IOWA STATE GRILL TEAM

At a glance (everything the results say about this team, in numbers)

Power ranking

#5992

of 6,413 rated · rankings

Rating

1433

peak 1433 · rated over 13 contests ⓘ

Contests

in the data

First seen

2013-04-19

latest 2019-06-14

Best ToY finish

#1293

Master 2013

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

0 podiums

Overall top-10s

of 13 contests

Avg finish

top 79%

overall standings

Best overall

658.7656 / 720

Master · Smokin' in the Junction

Perfect 180s

Current form

640.32 ▼

last 5 Master vs avg 642.27 (-1.95)

Walk rate

46%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

172.5828

Pork Ribs · Up in Smoke BBQ Bash

Consistency

±8.99

std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 163.23 · weakest Brisket (156.14)

Road miles

1,280

mi across 13 mapped stops · furthest 243 mi

Schedule strength

46%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1559)

Purse competed for

$5K

listed at 1 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

GCs in 1 state-championship entries

Master avg

642.27 / 720

13 Master contests · 0 GCs

⚔ Compare with another team

Storylines (4 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.

A tough matchup

7–0 behind in the head-to-head

LUCKY'S Q ahead in 100% of their meetings

LUCKY'S Q has come out ahead in 7 of their 7 shared contests.

The weak link

−7.1 points behind their best meat

Brisket is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 7.09 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 8% of the time against 15%.

Brisket avg 156.14
Chicken avg 163.23
1 calls in 13 entries

Chicken nemesis

7 of 7 shared chicken entries lost

LUCKY'S Q ahead 100% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, LUCKY'S Q has out-cooked them in 7 of 7 shared chicken entries.

The metronome

±1.25% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±1.25% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 89.2% of a perfect score
13 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.

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

Fox Smokehouse BBQ

#6003 of the rated field

1432 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 13
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1432

No shared contest yet.

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 13 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 13 contests
last seen 2024-05-24

⚔ Head-to-head

Meaty Bone BBQ

#5991 of the rated field

1433 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 12
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1433

No shared contest yet.

Careers of much the same size, 12 contests to 13, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 12 contests
last seen 2026-06-26

⚔ Head-to-head

Bubba's Pig-a-licious

#5998 of the rated field

1432 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 12
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1432

No shared contest yet.

12 contests and no Grand Championship yet.

rated over 12 contests
last seen 2025-09-26

⚔ Head-to-head

COMIN' IN HOT BBQ

#5985 of the rated field

1433 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 11
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1500

No shared contest yet.

Level with IOWA STATE GRILL TEAM on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 11 contests
last seen 2019-04-26

⚔ Head-to-head

CROW CREEK BBQ

#5982 of the rated field

1433 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 16
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1433

No shared contest yet.

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

rated over 16 contests
last seen 2018-05-25

⚔ Head-to-head

PIG PIRATES BBQ

#5993 of the rated field

1433 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 10
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1433

No shared contest yet.

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 10 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 10 contests
last seen 2025-10-24

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
LUCKY'S Q	7	0	7	0%	⚔ compare
The Wicked Pig	6	0	6	0%	⚔ compare
GRILLS GONE WILD IOWA	6	0	6	0%	⚔ compare
TEMPLETON RYE WOODFELLAS	6	0	6	0%	⚔ compare
SMOKEHOUSE 72	6	0	6	0%	⚔ compare
WOODWARD BARBEQUE	6	0	6	0%	⚔ compare
DRY 2 DA BONE	6	0	6	0%	⚔ compare
DIG-IN COOKERS	5	1	4	20%	⚔ compare
SMOKEY D'S WANNABEES	5	0	5	0%	⚔ compare
IOWA WILD HOGS BBQ	5	0	5	0%	⚔ compare
SWINE ASSASSINS	5	0	5	0%	⚔ compare
SMOKERS PURGATORY	5	0	5	0%	⚔ compare
DIRT ROAD BBQ	5	0	5	0%	⚔ compare
TREEFROG BBQ	5	0	5	0%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	13	2	171.4284	155.9544	163.23	top 66%
Pork Ribs	13	1	172.5828	150.2056	159.79	top 71%
Pork	13	3	172.0000	153.6684	163.10	top 61%
Brisket	13	1	168.5600	147.4286	156.14	top 76%

“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
IA	11	0	top 79%
MO	2	0	top 80%

By contest size

Field	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
Medium (20–39)	12	0	top 79%
Large (40+)	1	0	top 81%

Contest-by-contest record (recurring contests they've cooked twice or more)

Contest	Visits	Best	GCs	Avg finish	Last visit
Rose Festival KCBS BBQ Competition	2	18	0	top 83%	2019-06-14
Smokin' in the Junction	2	17	0	top 60%	2015-05-23

The story so far (17 numbers that describe this team)

On the trail 6.2 yrs 2013-04-19 → 2019-06-14

Busiest season 2013 4 contests

Contests a season 1.9 across 7 seasons in the data

Cooks most in IA 11 of 13 contests · 2 states/provinces in all

Contests visited 11 2 of them cooked more than once

Most-entered meat Chicken 13 entries · 0 wins · 2 calls

Strongest meat Chicken averages 163.23 · weakest Brisket (156.14)

Walk rate 46% a top-10 call in 6 of 13 contests

Overall top-10 rate 0% 0 of 13 contests

Master average 642.27 out of 720 · 13 contests · 0 GCs

Opponents faced 269 91–321 across every shared overall standing

Road miles 1,280 13 mapped stops · furthest 243 mi

Schedule strength 1559 average field rating faced — tougher than 46% of rated contests

Purse competed for $5,250 listed at 1 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships 0 from 1 state-championship entries

Longest layoff 1.2 yrs 2015-05-23 → 2016-07-22

Power rating 1433 peak 1433 · #5992 of 6,413 rated

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

2013
Apr 19 First tracked contest Smoke Over Veishea
Apr 19 Peak power rating (1491) Smoke Over Veishea
May 25 First call Smokin' In The Junction
2015
May 23 First overall past 90% of a perfect score658.7656 Smokin' in the Junction
May 23 Career-best overall score658.7656 Smokin' in the Junction
2016
Jul 22 Career-best single call (Pork Ribs)172.5828 Up in Smoke BBQ Bash
2018
May 11 10th tracked contest *BBQ in the Bluffs
2019
Jun 14 Most recent contest Rose Festival KCBS BBQ Competition

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+5.6	Smokin' in the Junction	2015-05-23

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-10.3	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	2013-07-19
-9.4	Smoke Over Veishea	2013-04-19
-7.3	Smokin' In The Junction	2013-05-25
-7.1	*BBQ in the Bluffs	2018-05-11
-6.9	Central Iowa Expo BBQ & Cruise (DAY 2)	2017-04-29

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)

Season by season

Season	Contests	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2019	1	0%	top 87%	87.3%	87.3%
2018	3	67%	top 82%	90.8%	89.7%
2017	2	0%	top 84%	89.4%	88.8%
2016	1	100%	top 81%	90.2%	90.2%
2015	1	100%	top 46%	91.5%	91.5%
2014	1	0%	top 74%	88.8%	88.8%
2013	4	50%	top 81%	89.7%	88.8%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2019-06-14	Rose Festival KCBS BBQ Competition 🏅 State Center, IA	27 / 31 (628.4344)	26 (161.1544)	28 (154.7772)	28 (159.9772)	27 (152.5256)
2018-08-10	*Smokin Trackside BBQ Bash Winston, MO	20 / 25 (649.0056)	20 (155.9544)	18 (162.2628)	16 (163.3828)	11 (167.4056)
2018-06-15	Rose Festival KCBS BBQ Competition State Center, IA	18 / 23 (653.5884)	21 (161.7028)	15 (165.1200)	18 (158.2056)	7 (168.5600)
2018-05-11	*BBQ in the Bluffs Council Bluffs, IA	34 / 39 (635.2108)	31 (162.2284)	36 (151.9540)	8 (170.8228)	35 (150.2056)
2017-09-29	*Smoking in the Golden Valley Clinton, MO	23 / 29 (635.3600)	21 (161.7028)	24 (157.6800)	17 (164.0344)	24 (151.9428)
2017-04-29	Central Iowa Expo BBQ & Cruise (DAY 2) Boone, IA	31 / 35 (643.8284)	31 (158.7884)	33 (150.2056)	13 (170.2972)	22 (164.5372)
2016-07-22	Up in Smoke BBQ Bash Mason City, IA	38 / 47 (649.5312)	32 (165.6800)	10 (172.5828)	41 (160.5028)	46 (150.7656)
2015-05-23	Smokin' in the Junction West Des Moines, IA	17 / 37 (658.7656)	5 (171.4284)	26 (158.2628)	6 (172.0000)	27 (157.0744)
2014-05-24	Smokin' in the Junction West Des Moines, IA	23 / 31 (639.2680)	19 (165.1084)	18 (161.6684)	28 (153.6684)	24 (158.8228)
2013-07-19	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Des Moines, IA	25 / 28 (642.7652)	9 (167.9884)	18 (161.0856)	20 (162.8456)	26 (150.8456)
2013-06-21	Iowa State BBQ Championship Marshalltown, IA	21 / 28 (641.1424)	18 (165.7142)	23 (158.2854)	24 (155.4286)	18 (161.7142)
2013-05-25	Smokin' In The Junction West Des Moines, IA	28 / 36 (645.7140)	24 (162.2856)	19 (165.1426)	8 (170.8572)	33 (147.4286)
2013-04-19	Smoke Over Veishea Ames, IA	29 / 36 (626.8564)	22 (162.2856)	27 (158.2856)	24 (158.2856)	34 (147.9996)

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
2013 ↗	Master	#1293 (195 pts)	#1220 (230 pts)	#1310 (215 pts)	#1086 (280 pts)	#1286 (210 pts)