4	Colorado Bulldawg BBQ	4
5	Cynical BBQ	4
6	DAWGS BBQ	4
7	JANKY LEG BBQ	4
8	ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN	4
9	TRIPLE H BBQ	4
10	All Smoked Up BBQ	3

Highest overall scores (Master · /720)

#	Team	Score
1	PRAIRIE SMOKE & SPICE BBQ Throttled Up BBQ Throwdown · Jun 6, 2026	717.7144
2	Tuffy's BBQ NorUt KCBS BBQ Championship · Sep 18, 2026	716.5716
3	Club Carbon CR Camino del Fuego 2026 · Sep 18, 2026	716.0116
4	SCUFFLETOWN SMOKERS Rockin' BBQ Warsaw, Indiana · May 15, 2026	714.8572
5	GETTIN' BASTED No Smoke, No Glory · Jul 10, 2026	714.8572
6	Colorado Bulldawg BBQ NorUt KCBS BBQ Championship · Sep 18, 2026	714.2860
7	ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN Smoke on the Falls · Apr 3, 2026	714.2628
8	CROOKED PIGS Blue Compass RV BBQ Bash · May 1, 2026	713.7144
9	RAZORRACKS Southaven Springfest · Apr 24, 2026	713.1316
10	Brinkerhoff BBQ NorUt KCBS BBQ Championship · Sep 18, 2026	713.1316

Highest overall scores (Backyard · /360)

#	Team	Score
1	DAWGS BBQ Iowa State BBQ Championship · Apr 3, 2026	360
2	Big Fluff BBQ Reelin N Smokin Backyard BBQ Competition (BACKYARD ONLY) · Jun 12, 2026	360
3	NORALA BBQ TEAM Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship · Mar 20, 2026	358.8572
4	Big James Kitchen Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship · Mar 20, 2026	358.8572
5	Kick Ash BBQ Smokin Ribs for the Kids (BACKYARD ONLY) (Contest 1) · Aug 28, 2026	357.7144
6	Southern Swine Foley BBQ & Blues Cook-Off (BACKYARD ONLY) · Mar 13, 2026	357.7028
7	PUDDLEDUCK BBQ High on the Hog Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) · May 15, 2026	357.1544
8	Big & Ugly BBQ Jeepin 4 Justice · Mar 13, 2026	357.1428
9	Leaning Jowler BBQ 8th Annual KCBS World Invitational: Master Series Invitational and the Backyard Series Invitational (Sunday, May 24, 2026) · May 24, 2026	356.5944
10	Mind if I Smoke? Singing River Smoke-O-Rama (BACKYARD ONLY) · Mar 27, 2026	356.5716

Best cook of the season, meat by meat (/180)

Meat	Team	Score
Chicken	Optimus Swine 10th Annual Jimmy Jam BBQ Slam	180 🔥
Pork Ribs	Smoke Central BBQ 10th Annual Jimmy Jam BBQ Slam	180 🔥
Pork	MAYA JANE BBQ CO. 10th Annual Jimmy Jam BBQ Slam	180 🔥
Brisket	GETTIN' BASTED 10th Annual Jimmy Jam BBQ Slam	180 🔥

How hard each meat was (2026 only)

Meat	Entries	Avg	Avg win	180s per 1,000
Chicken	8,397	169.08	178.46	26.6
Pork Ribs	8,982	168.21	177.94	10
Pork	6,493	168.85	178.78	25.4
Brisket	6,407	166.99	177.95	16.4

Busiest teams (contests entered)

Team	Contests	GCs	Top 10
MAN MEAT BBQ 11 states	31	0	18
Bourbon & Blues BBQ 18 states	29	0	3
BrewsCue 16 states	28	1	17
JANKY LEG BBQ 10 states	26	4	22
Colorado Bulldawg BBQ 16 states	25	4	18
OLD VIRGINIA SMOKE 12 states	25	2	13
SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA 14 states	23	3	19
Shiggin aint easy 11 states	23	2	13
Rollin Smoke BBQ 10 states	23	1	17
BEER TIME BBQ 8 states	22	1	9

Biggest climbers (power rating gained in 2026)

Team	Gained	Contests
BBQ Hot Yard #780 today	+160.1	18
B'S QUE #232 today	+148.1	17
All Smoked Up BBQ #527 today	+114.9	19
Kick Ash BBQ #1223 today	+107.6	8
Smoke N Poke BBQ #1023 today	+102.8	13
SMOKIN E'S BBQ #636 today	+102.6	14
Clean Smoke BBQ Team #1082 today	+102.5	18
Smoked By The Brooks #1008 today	+91.9	10
Skinny Pig BBQ #488 today	+91.7	17
BBQ Maestros #498 today	+91.4	20

Biggest contests

Contest	Teams	Grand Champion
The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle - Kansas State Championship Lenexa, KS	157	Gettin' Basted
Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship Lebanon, TN	125	Razorracks
8th Annual KCBS World Invitational: Wells Cup, Cocktail Ancillary, Dessert Ancillary (Saturday, May 23, 2026) Lebanon, TN	117	Kings BBQ Team
Smoke in the Spring (OPEN FORMAT) Osage City, KS	101	Blind Fox BBQ
Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship (ONE MEAT RIBS) Lebanon, TN	88	Alpine Smoke Works
BBQ & Fly-In on the River Excelsior Springs, MO	83	Triple H BBQ
8th Annual KCBS World Invitational: Master Series Invitational and the Backyard Series Invitational (Sunday, May 24, 2026) Lebanon, TN	82	WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ
8th Annual KCBS World Invitational: World Rib Finals (Friday, May 22, 2026) Lebanon, TN	79	K & E's Little Smokers
Minnesota in May St. Peter, MN	77	Burnt Trees BBQ
South Carolina Festival of Discovery Greenwood, SC	75	Cocamoke Smoke BBQ

Closest finishes (Master, first over second)

Margin	Contest
0.0004	11th Annual Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge GOD'S COUNTRY BBQ over Uncle Jesse's BBQ
0.0116	York County BBQ Festival (Day 1) Dog Bite Barbecue over Sailor Nicks BBQ
0.0116	Dillon Days Blowin' Smoke BBQ Cook Off Brinkerhoff BBQ over Texas Smoke Whisperer
0.0116	September Fest Bay 5 BBQ over DAT'S BBQ
0.0228	Mass in May (Day 2) Brookside BBQ over FIRE AT THE END OF THE DAY
0.0228	La Classique - L'Entrepot de Viandes MEAN MOE'S BBQ over SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA
0.0232	Cruisin' and BBQin' SMOKEY D'S WANNABEES over DRY 2 DA BONE
0.0232	Meat & Tater BBQ Fest Cynical BBQ over IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ
0.0344	Battle of the Blue Ridge FRED VEGAS SMOKERS over Casual Smokers SC
0.0804	Buckeye BBQ Classic TIRE SMOKE BBQ over ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN

3 more finished dead level and were settled by the KCBS tiebreaker.

Widest winning margins (Master)

Margin	Contest
29.0968	IBEW So Cal BBQ & Chili Cook-Off (COMPETITOR SERIES) Loco Smokers over Rubbed The Wrong Way
21.7488	Smoke on the Waters - The Return! 2026 BUNCH OF SWINES over BBQ Hot Yard
17.0284	BBQ Fest Panama Justice BBQ over Grill and Chill
16.0344	Vaartse Hoeve BBQ Contest (Day 2) The Antwerp Smokers over BUNCH OF SWINES
15.4516	Spitsbroek on Fire III The Antwerp Smokers over BBQ Hot Yard

Biggest upsets (winner's odds against the top-rated team)

Odds	Contest
6%	Giant National Capital Barbecue Battle Titans of BBQ (1511) over a field led by SHAKE 'N BAKE BBQ (1994)
9%	Tri City BBQ Fest GRILLIN' GRINDES (1473) over a field led by HOT DADDY'S BBQ (1876)
10%	Smokin on the Osage BBQ Contest (Day 1) Rowdy Pig (1525) over a field led by TRIPLE H BBQ (1910)
10%	KTD Smokn' Gobbler Shiggin & Grinnn (1500) over a field led by HOT DADDY'S BBQ (1880)
11%	Knox Co. 4-H/FFA Ring of Smoke STL-High on the Hog (1535) over a field led by JANKY LEG BBQ (1901)
11%	Connecticut Barbecue Challenge Boggs Hogg BBQ (1500) over a field led by SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA (1865)
11%	11th Annual Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge GOD'S COUNTRY BBQ (1522) over a field led by IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ (1882)
11%	All American BBQ Throwdown Bucked Up BBQ (1584) over a field led by ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN (1939)
12%	Pitmasters in Paradise Double Barrel Smokers (1485) over a field led by IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ (1824)
12%	Great River Threshers BBQ Contest (BACKYARD ONLY) (Day 2) Kick Ash BBQ (1522) over a field led by WEEZ'S GROOVIN' BBQ (1861)

Read off the nightly power-rating replay. Invitationals and non-points contests are not rated, so they never appear here.

Most perfect 180s (in 2026)

Team	180s	Contests
ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN	8	6
TRIPLE H BBQ	8	7
Colorado Bulldawg BBQ	6	5
Cynical BBQ	6	5
SCUFFLETOWN SMOKERS	6	5
SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA	6	6
Brinkerhoff BBQ	5	4
DAWGS BBQ	5	4
ELJEFE SMOKE	5	5
FIRE DANCER BBQ	5	4

Class of 2026 (876 teams debuted · how the class did →)

Team	Contests	GCs
Keij Smokin Hot	6	1
HevyQue BBQ	5	1
Baptized by Smoke	4	1
Beaver Field BBQ	3	1
Smoking Butchers	2	1
The King & His Q	2	1
ANNOINTED BBQ	1	1
BAD ASH	1	1
BULL IN THE RING BBQ	1	1
Boggs Hogg BBQ	1	1
Brooklyn L. - ShowMeNoSmoke	1	1
Janky Leg	1	1

State by state

State/Prov.	Contests	Scored	Avg field
MO 14 titles	32	19	29
KS 18 titles	27	18	44
TN 5 titles	19	16	59
IL 4 titles	15	13	27
PA 10 titles	14	11	21
IA 8 titles	13	11	24
AL 3 titles	12	8	27
FL 8 titles	12	8	35
AB	11	10	20
CA 6 titles	11	10	24
VA 6 titles	11	8	28
GA 4 titles	10	3	35
NJ 5 titles	9	5	26
CT 4 titles	8	8	23
IN 3 titles	8	6	29
MI 4 titles	8	8	28
MN 3 titles	8	8	31
WI 3 titles	7	6	29
ON	6	5	14
NC 5 titles	5	4	32
NM 1 title	5	1	16
OH 3 titles	5	4	24
TX 3 titles	5	3	56
MA 2 titles	4	4	26
NY 1 title	4	4	34
WA 2 titles	4	3	18
AZ 3 titles	3	3	37
BZ	3	3	10
GG	3	3	11
ID 2 titles	3	3	39
KY 2 titles	3	2	30
MD 1 title	3	0	—
MT 3 titles	3	3	31
ND 1 title	3	2	54
NE 3 titles	3	3	22
NV 3 titles	3	2	31
OK 1 title	3	2	20
SC 3 titles	3	3	38
SD 2 titles	3	3	36
VT 1 title	3	3	14
AK	2	2	5
CR	2	2	15
DC 1 title	2	2	30
DE 1 title	2	2	28
ME 1 title	2	2	52
MS 2 titles	2	1	33
NO	2	2	8
NS	2	2	13
OR 2 titles	2	2	31
PZ	2	2	15
TM	2	0	—
UT 2 titles	2	2	16
WY 2 titles	2	2	31
AR 1 title	1	1	37
BA	1	0	—
CO 1 title	1	1	27
HI 1 title	1	1	12
LA 1 title	1	0	—
LT	1	1	23
PO	1	1	13
QC	1	1	24
RM	1	0	—
SA	1	0	—
SJ	1	1	19
SK	1	1	24
SP	1	0	—
WV 1 title	1	1	29

State championships (166 in 2026)

Contest	Grand Champion
10th Annual Jimmy Jam BBQ Slam FL · Jan 9, 2026	Maya Jane BBQ Co.
11th Annual Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge AZ · Jan 16, 2026	GOD'S COUNTRY BBQ
Lakeland Pig Festival FL · Jan 22, 2026	Fred Vegas Smokers
The Golden State Battle VIII CA · Jan 30, 2026	Loot N' Booty BBQ
SJV Winter Rub NE · Jan 30, 2026	Bocephus BBQ
Ribs on the Ridge FL · Feb 20, 2026	Kings BBQ Team
BBQ & Brew Festival AZ · Feb 27, 2026	B' Mackin BBQ
Mission Farms - King of the Farm NC · Feb 27, 2026	Rooters-N-Tooters TN
Sip & Swine BBQ Festival GA · Mar 6, 2026	Electro-Que-ted
University of Arkansas Animal Science Boots, Brews, and BBQ Contest AR · Mar 13, 2026	MUNNY'S STOVE
Jeepin 4 Justice FL · Mar 13, 2026	Kings BBQ Team
Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship TN · Mar 20, 2026	Razorracks
Torry Island BBQ Showdown FL · Mar 20, 2026	Tillman's BBQ
Dinuba's BBQ & Brew Fest CA · Mar 20, 2026	Cynical BBQ
8th Annual Qlathe BBQ Championship KS · Mar 20, 2026	JDQ BBQ
Kickin' It Route 66 Barbecue Challenge MO · Mar 27, 2026	Kermit's Ex
Q's & Brews Bighorn BBQ Competition AZ · Mar 27, 2026	Brinkerhoff BBQ
BBQ Gives Back (Day 1) VA · Mar 27, 2026	B's Que
BBQ Gives Back (Day 2) VA · Mar 28, 2026	3 Eyz BBQ
Smokin in the Valley KS · Apr 3, 2026	Triple H BBQ

Busiest reps (contests worked in 2026)

Rep	Contests
Charlie Brinza	35
Jeanne Titus	33
Dave Rogers	28
Eugene Wickham	28
Sarah Wickham	28
Peg Rogers	25
Regina Bodnar	24
Larry Voth	20
Luca Famigli	19
Lynda Voth	19

More from 2026

Season ran Jan 9 → Dec 29 first and last contest on the 2026 calendar

Average winning margin 4.17 across 204 Master contests · 3 settled by tiebreaker

Walks to the stage 10,456 top-ten calls handed out in the four meats

New teams 876 first tracked contest anywhere was in 2026

Contest series 316 distinct recurring contests on the calendar

Busiest weekend 13 contests all on May 1, 2026

Reps working 90 KCBS reps on the season’s contests

Toughest table Brisket lowest average of the four meats at 166.99

Outside the rating 17 invitationals and non-points contests that do not move a power rating

Cancelled 43 contests that came off the calendar

Results still out 92 of 408 contests on the 2026 calendar

Contest counts exclude cancelled events. Overall scores are split by series because they are on different scales — Master is out of 720, Backyard out of 360 — and only the four judged meats count toward perfect 180s. Browse every 2026 contest →