SMOKE-N-PEPPERS IN

Power ranking

#150

of 3077 rated · rankings

Rating

1703

peak 1730 · rated over 50 contests

Best runs

straight top-10s

Contests

in the data

First seen

2019-03-22

latest 2026-05-15

Best ToY finish

#29

Master 2021

Grand champs

5 reserve

Category wins

33 podiums

Overall top-10s

of 52 contests

Avg finish

top 31%

overall standings

Best overall

705.7144 / 720

Master · Reuniting After War (R.A.W.) BBQ Competition

Perfect 180s

1 🔥

Current form

686.68 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 682.22 (+4.46)

Walk rate

83%

contests with a top-10 call

Top-10 streak

best run (overall)

Best single call

180.0000 🔥

Chicken · Rockin' BBQ - Day 2

Consistency

±11.00

std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 171.73 · weakest Brisket (169.97)

Road miles

6216

mi across 52 mapped stops · furthest 480 mi

Schedule strength

61%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1556)

Purse competed for

$389K

listed at 44 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

2 🏅

GCs in 47 state-championship entries

Master avg

682.22 / 720

50 Master contests · 2 GCs

⚔ Compare with another team

Storylines

🎯 The one to beat

CONTINENTAL BARBEQUE CO. has finished one call ahead of SMOKE-N-PEPPERS 3 times — their closest competition in the data.

👀 Looking over their shoulder

WeQ4U has landed one call behind them 4 times.

⚔️ A tough matchup

SCUFFLETOWN SMOKERS has come out ahead in 18 of their 20 shared contests.

⚔️ A strong matchup

They've finished ahead of LOADED-N-ROLLIN BBQ in 26 of their 26 shared contests.

🏕️ Happy hunting ground

Hoosier BBQ Classic Day 2 is their spot: an average finish in the top 9% across 2 visits.

💔 The heartbreaker

Came within 0.5828 points of the Grand Championship at Big Blue Barbecue (2021-08-13).

🗡️ Giant slayer

Took the Grand Championship over a 39-team field at Rockin' BBQ - Day 2.

📅 A September team

Something about September: average finish in the top 19% across 10 contests, versus top 31% the rest of the year.

🃏 Against the odds

Their Grand Championship at Rockin' BBQ - Day 2 (2021-05-15) came as the ratings underdog — roughly a 22-in-100 shot against the field's top-rated team, ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN.

🔁 The comeback

Off the trail for 2.4 years, then back at Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship (2026-03-20).

Teams like this (closest power rating, IN first)

THUNDER HOG BBQ #165 · 1698 · IN iBQ'n #131 · 1713 · IN GREY STREET BBQ #173 · 1693 · IN THE REAL SMOKIN ACES #211 · 1678 · IN CONTINENTAL BARBEQUE CO. #87 · 1737 · IN WeQ4U #82 · 1742 · IN

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
WeQ4U	38	20	18	53%	⚔ compare
THUNDER HOG BBQ	31	10	21	32%	⚔ compare
The Yellow Rose Texas BBQ Company	29	24	5	83%	⚔ compare
THE BBQ BUS	29	13	16	45%	⚔ compare
BLUE CHIP BBQ	27	12	15	44%	⚔ compare
LOADED-N-ROLLIN BBQ	26	26	0	100%	⚔ compare
TIRE SMOKE BBQ	26	11	15	42%	⚔ compare
ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN	26	10	16	38%	⚔ compare
iBQ'n	26	9	17	35%	⚔ compare
CONTINENTAL BARBEQUE CO.	25	9	16	36%	⚔ compare
WE WILL ROCK QUE	22	15	7	68%	⚔ compare
THE REAL SMOKIN ACES	22	9	13	41%	⚔ compare
HIGH ON THE HAWG	21	15	6	71%	⚔ compare
FARMER'S RETREAT SMOKIN BARBEQUE	21	14	7	67%	⚔ compare
JANKY LEG BBQ	21	8	13	38%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	50	23	2	8	180.0000 🔥	156.5372	171.73	top 37%
Pork Ribs	52	20	1	10	178.8572	159.3600	170.23	top 36%
Pork	50	19	0	8	178.8572	159.3716	170.25	top 39%
Brisket	50	21	2	7	178.3200	155.9084	169.97	top 37%

“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
IN	30	1	top 32%
KY	9	1	top 33%
IL	6	0	top 31%
TN	2	0	top 37%
KS	2	0	top 12%
OH	1	0	top 13%

By contest size

Field	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
Small (<20 teams)	2	0	top 45%
Medium (20–39)	28	2	top 27%
Large (40+)	20	0	top 35%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	GCs	Avg finish	Last visit
Bands & BBQ at the Point	4	1	1	top 21%	2023-09-08
Smoke on the Water	3	3	0	top 25%	2022-04-29
Big Blue Barbecue	3	2	0	top 39%	2021-08-13
Madison Ribberfest BBQ & Blues Festival	2	2	0	top 25%	2022-08-19
Harvest on Fire at the Winery	2	9	0	top 34%	2022-07-08
Hoosier BBQ Classic Day 2	2	2	0	top 9%	2022-06-18
Hoosier BBQ Classic Day 1	2	19	0	top 46%	2022-06-17
8th Annual Rockin' BBQ (Day 2)	2	4	0	top 24%	2022-05-14
CCSFEST	2	13	0	top 50%	2022-04-08
Smokin' For Garrett	2	5	0	top 25%	2021-10-22
Covid-Que Relief (Day 2)	2	24	0	top 53%	2020-06-20
Rockin BBQ	2	14	0	top 30%	2020-05-29

The story so far

Busiest season: 2022 (14 contests)
Cooks mostly in IN (32 of 52 contests)
Most-entered category: Pork Ribs (52 entries)
First Grand Championship in the data: Rockin' BBQ - Day 2 (2021-05-15)
Wins it all in 4% of contests
Average Master overall score: 682.22 / 720
1 perfect 180 on the books 🔥

Milestones

🚩 2019-03-22 — First tracked contest · PigMania Franklin State Championship BBQ Competition
📣 2019-04-05 — First call · CCSFest
🏆 2021-05-15 — First Grand Championship · Rockin' BBQ - Day 2
🔥 2021-05-15 — First perfect 180 (Chicken) · Rockin' BBQ - Day 2
🎖️ 2021-08-13 — 25th tracked contest · Big Blue Barbecue
⭐ 2022-09-16 — Career-best overall score (705.7144) · Reuniting After War (R.A.W.) BBQ Competition
🎖️ 2023-10-13 — 50th tracked contest · Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitational Barbecue (Competitor's Series)(JUDGES BY INVITATION ONLY)
📈 2023-10-13 — Peak power rating (1730) · Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitational Barbecue (Competitor's Series)(JUDGES BY INVITATION ONLY)

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+15.3	Rockin' BBQ - Day 2	2021-05-15
+13.4	Smoke on the Water	2021-05-01
+13.3	Hoosier BBQ Classic Day 2	2022-06-18
+12.7	Hoosier BBQ Classic Day 2	2021-06-19
+12.5	Harvest On the Fire At the Winery	2021-07-09

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-13.9	Rockin' BBQ Warsaw, Indiana	2026-05-15
-12.9	Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship	2026-03-20
-8.4	CCSFEST	2022-04-08
-8	Bourbon Capital BBQ Challenge & Distillers' Row Invitational	2022-06-10
-7.2	Fire on the Mountain	2020-07-24

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)
2026	2	0	0	0	50%	top 66%	94.2%	93.7%
2023	5	0	5	2	100%	top 12%	96.7%	96.2%
2022	14	1	7	0	71%	top 33%	98%	95.3%
2021	14	1	10	3	93%	top 17%	97.4%	95.5%
2020	6	0	0	0	67%	top 53%	93.7%	92.7%
2019	11	0	4	0	91%	top 37%	95.5%	93.9%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2026-05-15	Rockin' BBQ Warsaw, Indiana 🏅 Warsaw, IN	24 / 35 (671.3484)	30 (165.0856)	5 (174.2972)	22 (167.4172)	28 (164.5484)
2026-03-20	Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship 🏅 Lebanon, TN	79 / 125 (678.1716)	85 (168.5372)	89 (166.2400)	98 (166.2400)	15 (177.1544)
2023-10-13	Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitational Barbecue (Competitor's Series)(JUDGES BY INVITATION ONLY) Lynchburg, TN	9 / 81 (693.7256)	20 (172.5600)	4 (177.7372)	29 (171.9656)	31 (171.4628)
2023-09-08	Bands & BBQ at the Point 🏅 Carrollton, KY	3 / 33 (693.6572)	15 (170.8228)	3 (176.5600)	6 (173.1316)	1 (173.1428)
2023-08-18	Madison Ribberfest BBQ Blues 🏅 Madison, IN	6 / 41 (696.5144)	9 (175.4172)	14 (173.1200)	2 (178.8572)	20 (169.1200)
2023-06-10	Hoosier BBQ Classic #2 🏅 Franklin, IN	3 / 28 (690.8116)	12 (171.9772)	3 (173.7028)	6 (174.2972)	8 (170.8344)
2023-06-09	Hoosier BBQ Classic #1 🏅 Franklin, IN	6 / 38 (689.6572)	17 (171.9656)	1 (178.8572)	10 (172.5600)	23 (166.2744)
2022-09-23	Murphysboro BBQ Cook-off/Praise the Lard 🏅 Murphysboro, IL	6 / 46 (698.2856)	15 (174.8456)	19 (172.5600)	16 (173.1200)	3 (177.7600)
2022-09-16	Reuniting After War (R.A.W.) BBQ Competition 🏅 Bowling Green, KY	2 / 24 (705.7144)	2 (178.8572)	2 (176.0000)	4 (175.4516)	4 (175.4056)
2022-09-09	Bands & BBQ at the Point 🏅 Carrollton, KY	1 / 32 (698.8460)	5 (176.5600)	14 (171.4400)	6 (174.2860)	3 (176.5600)
2022-08-19	Madison Ribberfest BBQ & Blues Festival 🏅 Madison, IN	20 / 45 (678.7428)	24 (169.1200)	16 (169.6800)	20 (169.6800)	17 (170.2628)
2022-07-08	Harvest on Fire at the Winery 🏅 Marshall, IL	11 / 28 (685.6000)	13 (173.1316)	21 (166.2400)	13 (170.8228)	7 (175.4056)
2022-06-18	Hoosier BBQ Classic Day 2 🏅 Franklin, IN	2 / 27 (694.7884)	14 (172.5484)	2 (176.0000)	11 (170.8228)	4 (175.4172)
2022-06-17	Hoosier BBQ Classic Day 1 🏅 Franklin, IN	23 / 42 (678.1828)	23 (171.4172)	13 (170.8228)	29 (165.0856)	15 (170.8572)
2022-06-17	Hoosier BBQ Classic (One Meat Ribs) Franklin, IN	—	—	20 (162.8228)	—	—
2022-06-10	Bourbon Capital BBQ Challenge & Distillers' Row Invitational 🏅 New Haven, KY	13 / 17 (675.9660)	7 (174.2628)	14 (167.9772)	10 (168.0344)	12 (165.6916)
2022-05-14	8th Annual Rockin' BBQ (Day 2) 🏅 Warsaw, IN	9 / 25 (684.4456)	10 (174.2628)	5 (173.1200)	13 (169.6800)	13 (167.3828)
2022-05-13	8th Annual Rockin' BBQ (Day 1) 🏅 Warsaw, IN	4 / 36 (687.8968)	17 (171.4056)	6 (173.1084)	9 (172.5484)	12 (170.8344)
2022-05-13	8th Annual Rockin' BBQ (One Meat Ribs) Warsaw, IN	—	—	3 (176.0000)	—	—
2022-04-29	Smoke on the Water 🏅 Liberty, IN	9 / 25 (674.1140)	11 (168.5256)	9 (168.5256)	12 (162.8000)	3 (174.2628)
2022-04-08	CCSFEST 🏅 Indianapolis, IN	28 / 42 (670.7660)	34 (168.5256)	27 (167.9772)	14 (172.5600)	35 (161.7032)
2021-10-22	Smokin' For Garrett 🏅 Boonville, IN	5 / 27 (678.7772)	18 (164.5372)	15 (165.1316)	2 (173.7028)	2 (175.4056)
2021-09-16	American Royal World Series of Barbecue-INVITATIONAL CONTEST 🏅 Kansas City, KS	17 / 185 (697.0628)	10 (178.8572)	130 (167.3828)	18 (176.5600)	44 (174.2628)
2021-09-16	American Royal World Series of Barbecue-OPEN CONTEST 🏅 Kansas City, KS	72 / 467 (679.9544)	296 (162.8344)	194 (167.9772)	42 (174.2628)	32 (174.8800)
2021-09-10	Bands & BBQ at the Point 🏅 Carrollton, KY	6 / 28 (682.7312)	4 (171.9656)	12 (168.5372)	11 (169.1200)	7 (173.1084)
2021-09-04	Destination Outlets Labor Day BBQ Championship 🏅 Jeffersonville, OH	2 / 15 (701.1544)	2 (177.1544)	6 (169.1200)	2 (176.5600)	2 (178.3200)
2021-08-20	Madison Ribberfest BBQ & Blues Festival 🏅 Madison, IN	2 / 43 (694.8228)	2 (177.7372)	3 (174.8572)	11 (174.2628)	17 (167.9656)
2021-08-13	Big Blue Barbecue 🏅 Shelbyville, IN	2 / 30 (697.6800)	5 (174.8572)	2 (178.2972)	3 (174.8572)	11 (169.6684)
2021-07-23	Effingham -Jam 🏅 Effingham, IL	15 / 29 (673.6228)	12 (169.6800)	13 (167.3944)	13 (168.5484)	10 (168.0000)
2021-07-09	Harvest On the Fire At the Winery 🏅 Marshall, IL	4 / 38 (685.6800)	4 (174.8572)	9 (170.2856)	33 (162.8000)	1 (177.7372)
2021-06-19	Hoosier BBQ Classic Day 2 🏅 Franklin, IN	4 / 37 (687.3828)	10 (173.1200)	4 (173.1428)	9 (173.1544)	20 (167.9656)
2021-06-18	Hoosier BBQ Classic Day 1 🏅 Franklin, IN	19 / 51 (675.9428)	31 (168.5828)	30 (165.6800)	31 (167.3828)	7 (174.2972)
2021-05-15	Rockin' BBQ - Day 2 🏅 Warsaw, IN	1 / 39 (695.3712)	1 (180.0000)	8 (170.8228)	3 (175.4056)	14 (169.1428)
2021-05-14	Rockin' BBQ - Day 1 🏅 Warsaw, IN	9 / 41 (683.3256)	2 (177.7028)	12 (169.1200)	24 (166.8228)	21 (169.6800)
2021-05-01	Smoke on the Water 🏅 Liberty, IN	3 / 27 (690.2400)	1 (177.1428)	3 (171.9772)	13 (169.1200)	6 (172.0000)
2020-08-14	Big Blue Barbecue 🏅 Shelbyville, IN	36 / 50 (662.7200)	48 (156.5372)	12 (170.8344)	30 (167.9656)	33 (167.3828)
2020-07-24	Fire on the Mountain 🏅 Leburn, KY	22 / 30 (661.6456)	18 (166.2628)	20 (165.6800)	9 (170.8572)	27 (158.8456)
2020-07-10	Harvest On the Fire At the Winery 🏅 Marshall, IL	23 / 53 (673.0288)	37 (165.6800)	26 (166.8344)	2 (175.4172)	38 (165.0972)
2020-06-20	Covid-Que Relief (Day 2) Franklin, IN	24 / 63 (674.7544)	27 (170.2628)	11 (170.2744)	58 (159.3716)	4 (174.8456)
2020-06-19	Covid-Que Relief (Day 1) Franklin, IN	47 / 69 (660.4572)	48 (164.5256)	27 (167.3828)	30 (168.5600)	54 (159.9888)
2020-05-29	Rockin BBQ 🏅 Warsaw, IN	14 / 66 (673.0512)	8 (171.4172)	30 (165.1084)	19 (167.9656)	21 (168.5600)
2019-10-04	Jim Beam BBQ Classic 🏅 Springfield, KY	14 / 42 (677.0056)	18 (169.6800)	14 (169.6684)	16 (167.9772)	10 (169.6800)
2019-09-27	New Albany Blues Brews and BBQ Festival 🏅 New Albany, IN	11 / 23 (671.9432)	9 (170.8572)	7 (169.7028)	15 (164.5372)	14 (166.8460)
2019-09-13	Bands & BBQ at the Point 🏅 Carrollton, KY	14 / 28 (669.5772)	9 (171.9656)	12 (167.4172)	19 (163.9544)	13 (166.2400)
2019-08-09	Big Blue Barbecue 🏅 Shelbyville, IN	11 / 29 (679.3028)	2 (176.0000)	27 (159.3600)	13 (169.6800)	7 (174.2628)
2019-07-12	Harvest On Fire at The Winery 🏅 Marshall, IL	9 / 31 (674.1600)	8 (172.5600)	14 (166.2400)	2 (174.8456)	19 (160.5144)
2019-06-14	Barbourville BBQ Cookoff & Festival 🏅 Barbourville, KY	7 / 30 (687.3252)	13 (173.1084)	18 (169.1084)	7 (174.2628)	9 (170.8456)
2019-05-10	Rockin BBQ 🏅 Warsaw, IN	16 / 42 (663.3828)	6 (172.5600)	14 (169.1544)	29 (161.1428)	28 (160.5256)
2019-05-04	Smoke on the Water 🏅 Liberty, IN	7 / 26 (681.6568)	9 (171.4172)	11 (167.3828)	9 (169.6912)	5 (173.1656)
2019-04-26	Smokin For Garrett 🏅 Boonville, IN	8 / 26 (681.0284)	2 (175.4056)	11 (173.7144)	3 (176.0000)	22 (155.9084)
2019-04-05	CCSFest 🏅 Indianapois, IN	13 / 40 (675.8860)	18 (169.1316)	2 (175.4172)	36 (160.5028)	9 (170.8344)
2019-03-22	PigMania Franklin State Championship BBQ Competition 🏅 Franklin, IN	16 / 29 (673.0860)	12 (170.2628)	17 (166.2744)	17 (167.9772)	12 (168.5716)

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
2026 ↗	Master	#707 (125 pts)	#772 (120 pts)	#599 (245 pts)	#705 (135 pts)	#649 (170 pts)
2023 ↗	Master	#265 (811 pts)	#465 (471 pts)	#282 (861 pts)	#293 (736 pts)	#363 (586 pts)
2022 ↗	Master	#71 (1748 pts)	#133 (1323 pts)	#72 (1650 pts)	#132 (1313 pts)	#68 (1703 pts)
2021 ↗	Master	#29 (2177 pts)	#18 (2185 pts)	#60 (1739 pts)	#65 (1676 pts)	#57 (1736 pts)
2020 ↗	Master	#254 (440 pts)	#252 (485 pts)	#237 (515 pts)	#179 (670 pts)	#222 (525 pts)
2019 ↗	Master	#214 (1283 pts)	#130 (1567 pts)	#200 (1298 pts)	#188 (1332 pts)	#211 (1242 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#263 (1196 pts)	#274 (1166 pts)	#121 (1631 pts)	#216 (1316 pts)	#276 (1143 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#219 (1424 pts)	#263 (1224 pts)	#156 (1604 pts)	#211 (1374 pts)	#138 (1659 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#693 (550 pts)	#568 (710 pts)	#556 (750 pts)	#729 (545 pts)	#667 (595 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#910 (355 pts)	#969 (350 pts)	#515 (760 pts)	#836 (435 pts)	#932 (370 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#670 (549 pts)	#567 (689 pts)	#480 (834 pts)	#665 (574 pts)	#740 (494 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#1092 (258 pts)	#980 (323 pts)	#1080 (283 pts)	#965 (328 pts)	#1405 (178 pts)