IOWA STATE GRILL TEAM

IOWA STATE GRILL TEAM is a competition barbecue team with 13 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2019. Their best overall finish is 17th of 37 at the Smokin' in the Junction (2015). They are ranked #6039 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

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At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#6,039

of 6,491 rated · rankings

Rating

1432

peak 1432 · rated over 13 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Apr 19, 2013

latest Jun 14, 2019 · 6.2 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#1293

Master 2013 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

0 podiums

Overall top-10s

0% 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

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 163.23 · weakest Brisket (156.14)

Road miles

1,280

across 13 mapped stops · furthest 243 mi

Schedule strength

46%

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

Purse competed for

$5,250

listed at 1 contest — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 1 state-championship entry

Master avg

642.27 / 720

13 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (4 found in their record)

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

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 call 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

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

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to IOWA STATE GRILL TEAM, each with one reason worth a look.

64 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

#6,047 of the rated field

1432 power rating

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

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 May 24, 2024

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Meaty Bone BBQ

#6,043 of the rated field

1432 power rating

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

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 Jun 26, 2026

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Bubba's Pig-a-licious

#6,052 of the rated field

1432 power rating

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

12 contests and no Grand Championship yet.

rated over 12 contests
last seen Sep 26, 2025

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PIG PIRATES BBQ

#6,037 of the rated field

1433 power rating

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

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

rated over 10 contests
last seen Oct 24, 2025

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FLAMING SEAHORSES BBQ

#6,030 of the rated field

1433 power rating

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

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 Jun 3, 2023

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BUGHOUSE BBQ

#6,035 of the rated field

1433 power rating

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

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 May 31, 2019

⚔ Compare careers

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	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 field size and state

By contest size

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

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
IA	11	0	top 79%
MO	2	0	top 80%

Repeat visits (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%	Jun 14, 2019
Smokin' in the Junction	2	17	0	top 60%	May 23, 2015

More numbers

Busiest season 2013 4 contests

Contests a season 1.9 across 7 seasons in the data

Most contests held in IA 11 of 13 contests · 2 states in all

Contests visited 11 2 of them more than once

Opponents faced 267 finished ahead 91 times, behind 321

Longest layoff 1.2 yrs May 23, 2015 → Jul 22, 2016

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

20191 milestone

Jun 14 Most recent contest Rose Festival KCBS BBQ Competition

20181 milestone

May 11 10th tracked contest BBQ in the Bluffs

20161 milestone

Jul 22 Career-best single call (Pork Ribs)172.5828 Up in Smoke BBQ Bash

20152 milestones

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

20133 milestones

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

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+5.6	Smokin' in the Junction	May 23, 2015

📉 Toughest weekends

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

Scores over time (% of a perfect score — 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	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
Jun 14, 2019	Rose Festival KCBS BBQ Competition 🏅 State Center, IA	27 / 31 (628.4344)	26 (161.1544)	28 (154.7772)	28 (159.9772)	27 (152.5256)
Aug 10, 2018	Smokin Trackside BBQ Bash Winston, MO	20 / 25 (649.0056)	20 (155.9544)	18 (162.2628)	16 (163.3828)	11 (167.4056)
Jun 15, 2018	Rose Festival KCBS BBQ Competition State Center, IA	18 / 23 (653.5884)	21 (161.7028)	15 (165.1200)	18 (158.2056)	7 (168.5600)
May 11, 2018	BBQ in the Bluffs Council Bluffs, IA	34 / 39 (635.2108)	31 (162.2284)	36 (151.9540)	8 (170.8228)	35 (150.2056)
Sep 29, 2017	Smoking in the Golden Valley Clinton, MO	23 / 29 (635.3600)	21 (161.7028)	24 (157.6800)	17 (164.0344)	24 (151.9428)
Apr 29, 2017	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)
Jul 22, 2016	Up in Smoke BBQ Bash Mason City, IA	38 / 47 (649.5312)	32 (165.6800)	10 (172.5828)	41 (160.5028)	46 (150.7656)
May 23, 2015	Smokin' in the Junction West Des Moines, IA	17 / 37 (658.7656)	5 (171.4284)	26 (158.2628)	6 (172)	27 (157.0744)
May 24, 2014	Smokin' in the Junction West Des Moines, IA	23 / 31 (639.2680)	19 (165.1084)	18 (161.6684)	28 (153.6684)	24 (158.8228)
Jul 19, 2013	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)
Jun 21, 2013	Iowa State BBQ Championship Marshalltown, IA	21 / 28 (641.1424)	18 (165.7142)	23 (158.2854)	24 (155.4286)	18 (161.7142)
May 25, 2013	Smokin' In The Junction West Des Moines, IA	28 / 36 (645.7140)	24 (162.2856)	19 (165.1426)	8 (170.8572)	33 (147.4286)
Apr 19, 2013	Smoke Over Veishea Ames, IA	29 / 36 (626.8564)	22 (162.2856)	27 (158.2856)	24 (158.2856)	34 (147.9996)

IOWA STATE GRILL TEAM

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

Rating

Contests

First seen

Best ToY finish

Grand champs

Category wins

Overall top-10s

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 (4 found in their record)

A tough matchup

The weak link

Chicken nemesis

The metronome

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

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 — 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)