A tough matchup
9–1
behind in the head-to-head
SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA ahead in 90% of their meetings
SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA has come out ahead in 9 of their 10 shared contests.
BIG HEAD ED BBQ TEAM
At a glance (everything the results say about this team, in numbers)
Rating
1469
peak 1512 · rated over 11 contests ⓘ
Contests
12
in the data
First seen
2013-09-14
latest 2021-10-02
Best ToY finish
#1076
Master 2013
Grand champs
0
0 reserve
Category wins
1
3 podiums
Overall top-10s
1
of 12 contests
Avg finish
top 59%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
0
Current form
630.95 ▼
last 5 Master vs avg 634.60 (-3.65)
Walk rate
58%
contests with a top-10 call
Consistency
±12.94
std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Brisket
avg 163.30 · weakest Pork Ribs (156.88)
Road miles
770
mi across 12 mapped stops · furthest 132 mi
Schedule strength
32%
of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1542)
Purse competed for
$3K
listed at 1 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
0 🏅
GCs in 1 state-championship entries
Master avg
634.60 / 720
11 Master contests · 0 GCs
Storylines (8 found in this team's record)
Each card leads with the number that made it a story — read straight out of their results, no editorialising.
The weak link
−6.4
points behind their best meat
Pork Ribs is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 6.42 points below their brisket, and turns into a call 25% of the time against 55%.
- Pork Ribs avg 156.88
- Brisket avg 163.30
- 3 calls in 12 entries
A strong matchup
4–0
ahead in the head-to-head
Ahead in 100% of their meetings
They've finished ahead of Beantown Smokers in 4 of their 4 shared contests.
The comeback
4 yrs
off the trail, then back
Off the trail for 4 years, then back at Green Mountain BBQ Championship- CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES - One Meat Rib Contest (2021-10-02).
- last seen 2017-10-14
- back 2021-10-02
Brisket nemesis
6 of 8
shared brisket entries lost
Rogue Hog BBQ ahead 75% of the time
Even in their strongest meat, Rogue Hog BBQ has out-cooked them in 6 of 8 shared brisket entries.
Looking over their shoulder
2×
one call behind them
What the Pork? has landed one call behind them 2 times.
A September team
Top 49%
average finish in September
Something about September: average finish in the top 49% across 3 contests, versus top 59% the rest of the year.
- 3 September contests
- top 59% the rest of the year
The metronome
±1.80%
swing around their own average
Their overall lands within ±1.80% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.
- averages 88.1% of a perfect score
- 12 contests
Teams like this (closest power rating)
The nearest teams in the power rankings, with a different reason on each card — six teams on one rating are rarely on it for the same reason. Rating decides who makes the list; where teams tie on it, the ones this team has actually cooked against come first, then teams at a similar point in their own career. KCBS doesn’t publish where a team is from, so nothing here is inferred from geography.
161 rated teams sit within a point of this rating, so a place on this list means the numbers match — no more than that.
#4654 of the rated field
- Contests
- 6
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 33%
- Peak
- 1469
1–2 in 3 shared contests (33% to BIG HEAD ED BBQ TEAM)
These two have cooked 3 of the same contests — SMOKE-U ahead 2–1 — so there's a record behind this pairing and not just a matching number.
⚔ Head-to-head#4663 of the rated field
- Contests
- 18
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 33%
- Peak
- 1507
No shared contest yet.
They've been 1507 at their best, 38 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.
⚔ Head-to-head#4649 of the rated field
- Contests
- 11
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 18%
- Peak
- 1503
No shared contest yet.
Careers of much the same size, 11 contests to 12, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.
⚔ Head-to-head#4639 of the rated field
- Contests
- 12
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1469
No shared contest yet.
12 contests and no Grand Championship yet.
⚔ Head-to-head#4695 of the rated field
- Contests
- 12
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1501
No shared contest yet.
Both teams' first contest in the data came in 2013.
⚔ Head-to-head#4678 of the rated field
- Contests
- 12
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 17%
- Peak
- 1469
No shared contest yet.
Level with BIG HEAD ED BBQ TEAM on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.
⚔ Head-to-headFamiliar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)
| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA | 10 | 1 | 9 | 10% | ⚔ compare |
| Smokin Aces | 9 | 1 | 8 | 11% | ⚔ compare |
| CIDER BOYS BBQ | 8 | 4 | 4 | 50% | ⚔ compare |
| Rogue Hog BBQ | 8 | 1 | 7 | 13% | ⚔ compare |
| FIRE DOWN BELOW | 8 | 0 | 8 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| INSANE SWINE BBQ | 8 | 0 | 8 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| JOEPEANUTS BBQ TEAM | 7 | 2 | 5 | 29% | ⚔ compare |
| Smokin' Bulldogs | 6 | 3 | 3 | 50% | ⚔ compare |
| THE BASIC BBQ TEAM | 6 | 1 | 5 | 17% | ⚔ compare |
| Pork Butt Paradise | 6 | 1 | 5 | 17% | ⚔ compare |
| A MAZIE Q | 6 | 1 | 5 | 17% | ⚔ compare |
| BOAR-N-Q | 5 | 2 | 3 | 40% | ⚔ compare |
| Up-2 BBQ | 5 | 2 | 3 | 40% | ⚔ compare |
| FOUR SMOKING GUYS | 5 | 2 | 3 | 40% | ⚔ compare |
| STUBBORN BULL BBQ | 5 | 1 | 4 | 20% | ⚔ compare |
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 165.1544 | 144.5256 | 157.75 | top 68% |
| Pork Ribs | 12 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 168.5600 | 146.8232 | 156.88 | top 68% |
| Pork | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 165.0972 | 147.3256 | 158.62 | top 63% |
| Brisket | 11 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 176.0116 | 147.3372 | 163.30 | top 41% |
“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 state / province
| Where | Contests | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| MA | 7 | 0 | top 49% |
| VT | 3 | 0 | top 85% |
| NH | 1 | 0 | top 48% |
By contest size
| Field | Contests | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small (<20 teams) | 1 | 0 | top 94% |
| Medium (20–39) | 6 | 0 | top 57% |
| Large (40+) | 4 | 0 | top 52% |
Contest-by-contest record (recurring contests they've cooked twice or more)
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riverside Blues, Brews & BBQ Festival | 2 | 11 | 0 | top 39% | 2016-10-07 |
| Riverside Blues & BBQ Festival | 2 | 8 | 0 | top 52% | 2014-10-10 |
| Harvard Fall Festival BBQ Contest | 2 | 14 | 0 | top 36% | 2014-09-13 |
The story so far (17 numbers that describe this team)
On the trail
8 yrs
2013-09-14 → 2021-10-02
Busiest season
2014
3 contests
Contests a season
2
across 6 seasons in the data
Cooks most in
MA
7 of 12 contests · 3 states/provinces in all
Contests visited
8
3 of them cooked more than once
Most-entered meat
Pork Ribs
12 entries · 0 wins · 3 calls
Strongest meat
Brisket
averages 163.30 · weakest Pork Ribs (156.88)
Walk rate
58%
a top-10 call in 7 of 12 contests
Overall top-10 rate
8%
1 of 12 contests
Master average
634.60
out of 720 · 11 contests · 0 GCs
Opponents faced
163
127–219 across every shared overall standing
Road miles
770
12 mapped stops · furthest 132 mi
Schedule strength
1542
average field rating faced — tougher than 32% of rated contests
Purse competed for
$3,000
listed at 1 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
0
from 1 state-championship entries
Longest layoff
4 yrs
2017-10-14 → 2021-10-02
Power rating
1469
peak 1512 · #4676 of 6,413 rated
Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)
- 2013
- First tracked contest Harvard Fall Festival BBQ Contest
- First call Harvard Fall Festival BBQ Contest
- First overall top-10 Riverside Blues & BBQ Festival
- Peak power rating (1512) Riverside Blues & BBQ Festival
- 2015
- First category win (Brisket) Riverside Blues, Brews & BBQ Festival
- First overall past 90% of a perfect score649.0632 Riverside Blues, Brews & BBQ Festival
- Career-best single call (Brisket)176.0116 Riverside Blues, Brews & BBQ Festival
- 2016
- Career-best overall score652.5716 Riverside Blues, Brews & BBQ Festival
- 2017
- 10th tracked contest Bay State BBQ Championship
- 2021
- Most recent contest Green Mountain BBQ Championship- CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
📈 Biggest rating jumps
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +8.7 | Riverside Blues, Brews & BBQ Festival | 2016-10-07 |
| +6.4 | Harvard Fall Festival BBQ Contest | 2013-09-14 |
| +5.1 | Riverside Blues & BBQ Festival | 2013-10-11 |
| +4.9 | Harvard Fall Festival BBQ Contest | 2014-09-13 |
📉 Toughest weekends
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -10.5 | Green Mountain BBQ Championship- CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES | 2021-10-02 |
| -9.5 | Riverside Blues & BBQ Festival | 2014-10-10 |
| -9.4 | Green Mountain BBQ Championship | 2016-06-25 |
| -8.1 | Monadnock Up in Smoke BBQ, Beer Fest | 2014-05-31 |
| -7.3 | Bay State BBQ Championship | 2017-10-14 |
Category scores over time
Overall finish over time (top-% of field, lower is better)
Where they finish (overall)
Best vs average (by meat)
How entries end (by meat)
Team of the Year rank by season
Season by season
| Season | Contests | GCs | Top-10s | Category wins | Walk rate | Avg finish | Best overall (% of perfect) | Avg overall (% of perfect) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50% | top 94% | 86.6% | 86.6% |
| 2017 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 81% | 88.3% | 88.1% |
| 2016 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50% | top 60% | 90.6% | 87.7% |
| 2015 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 100% | top 44% | 90.1% | 90.1% |
| 2014 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 67% | top 51% | 89.4% | 88.2% |
| 2013 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 100% | top 36% | 89.8% | 89.6% |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-10-02 | Green Mountain BBQ Championship- CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES 🏅 Braintree, VT | 15 / 16 (623.7832) | 13 (158.8344) | 13 (158.2516) | 14 (159.3600) | 16 (147.3372) |
| 2021-10-02 | Green Mountain BBQ Championship- CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES - One Meat Rib Contest Braintree, VT | — | — | 4 (166.2972) | — | — |
| 2017-10-14 | Bay State BBQ Championship Monson, MA | 26 / 30 (632.4000) | 21 (164.0000) | 22 (158.8116) | 30 (147.3256) | 19 (162.2628) |
| 2017-09-09 | Green Mountain BBQ Championship Randolph, VT | 24 / 32 (635.8632) | 20 (163.3828) | 30 (146.8232) | 19 (165.0972) | 21 (160.5600) |
| 2016-10-07 | Riverside Blues, Brews & BBQ Festival Greenfield, MA | 11 / 33 (652.5716) | 13 (165.1544) | 9 (168.5600) | 22 (155.4400) | 9 (163.4172) |
| 2016-06-25 | Green Mountain BBQ Championship Waterbury, VT | 35 / 40 (610.1376) | 35 (150.8572) | 36 (150.2172) | 27 (157.6916) | 34 (151.3716) |
| 2015-10-09 | Riverside Blues, Brews & BBQ Festival Greenfield, MA | 11 / 25 (649.0632) | 15 (162.8688) | 23 (151.9772) | 20 (158.2056) | 1 (176.0116) |
| 2014-10-10 | Riverside Blues & BBQ Festival Greenfield, MA | 18 / 27 (638.7312) | 24 (147.9544) | 22 (154.8340) | 9 (162.2400) | 3 (173.7028) |
| 2014-09-13 | Harvard Fall Festival BBQ Contest Harvard, MA | 17 / 43 (643.3372) | 19 (160.5372) | 20 (156.5600) | 11 (164.5372) | 15 (161.7028) |
| 2014-05-31 | Monadnock Up in Smoke BBQ, Beer Fest Swanzey, NH | 23 / 48 (622.6168) | 44 (144.5256) | 34 (153.1316) | 38 (152.0116) | 5 (167.4400) |
| 2013-10-11 | Riverside Blues & BBQ Festival Greenfield, MA | 8 / 21 (646.2172) | 14 (157.0856) | 5 (166.8344) | 13 (160.0572) | 10 (162.2400) |
| 2013-09-14 | Harvard Fall Festival BBQ Contest Harvard, MA | 14 / 42 (643.4056) | 23 (159.9996) | 34 (150.2744) | 13 (162.8572) | 3 (170.2744) |
Career map (orange GC · green top-10 · grey the rest — tap a pin)
Team of the Year standings (rank per category by season — year links to the full board on kcbs.us)
| Year | Series | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 ↗ | Master | #1105 (91 pts) | #1123 (101 pts) | #620 (284 pts) | #1127 (96 pts) | #1144 (86 pts) |
| 2017 ↗ | Master | #1876 (117 pts) | #1629 (157 pts) | #1776 (127 pts) | #1677 (142 pts) | #1602 (162 pts) |
| 2016 ↗ | Master | #1427 (188 pts) | #1584 (178 pts) | #1453 (203 pts) | #1811 (133 pts) | #1430 (203 pts) |
| 2015 ↗ | Master | #1676 (120 pts) | #1988 (100 pts) | #2209 (60 pts) | #2139 (75 pts) | #1114 (275 pts) |
| 2014 ↗ | Master | #1122 (268 pts) | #1311 (228 pts) | #1768 (140 pts) | #1001 (348 pts) | #685 (543 pts) |
| 2013 ↗ | Master | #1076 (263 pts) | #1425 (178 pts) | #1228 (238 pts) | #1209 (233 pts) | #864 (363 pts) |