TUFF DAWG GRILLERS

TUFF DAWG GRILLERS is a competition barbecue team with 36 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2020. Their best overall finish is 4th of 59 at the Sip & Swine BBQ Festival (2018). They are ranked #5072 of 6,476 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#5,072

of 6,476 rated · rankings

Rating

1461

peak 1512 · rated over 36 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Apr 19, 2013

latest Mar 6, 2020 · 6.9 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#388

Master 2018 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

2 podiums

Overall top-10s

14% of 36 contests

Best top-10 run

straight overall top-10s

Avg finish

top 65%

overall standings

Best overall

686.8228 / 720

Master · Mountain High BBQ Festival & Car Show

Perfect 180s

Current form

626.40 ▼

last 5 Master vs avg 653.89 (-27.49)

Walk rate

47%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

176.5600

Chicken · Mountain High BBQ Festival & Car Show

Consistency

±28.19

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 166.23 · weakest Brisket (162.61)

Road miles

2,882

across 36 mapped stops · furthest 367 mi

Schedule strength

51%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1566)

Purse competed for

$30K

listed at 3 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 6 state-championship entries

Master avg

653.89 / 720

36 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (8 found in their record)

Each card leads with the number behind the story, straight from their results.

High-water mark

686.8228 career-best overall

95.4% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 686.8228 at Mountain High BBQ Festival & Car Show — 95.4% of a perfect 720.

Master
Aug 10, 2018

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

4 K'S BBQ has finished one call ahead of TUFF DAWG GRILLERS 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2018 their best year

2018 was the year it came together: 6 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 1 category win, at an average finish in the top 28%.

6 contests
5 overall top-10s
1 category win
average top 28%

A tough matchup

17–1 behind in the head-to-head

QUE'N STEW'N & BREW'N ahead in 94% of their meetings

QUE'N STEW'N & BREW'N has come out ahead in 17 of their 18 shared contests.

A strong matchup

8–2 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 80% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of HOGGY BOTTOM BOYS in 8 of their 10 shared contests.

Chicken nemesis

14 of 19 shared chicken entries lost

STOKED & SMOKED BARBECUE TEAM GA ahead 74% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, STOKED & SMOKED BARBECUE TEAM GA has out-cooked them in 14 of 19 shared chicken entries.

Going the wrong way

-32 rating points in a year

The rating has slipped 32 points across 5 contests since May 31, 2019 — from 1493 down to 1461.

5 contests since May 31, 2019
now 1461

Show 1 more storyline

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

TEMPLAR TEMPTATIONS has landed one call behind them 2 times.

Team of the Year (rank per category by season — the year links to the full board on kcbs.us)

Year	Series	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2020 ↗	Master	#856 (60 pts)	#896 (60 pts)	#913 (60 pts)	#899 (60 pts)	#883 (60 pts)
2019 ↗	Master	#862 (328 pts)	#767 (428 pts)	#856 (368 pts)	#607 (558 pts)	#1023 (278 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#388 (880 pts)	#411 (875 pts)	#410 (885 pts)	#463 (800 pts)	#572 (635 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#1290 (206 pts)	#1109 (311 pts)	#1439 (196 pts)	#1188 (276 pts)	#1403 (201 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#1055 (303 pts)	#979 (368 pts)	#1029 (343 pts)	#856 (458 pts)	#1087 (308 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#1106 (264 pts)	#1167 (264 pts)	#1182 (264 pts)	#1320 (234 pts)	#944 (364 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#741 (470 pts)	#470 (815 pts)	#698 (545 pts)	#680 (555 pts)	#776 (465 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#769 (401 pts)	#930 (346 pts)	#555 (596 pts)	#829 (396 pts)	#666 (486 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to TUFF DAWG GRILLERS, each with one reason worth a look.

134 rated teams sit within a point of this rating, so a place on this list means the numbers match — no more than that.

Smokin J's Barbeque

#5,066 of the rated field

1461 power rating

Contests: 7
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1461

2–0 in 2 shared contests (100% to TUFF DAWG GRILLERS)

2 contests in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team TUFF DAWG GRILLERS has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.

rated over 7 contests
last seen Oct 15, 2021

⚔ Head-to-head

SMOKE THIS L.I.

#5,094 of the rated field

1461 power rating

Contests: 31
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 3%
Peak: 1520

They've been 1520 at their best, 59 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 31 contests
last seen Oct 22, 2022

⚔ Compare careers

BIG BELLY BBQ

#5,095 of the rated field

1461 power rating

Contests: 32
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 9%
Peak: 1535

Careers of much the same size, 32 contests to 36, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 31 contests
last seen Sep 23, 2022

⚔ Compare careers

JERRY KING MIDLAND TX

#5,077 of the rated field

1461 power rating

Contests: 27
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 11%
Peak: 1532

27 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 11% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 27 contests
last seen Mar 23, 2018

⚔ Compare careers

SAPONI SMOKERS

#5,065 of the rated field

1461 power rating

Contests: 22
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 5%
Peak: 1461

Both teams' first contest in the data came in 2013.

rated over 22 contests
last seen Sep 24, 2021

⚔ Compare careers

Sloppy Seconds

#5,085 of the rated field

1461 power rating

Contests: 20
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1520

Level with TUFF DAWG GRILLERS on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 20 contests
last seen Sep 27, 2024

⚔ Compare careers

Familiar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
STOKED & SMOKED BARBECUE TEAM GA	19	3	16	16%	⚔ compare
ATLANTA BBQ STORE	18	3	15	17%	⚔ compare
QUE'N STEW'N & BREW'N	18	1	17	6%	⚔ compare
CHATTAHOOCHEE QUE	17	5	12	29%	⚔ compare
THE PIT CREW GA	16	1	15	6%	⚔ compare
Under the Radar	16	0	16	0%	⚔ compare
HOOTIE-Q	15	6	9	40%	⚔ compare
CHOO CHOO TRAIN BBQ	15	5	10	33%	⚔ compare
TENACIOUS Q	15	5	10	33%	⚔ compare
SMOKE ON THIS	15	0	15	0%	⚔ compare
Pot's BBQ	14	2	12	14%	⚔ compare
ROAST BEAST BBQ	14	2	12	14%	⚔ compare
WANNA B A PITMASTER	13	4	9	31%	⚔ compare
J & B'S BBQ	13	2	11	15%	⚔ compare
Bald Hawg BBQ	13	2	11	15%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	36	9	0	1	176.5600	150.7656	166.23	top 55%
Pork Ribs	36	3	1	1	174.2858	150.8000	165.14	top 57%
Pork	36	9	0	0	174.2628	147.8972	164.43	top 58%
Brisket	35	2	0	0	173.7256	150.2056	162.61	top 63%

“Calls” = top-10 category finishes (getting called to the stage). Scores here are the final weighted totals KCBS publishes; per-criterion appearance/taste/tenderness marks aren’t in the public results feed.

By field size and state

By contest size

Field	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
Medium (20–39)	20	0	top 65%
Large (40+)	16	0	top 64%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	Avg finish
GA	28	top 70%
TN	6	top 49%
NC	2	top 38%

Repeat visits (contests they've cooked twice or more)

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Rock'n Ribville	3	9	top 59%	Sep 21, 2018
Hawgin on Lanier (GBC Qualifier)	3	16	top 56%	Aug 28, 2015
Sip & Swine BBQ Festival	2	52	top 89%	Mar 6, 2020
Blount County BBQ Bash	2	10	top 45%	Jun 21, 2019
Sip & Swine BBQ Festival	2	4	top 43%	Mar 1, 2019
Classic City BBQ Fest & Tailgate Show (GBC Qualifier)	2	21	top 75%	Aug 14, 2015
Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	2	21	top 81%	May 22, 2015
Jug Tavern Festival (GBC & SBBQA Qualifier)	2	18	top 64%	Sep 12, 2014

More numbers

Busiest season 2018 6 contests

Contests a season 4.5 across 8 seasons in the data

Most contests held in GA 28 of 36 contests · 3 states in all

Contests visited 26 8 of them more than once

Opponents faced 619 finished ahead 530 times, behind 1,009

Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)

20201 milestone

Mar 6 Most recent contest Sip & Swine BBQ Festival

20186 milestones

Mar 2 First category win (Pork Ribs) Sip & Swine BBQ Festival
Mar 2 First overall top-10 Sip & Swine BBQ Festival
Mar 2 25th tracked contest Sip & Swine BBQ Festival
Aug 10 Career-best overall score686.8228 Mountain High BBQ Festival & Car Show
Aug 10 Career-best single call (Chicken)176.5600 Mountain High BBQ Festival & Car Show
Sep 21 Peak power rating (1512) Rock'n Ribville

20141 milestone

Aug 30 10th tracked contest Hawgin on Lanier (GBC & SBBQA Qualifier)

20133 milestones

Apr 19 First tracked contest Cornelia Apple Blossom BBQ Festivals (GBC Qualifier)
Apr 19 First overall past 90% of a perfect score655.4278 Cornelia Apple Blossom BBQ Festivals (GBC Qualifier)
May 17 First call Hawgin' on Lanier (GBC Qualifier)

Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+20.1	Sip & Swine BBQ Festival	Mar 2, 2018
+16.6	Mountain High BBQ Festival & Car Show	Aug 10, 2018
+13.8	Blount County BBQ Bash	Jun 22, 2018
+12.1	Rock'n Ribville	Sep 21, 2018
+11.1	Cornelia Apple Blossom BBQ Competition	Apr 20, 2018

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-12.7	Hawgin On Lanier	Aug 2, 2019
-11.3	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	May 30, 2014
-10.9	Piggin in the Park	Jul 19, 2019
-9.8	Sip & Swine BBQ Festival (GBC Qualifier)	Mar 4, 2016
-9.7	Smokin' Bike Fest	May 31, 2019

Scores over time (% of a perfect score, averaged over 5 contests — tap a meat to add it)

Overall finish over time (top-% of field, lower is better)

Where they finish (overall)

Best vs average (by meat)

How entries end (by meat)

Season by season

Season	Contests	Top-10s	Category wins	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2020	1	0	0	0%	top 85%	89.5%	89.5%
2019	5	0	0	60%	top 83%	92.8%	87.1%
2018	6	5	1	100%	top 28%	95.4%	94.3%
2017	3	0	0	33%	top 78%	92.8%	91%
2016	5	0	0	20%	top 83%	92.8%	89.9%
2015	5	0	0	20%	top 72%	93.5%	91.1%
2014	6	0	0	67%	top 63%	93%	90.9%
2013	5	0	0	20%	top 55%	92.5%	91%

Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Mar 6, 2020	Sip & Swine BBQ Festival 🏅 Lawrenceville, GA	52 / 61 (644.3772)	47 (162.2400)	57 (155.3716)	48 (163.9428)	46 (162.8228)
Aug 2, 2019	Hawgin On Lanier 🏅 Gainesville, GA	45 / 45 (510.8000)	9 (174.2856)	27 (167.3944)	21 (169.1200)	—
Jul 19, 2019	Piggin in the Park 🏅 Jasper, GA	23 / 25 (655.2800)	19 (166.2284)	18 (165.0972)	10 (167.3828)	25 (156.5716)
Jun 21, 2019	Blount County BBQ Bash 🏅 Maryville, TN	17 / 27 (668.4804)	20 (164.5488)	14 (166.8228)	12 (169.1200)	14 (167.9888)
May 31, 2019	Smokin' Bike Fest 🏅 Peachtree City, GA	25 / 31 (653.0396)	23 (161.7028)	25 (161.1084)	7 (170.2744)	24 (159.9540)
Mar 1, 2019	Sip & Swine BBQ Festival 🏅 Lawrenceville, GA	49 / 62 (647.3028)	61 (155.9544)	46 (162.2628)	22 (167.4056)	43 (161.6800)
Sep 21, 2018	Rock'n Ribville Lawrenceville, GA	9 / 33 (681.6112)	6 (174.8572)	17 (169.6684)	17 (167.3828)	10 (169.7028)
Sep 7, 2018	Perimeter Community BBQ & Festival Atlanta, GA	18 / 31 (670.7772)	26 (157.6916)	15 (168.5256)	10 (170.8344)	8 (173.7256)
Aug 10, 2018	Mountain High BBQ Festival & Car Show Franklin, NC	7 / 51 (686.8228)	2 (176.5600)	13 (172.5828)	6 (172.5600)	26 (165.1200)
Jun 22, 2018	Blount County BBQ Bash Maryville, TN	10 / 36 (676.5028)	16 (168)	17 (165.6684)	9 (173.1200)	13 (169.7144)
Apr 20, 2018	Cornelia Apple Blossom BBQ Competition Cornelia, GA	9 / 26 (676.4684)	12 (170.2744)	5 (173.1200)	6 (170.2856)	16 (162.7884)
Mar 2, 2018	Sip & Swine BBQ Festival Lawrenceville, GA	4 / 59 (683.3600)	7 (174.2972)	1 (174.2744)	20 (168.5256)	22 (166.2628)
Nov 17, 2017	Que'n In Cumming (DAY 1) Cumming, GA	60 / 62 (647.8052)	13 (174.8456)	60 (154.8000)	58 (159.3712)	58 (158.7884)
Sep 15, 2017	Rock'n Ribville (GBC QUALIFIER) Lawrenceville, GA	27 / 39 (650.1944)	20 (167.9656)	31 (160.5372)	29 (164.0116)	29 (157.6800)
Apr 21, 2017	Cornelia Apple Blossom Competition Cornelia, GA	18 / 26 (667.8860)	14 (170.2628)	20 (162.8116)	7 (170.8572)	19 (163.9544)
Nov 4, 2016	Roarin' Lions Smokin' BBQ (GBC Qualifier) Winder, GA	31 / 33 (640.3424)	31 (150.7656)	26 (164.5484)	18 (169.1200)	32 (155.9084)
Sep 16, 2016	Rock'n Ribville (GBC Qualifier) Lawrenceville, GA	31 / 39 (648.3888)	32 (159.3828)	22 (167.3828)	33 (159.9544)	26 (161.6688)
Aug 19, 2016	Classic City BBQ Fest (GBC Qualifier) Athens, GA	23 / 39 (667.8744)	10 (173.7144)	26 (167.3828)	5 (172)	35 (154.7772)
Apr 15, 2016	Cornelia Apple Blossom BBQ & Brews Festival Cornelia, GA	27 / 30 (645.4624)	30 (151.9084)	18 (168.5256)	24 (160.5028)	22 (164.5256)
Mar 4, 2016	Sip & Swine BBQ Festival (GBC Qualifier) Lawrenceville, GA	55 / 59 (634.6968)	44 (163.9656)	57 (150.8000)	51 (158.2628)	34 (161.6684)
Nov 6, 2015	Flags are Flying Winder, GA	16 / 21 (656.9600)	7 (169.6800)	11 (163.3828)	17 (162.2400)	13 (161.6572)
Aug 28, 2015	Hawgin on Lanier (GBC Qualifier) Gainesville, GA	29 / 41 (663.2688)	27 (166.2400)	24 (166.2400)	30 (163.9544)	20 (166.8344)
Aug 14, 2015	Classic City BBQ Fest & Tailgate Show (GBC Qualifier) Athens, GA	36 / 40 (636.3544)	31 (162.7884)	24 (165.6916)	40 (150.1944)	32 (157.6800)
May 22, 2015	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Marietta, GA	21 / 29 (648.3652)	19 (163.9312)	21 (159.9772)	27 (155.9312)	16 (168.5256)
May 15, 2015	Sevierville Bloomin' BBQ and Bluegrass Festival Sevierville, TN	23 / 44 (673.0624)	25 (169.6912)	32 (163.9656)	30 (167.4056)	13 (172)
Sep 12, 2014	Jug Tavern Festival (GBC & SBBQA Qualifier) Winder, GA	36 / 42 (641.5544)	32 (163.4172)	16 (169.1200)	40 (157.0628)	40 (151.9544)
Aug 30, 2014	Hawgin on Lanier (GBC & SBBQA Qualifier) Gainesville, GA	16 / 39 (664.4572)	10 (170.8572)	13 (170.2628)	33 (158.2172)	18 (165.1200)
Aug 14, 2014	Classic City BBQ Fest & Tailgate Show (GBC Qualifier) Athens, GA	21 / 35 (657.0516)	5 (171.9656)	19 (162.8344)	16 (165.1200)	28 (157.1316)
May 30, 2014	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Marietta, GA	26 / 29 (630.0112)	4 (174.2628)	24 (157.6456)	29 (147.8972)	27 (150.2056)
May 16, 2014	Bloomin' BBQ & Bluegrass Sevierville, TN	23 / 56 (669.5888)	11 (173.1316)	41 (162.2400)	33 (166.2400)	18 (167.9772)
Apr 18, 2014	High on the Hog Festival Winchester, TN	38 / 62 (664.9828)	42 (166.2400)	23 (169.1200)	6 (174.2628)	54 (155.3600)
Oct 11, 2013	Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down Rocky Mount, NC	34 / 55 (634.1716)	40 (157.0856)	13 (166.8344)	34 (159.4172)	44 (150.8344)
Sep 13, 2013	Jug Tavern Festival (GBC Qualifier) Winder, GA	18 / 43 (662.1944)	27 (164.5600)	11 (168.5372)	14 (167.9772)	25 (161.1200)
Jul 26, 2013	Foothills Country Fair BBQ Bash Cleveland, TN	25 / 54 (666.1712)	27 (167.3828)	27 (166.2400)	38 (162.8456)	17 (169.7028)
May 17, 2013	Hawgin' on Lanier (GBC Qualifier) Gainesville, GA	21 / 37 (658.8568)	28 (158.8572)	5 (174.2858)	32 (155.9996)	14 (169.7142)
Apr 19, 2013	Cornelia Apple Blossom BBQ Festivals (GBC Qualifier) Cornelia, GA	24 / 36 (655.4278)	24 (164.5710)	30 (159.9998)	31 (160.5712)	15 (170.2858)

TUFF DAWG GRILLERS

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

Rating

Contests

First seen

Best ToY finish

Grand champs

Category wins

Overall top-10s

Best top-10 run

Avg finish

Best overall

Perfect 180s

Current form

Walk rate

Best single call

Consistency

Strongest meat

Road miles

Schedule strength

Purse competed for

State championships

Master avg

Storylines (8 found in their record)

High-water mark

The one to beat

Their season

A tough matchup

A strong matchup

Chicken nemesis

Going the wrong way

Looking over their shoulder

Team of the Year (rank per category by season — the year links to the full board on kcbs.us)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

Familiar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)

By meat

By field size and state

By contest size

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Repeat visits (contests they've cooked twice or more)

More numbers

Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)

Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)

📈 Biggest rating jumps

📉 Toughest weekends

Scores over time (% of a perfect score, averaged over 5 contests — tap a meat to add it)

Overall finish over time (top-% of field, lower is better)

Where they finish (overall)

Best vs average (by meat)

How entries end (by meat)

Season by season

Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)

Career map (orange GC · green top-10 · grey the rest — tap a pin)