THE OPRY BACKSTAGE GRILLERS

THE OPRY BACKSTAGE GRILLERS is a competition barbecue team with 31 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2019. Their best overall finish is 3rd of 19 at the Southern Smoke BBQ Championship (2017). They are ranked #2850 of 6,485 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#2,850

of 6,485 rated · rankings

Rating

1510

peak 1510 · rated over 31 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Mar 15, 2013

latest Aug 23, 2019 · 6.4 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#611

Master 2018 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

5 podiums

Overall top-10s

16% of 31 contests

Best top-10 run

straight overall top-10s

Avg finish

top 62%

overall standings

Best overall

694.8344 / 720

Master · Southern Smoke BBQ Championship

Perfect 180s

Current form

672.83 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 659.21 (+13.62)

Walk rate

42%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

178.8572

Pork · Smoke on the Shores

Consistency

±32.35

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 167.37 · weakest Brisket (159.78)

Road miles

1,847

across 31 mapped stops · furthest 172 mi

Schedule strength

48%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1562)

Purse competed for

$6,950

listed at 1 contest — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 3 state-championship entries

Master avg

659.21 / 720

31 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (9 found in their record)

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

High-water mark

694.8344 career-best overall

96.5% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 694.8344 at Southern Smoke BBQ Championship — 96.5% of a perfect 720.

Master
May 19, 2017

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

Charcoal Cowboys has finished one call ahead of THE OPRY BACKSTAGE GRILLERS 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2019 their best year

2019 was the year it came together: 3 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 0 category wins, at an average finish in the top 39%.

3 contests
0 overall top-10s
0 category wins
average top 39%

A tough matchup

23–0 behind in the head-to-head

Organizer Portal ahead in 100% of their meetings

Organizer Portal has come out ahead in 23 of their 23 shared contests.

The weak link

−7.6 points behind their best meat

Brisket is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 7.58 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 13% of the time against 29%.

Brisket avg 159.78
Chicken avg 167.37
4 calls in 31 entries

A strong matchup

7–3 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 70% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of FULLY INVOLVED N' SMOKIN in 7 of their 10 shared contests.

Chicken nemesis

21 of 23 shared chicken entries lost

Organizer Portal ahead 91% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, Organizer Portal has out-cooked them in 21 of 23 shared chicken entries.

Show 2 more storylines

Looking over their shoulder

3× one call behind them

HOT COLE'S BBQ has landed one call behind them 3 times.

A March team

Top 48% average finish in March

Something about March: average finish in the top 48% across 5 contests, versus top 62% the rest of the year.

5 March contests
top 62% the rest of the year

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
2019 ↗	Master	#902 (308 pts)	#849 (373 pts)	#883 (348 pts)	#1156 (228 pts)	#1095 (248 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#611 (556 pts)	#664 (556 pts)	#798 (446 pts)	#462 (801 pts)	#606 (606 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#697 (541 pts)	#711 (571 pts)	#749 (536 pts)	#497 (796 pts)	#810 (476 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#831 (429 pts)	#704 (574 pts)	#791 (504 pts)	#963 (389 pts)	#939 (374 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#1030 (293 pts)	#1059 (308 pts)	#1029 (328 pts)	#1131 (293 pts)	#1009 (328 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#1082 (280 pts)	#1068 (315 pts)	#1174 (270 pts)	#1206 (265 pts)	#1056 (305 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#891 (334 pts)	#1126 (264 pts)	#800 (409 pts)	#718 (464 pts)	#1083 (269 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to THE OPRY BACKSTAGE GRILLERS, each with one reason worth a look.

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

TEAM ALLEGRO

#2,853 of the rated field

1510 power rating

Contests: 15
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 27%
Peak: 1533

0–2 in 2 shared contests (0% to THE OPRY BACKSTAGE GRILLERS)

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

rated over 15 contests
last seen Sep 8, 2017

⚔ Head-to-head

Pigs'R' Us

#2,854 of the rated field

1510 power rating

Contests: 12
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 33%
Peak: 1544

0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to THE OPRY BACKSTAGE GRILLERS)

They've been 1544 at their best, 34 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 12 contests
last seen Mar 13, 2026

⚔ Head-to-head

MORT'S MEAT MAFIA

#2,845 of the rated field

1510 power rating

Contests: 32
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 25%
Peak: 1545

Careers of much the same size, 32 contests to 31, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 31 contests
last seen May 22, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

IRON BBQ

#2,839 of the rated field

1510 power rating

Contests: 31
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 29%
Peak: 1572

31 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 29% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 30 contests
last seen Feb 24, 2024

⚔ Compare careers

Hooligans Barbecue

#2,844 of the rated field

1510 power rating

Contests: 25
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 20%
Peak: 1510

They turned up 8 years after THE OPRY BACKSTAGE GRILLERS did, first appearing in 2021.

rated over 25 contests
last seen Aug 14, 2026
on a 4-contest top-10 run

⚔ Compare careers

SKARA OLD SCHOOL BBQ

#2,835 of the rated field

1510 power rating

Contests: 24
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 25%
Peak: 1518

Level with THE OPRY BACKSTAGE GRILLERS on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 24 contests
last seen Sep 21, 2019

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
Organizer Portal	23	0	23	0%	⚔ compare
BIG G BBQ	22	13	9	59%	⚔ compare
Chokin "N" tha Smoke	21	5	16	24%	⚔ compare
HIGH ON THE HAWG	20	3	17	15%	⚔ compare
ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN	20	2	18	10%	⚔ compare
SMOKE'M IF U GOT'M	17	8	9	47%	⚔ compare
Big B BBQ Company	17	5	12	29%	⚔ compare
BIG BLUE QUE	16	4	12	25%	⚔ compare
SMOKE ON THIS	16	3	13	19%	⚔ compare
SWIGGIN PIG	16	1	15	6%	⚔ compare
SNORING HOGS BBQ	15	9	6	60%	⚔ compare
G-QUE KY	15	5	10	33%	⚔ compare
JIGGY PIGGY	14	3	11	21%	⚔ compare
RT QUE KUSINE	14	3	11	21%	⚔ compare
South Pork	14	1	13	7%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	31	9	1	178.2972	155.3716	167.37	top 57%
Pork Ribs	31	4	0	176.0344	149.0972	164.92	top 61%
Pork	31	7	4	178.8572	157.1544	167.14	top 55%
Brisket	31	4	0	175.4516	20	159.78	top 61%

“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	Avg finish
Small (<20 teams)	2	top 27%
Medium (20–39)	16	top 65%
Large (40+)	13	top 65%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	Avg finish
TN	26	top 61%
AL	2	top 87%
MS	2	top 67%
KY	1	top 43%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Smokin in McMinnville	4	18	top 79%	Aug 10, 2018
Lewisburg Rotary Club BBQ Cookoff	3	25	top 88%	May 27, 2016
High on the Hog Festival	3	44	top 76%	Apr 15, 2016
Great American BBQ Festival (JUDGES FULL)	2	8	top 54%	Aug 24, 2018
Smoke in the House	2	6	top 37%	Jun 15, 2018
Smokin' In McMinnville	2	15	top 64%	Aug 12, 2016

More numbers

Busiest season 2018 5 contests

Contests a season 4.4 across 7 seasons in the data

Most contests held in TN 26 of 31 contests · 4 states in all

Contests visited 21 6 of them more than once

Opponents faced 547 finished ahead 529 times, behind 812

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

20192 milestones

Aug 23 Peak power rating (1510) Great Americana BBQ Festival
Aug 23 Most recent contest Great Americana BBQ Festival

20182 milestones

Mar 9 Career-best single call (Pork)178.8572 Smoke on the Shores
Jun 15 25th tracked contest Smoke in the House

20172 milestones

May 19 First overall podium Southern Smoke BBQ Championship
May 19 Career-best overall score694.8344 Southern Smoke BBQ Championship

20161 milestone

Aug 26 First overall top-10 Franklin BBQ Festival Presented By Franklin Noon Rotary Club

20151 milestone

Apr 17 10th tracked contest High on the Hog Festival

20133 milestones

Mar 15 First tracked contest Don't Be Cruel BBQ Duel
Mar 15 First overall past 90% of a perfect score649.1422 Don't Be Cruel BBQ Duel
Aug 23 First call Music City Festival & BBQ Championship

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+18.3	Southern Smoke BBQ Championship	May 19, 2017
+14.1	Great American BBQ Festival (JUDGES FULL)	Aug 24, 2018
+13.7	Smoke on the Shores	Mar 9, 2018
+13	Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship	Mar 8, 2019
+11.7	Franklin BBQ Festival Presented By Franklin Noon Rotary Club	Aug 26, 2016

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-12.8	Smokin' in McMinnville	Aug 8, 2014
-12.6	Cotton Pickin' BBQ Cook-Off	May 17, 2013
-9.5	Lewisburg Rotary Club BBQ CookOff	May 24, 2014
-7.8	Lewisburg Rotary Club BBQ CookOff	May 22, 2015
-7.4	Great American BBQ Festival	Aug 25, 2017

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	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2019	3	0	67%	top 39%	95.2%	93.7%
2018	5	2	100%	top 46%	94.9%	93.4%
2017	5	2	60%	top 54%	96.5%	93.3%
2016	5	1	40%	top 66%	95.5%	92.7%
2015	5	0	0%	top 81%	92.2%	90.7%
2014	4	0	0%	top 84%	94.4%	86.4%
2013	4	0	25%	top 61%	93.5%	90.4%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Aug 23, 2019	Great Americana BBQ Festival 🏅 Franklin, TN	20 / 39 (665.0400)	26 (165.1084)	15 (169.1544)	21 (165.6800)	19 (165.0972)
Apr 5, 2019	Operation Stand Down KY II Annual Smoke off 🏅 Franklin, KY	12 / 28 (672.4340)	6 (171.9656)	9 (170.2744)	18 (165.0856)	16 (165.1084)
Mar 8, 2019	Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship 🏅 Nashville, TN	16 / 67 (685.6116)	9 (175.4172)	17 (171.9772)	30 (168.5372)	31 (169.6800)
Oct 19, 2018	Mid-South BBQ Festival Mount Pleasant, TN	18 / 22 (657.6920)	21 (162.2516)	18 (162.8344)	21 (157.1544)	5 (175.4516)
Aug 24, 2018	Great American BBQ Festival (JUDGES FULL) Franklin, TN	8 / 36 (683.3600)	10 (173.7028)	17 (167.9772)	9 (169.1316)	10 (172.5484)
Aug 10, 2018	Smokin in McMinnville McMinnville, TN	18 / 28 (657.5428)	10 (171.4056)	14 (166.2744)	18 (163.9544)	22 (155.9084)
Jun 15, 2018	Smoke in the House White House, TN	6 / 16 (682.1716)	5 (173.1200)	14 (160.5260)	2 (174.2628)	5 (174.2628)
Mar 9, 2018	Smoke on the Shores Nashville, TN	22 / 87 (680.4688)	53 (166.2400)	50 (164.5372)	2 (178.8572)	24 (170.8344)
Aug 25, 2017	Great American BBQ Festival Franklin, TN	34 / 40 (651.2000)	36 (159.3600)	37 (154.7772)	23 (168.5372)	17 (168.5256)
Aug 11, 2017	Smokin in McMinnville McMinnville, TN	27 / 35 (668.4692)	28 (165.1088)	14 (172.5716)	8 (174.2744)	30 (156.5144)
Jun 16, 2017	Smoke in the House (JUDGES FULL) White House, TN	8 / 22 (678.1716)	10 (166.2400)	13 (166.8344)	3 (175.4172)	8 (169.6800)
May 19, 2017	Southern Smoke BBQ Championship Lebanon, TN	3 / 19 (694.8344)	2 (178.2972)	4 (174.2972)	3 (174.2628)	11 (167.9772)
Mar 10, 2017	Smoke on the Shores Nashville, TN	34 / 62 (667.8856)	20 (171.9888)	54 (156.5256)	11 (172.5484)	33 (166.8228)
Nov 11, 2016	2nd Annual Brew B-Q Nashville, TN	22 / 25 (659.2800)	15 (171.9656)	21 (164.5716)	23 (163.3828)	24 (159.3600)
Aug 26, 2016	Franklin BBQ Festival Presented By Franklin Noon Rotary Club Franklin, TN	9 / 31 (671.9544)	5 (175.4172)	14 (168)	14 (164)	16 (164.5372)
Aug 12, 2016	Smokin' In McMinnville McMinnville, TN	15 / 32 (687.4400)	7 (176)	4 (176.0344)	16 (170.8228)	25 (164.5828)
May 27, 2016	Lewisburg Rotary Club BBQ Cookoff Lewisburg, TN	27 / 31 (655.8744)	22 (168)	27 (163.9544)	25 (164.5372)	26 (159.3828)
Apr 15, 2016	High on the Hog Festival Winchester, TN	44 / 56 (661.5656)	39 (166.2400)	45 (161.6800)	48 (159.9428)	16 (173.7028)
Sep 11, 2015	Decatur Jaycee's 21st Annual Riverfest Decatur, AL	45 / 55 (648.9944)	29 (165.7028)	40 (161.6684)	32 (165.0972)	49 (156.5260)
Aug 7, 2015	Smokin' in McMinnville McMinnville, TN	30 / 37 (663.8168)	26 (166.8228)	21 (169.6684)	33 (165.0856)	27 (162.2400)
May 22, 2015	Lewisburg Rotary Club BBQ CookOff Lewisburg, TN	25 / 28 (653.0172)	22 (165.7028)	22 (163.4172)	27 (158.8000)	18 (165.0972)
Apr 17, 2015	High on the Hog Festival Winchester, TN	45 / 59 (658.1716)	46 (165.6800)	52 (157.7144)	32 (168.5256)	36 (166.2516)
Mar 13, 2015	Don't Be Cruel BBQ Duel Tupelo, MS	71 / 94 (639.7832)	93 (155.3716)	32 (167.3828)	69 (160.5144)	69 (156.5144)
Oct 3, 2014	Smokin' At The Market Gallatin, TN	21 / 29 (679.9544)	14 (172)	23 (169.1316)	24 (170.2512)	21 (168.5716)
Aug 8, 2014	Smokin' in McMinnville McMinnville, TN	40 / 40 (503.2800)	25 (167.3944)	37 (157.0972)	37 (158.7884)	40 (20)
May 24, 2014	Lewisburg Rotary Club BBQ CookOff Lewisburg, TN	36 / 41 (649.5200)	33 (163.3828)	26 (166.2516)	35 (161.6456)	38 (158.2400)
Apr 18, 2014	High on the Hog Festival Winchester, TN	46 / 62 (654.6856)	32 (169.6684)	60 (149.0972)	41 (165.0856)	20 (170.8344)
Aug 23, 2013	Music City Festival & BBQ Championship Nashville, TN	11 / 55 (673.1084)	36 (160.5828)	8 (174.2972)	6 (175.4056)	24 (162.8228)
Aug 9, 2013	Smokin' in McMinnville McMinnville, TN	27 / 37 (659.8172)	28 (163.3944)	15 (167.3712)	26 (165.0972)	26 (163.9544)
May 17, 2013	Cotton Pickin' BBQ Cook-Off Hartselle, AL	25 / 27 (621.1422)	25 (155.9996)	25 (152.5714)	16 (166.8572)	27 (145.7140)
Mar 15, 2013	Don't Be Cruel BBQ Duel Tupelo, MS	59 / 100 (649.1422)	76 (158.8570)	46 (164)	17 (169.7140)	73 (156.5712)

THE OPRY BACKSTAGE 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 (9 found in their record)

High-water mark

The one to beat

Their season

A tough matchup

The weak link

A strong matchup

Chicken nemesis

Looking over their shoulder

A March team

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)