REAL SOUTH BBQ

REAL SOUTH BBQ is a competition barbecue team with 13 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2014 and 2022. Their best overall finish is 16th of 26 at The Real Squeal BBQ & Music Festival (GBC Qualifier) (2016). They are ranked #3867 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#3,867

of 6,491 rated · rankings

Rating

1486

peak 1486 · rated over 13 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Oct 10, 2014

latest Oct 7, 2022 · 8 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#1207

Master 2022 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

2 podiums

Overall top-10s

0% of 13 contests

Avg finish

top 65%

overall standings

Best overall

680.4688 / 720

Master · Papa Joe's Banjo-B-Que & Music Festival (GBC Qualifier)

Perfect 180s

Current form

665.21 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 658.84 (+6.38)

Walk rate

85%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

174.8572

Pork Ribs · Flames on the Flint

Consistency

±13.39

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork Ribs

avg 168.19 · weakest Pork (161.18)

Road miles

945

across 13 mapped stops · furthest 169 mi

Schedule strength

69%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1587)

Purse competed for

$75K

listed at 3 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 6 state-championship entries

Master avg

658.84 / 720

13 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (10 found in their record)

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

They almost always walk

85% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 11 of 13 contests

A top-10 category call in 85% of their 13 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

680.4688 career-best overall

94.5% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 680.4688 at Papa Joe's Banjo-B-Que & Music Festival (GBC Qualifier) — 94.5% of a perfect 720.

Master
May 26, 2017

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

CARTER-QUE-ING has finished one call ahead of REAL SOUTH BBQ 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2017 their best year

2017 was the year it came together: 3 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 0 category wins, at an average finish in the top 55%.

3 contests
0 overall top-10s
0 category wins
average top 55%

A tough matchup

10–1 behind in the head-to-head

QMEISTERS ahead in 91% of their meetings

QMEISTERS has come out ahead in 10 of their 11 shared contests.

The weak link

−7.0 points behind their best meat

Pork is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 7.01 points below their pork ribs, and turns into a call 15% of the time against 31%.

Pork avg 161.18
Pork Ribs avg 168.19
2 calls in 13 entries

A strong matchup

4–1 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 80% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of BIG "J" AND THE BUTTS in 4 of their 5 shared contests.

Show 3 more storylines

The comeback

3 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 3 years, then back at The Real Squeal BBQ & Music Festival (Oct 7, 2022).

last seen Oct 11, 2019
back Oct 7, 2022

The metronome

±1.86% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±1.86% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 91.5% of a perfect score
13 contests

A standing appointment

4 years running at one contest

They've cooked The Real Squeal BBQ & Music Festival every year from 2016 to 2019 — the contest they never miss.

5 visits in all
best finish 16th

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
2022 ↗	Master	#1207 (85 pts)	#978 (140 pts)	#1107 (120 pts)	#1348 (60 pts)	#1256 (80 pts)
2019 ↗	Master	#1380 (142 pts)	#1387 (162 pts)	#1412 (152 pts)	#1508 (132 pts)	#948 (312 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#1804 (91 pts)	#1861 (91 pts)	#1821 (101 pts)	#1268 (201 pts)	#1892 (81 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#2043 (89 pts)	#1665 (149 pts)	#2019 (109 pts)	#2186 (74 pts)	#2879 (54 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#1580 (161 pts)	#1051 (331 pts)	#1618 (171 pts)	#2017 (116 pts)	#1393 (216 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#1316 (197 pts)	#1431 (192 pts)	#886 (402 pts)	#1487 (187 pts)	#1393 (192 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#1970 (95 pts)	#2029 (100 pts)	#1814 (135 pts)	#1748 (145 pts)	#2148 (75 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to REAL SOUTH BBQ, each with one reason worth a look.

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

ROLLIN' SMOKE COMPETITION QUE

#3,851 of the rated field

1486 power rating

Contests: 34
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 6%
Peak: 1506

1–3 in 4 shared contests (25% to REAL SOUTH BBQ)

These two have cooked 4 of the same contests — ROLLIN' SMOKE COMPETITION QUE ahead 3–1 — so there's a record behind this pairing and not just a matching number.

rated over 34 contests
last seen Mar 2, 2018

⚔ Head-to-head

Smoke Show BBQ

#3,888 of the rated field

1485 power rating

Contests: 46
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 11%
Peak: 1485

1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to REAL SOUTH BBQ)

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 39 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 39 contests
last seen Oct 9, 2026

⚔ Head-to-head

Smoke 'Em If You Got 'Em

#3,857 of the rated field

1486 power rating

Contests: 56
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 5%
Peak: 1506

2–0 in 2 shared contests (100% to REAL SOUTH BBQ)

56 contests to 13: their number has had years to settle where REAL SOUTH BBQ's is still finding its level.

rated over 54 contests
last seen Jun 27, 2025

⚔ Head-to-head

KillerbunnyBBQ

#3,861 of the rated field

1486 power rating

Contests: 13
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 46%
Peak: 1503

13 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 46% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 13 contests
last seen Sep 4, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

FATBOYSBBQ

#3,858 of the rated field

1486 power rating

Contests: 13
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 31%
Peak: 1513

Level with REAL SOUTH BBQ on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 13 contests
last seen Jul 17, 2021

⚔ Compare careers

Conviction BBQ Team

#3,853 of the rated field

1486 power rating

Contests: 14
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 36%
Peak: 1535

They turned up 8 years after REAL SOUTH BBQ did, first appearing in 2022.

rated over 14 contests
last seen Jun 7, 2024

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
QMEISTERS	11	1	10	9%	⚔ compare
YES, DEAR BBQ	10	1	9	10%	⚔ compare
Angry Jack BBQ	9	0	9	0%	⚔ compare
SLOWLY BUTT SMOKIN	8	2	6	25%	⚔ compare
Killer B's BBQ	8	1	7	13%	⚔ compare
Bald Hawg BBQ	8	1	7	13%	⚔ compare
Backwoods BBQ	8	1	7	13%	⚔ compare
WAYLON'S WICKEDLY GOOD Q	8	0	8	0%	⚔ compare
HOOTIE-Q	7	4	3	57%	⚔ compare
HOT WACHULA'S	7	1	6	14%	⚔ compare
THE PIT CREW GA	7	0	7	0%	⚔ compare
SAUCED! BBQ TEAM	7	0	7	0%	⚔ compare
QUE'N STEW'N & BREW'N	6	0	6	0%	⚔ compare
BIG "J" AND THE BUTTS	5	4	1	80%	⚔ compare
RIVERSIDE SMOKE	5	4	1	80%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	13	3	1	174.2628	153.6684	167.18	top 50%
Pork Ribs	13	4	0	174.8572	155.9200	168.19	top 45%
Pork	13	2	0	171.9656	146.8000	161.18	top 70%
Brisket	13	3	1	174.2744	146.1944	162.28	top 60%

“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)	8	0	top 66%
Large (40+)	5	0	top 63%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
The Real Squeal BBQ & Music Festival	5	16	top 65%	Oct 7, 2022
Boss Hog State Championship Cook-OFF (GBC Qualifier)	3	21	top 59%	May 12, 2017
Papa Joe's Banjo-B-Que & Music Festival	2	25	top 60%	May 24, 2019

More numbers

Busiest season 2017 3 contests

Contests a season 1.9 across 7 seasons in the data

Most contests held in GA 13 of 13 contests

Contests visited 6 3 of them more than once

Opponents faced 278 finished ahead 186 times, behind 342

Longest layoff 3 yrs Oct 11, 2019 → Oct 7, 2022

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

20221 milestone

Oct 7 Most recent contest The Real Squeal BBQ & Music Festival

20182 milestones

Oct 12 10th tracked contest The Real Squeal BBQ & Music Festival
Oct 12 Peak power rating (1499) The Real Squeal BBQ & Music Festival

20171 milestone

May 26 Career-best overall score680.4688 Papa Joe's Banjo-B-Que & Music Festival (GBC Qualifier)

20151 milestone

Mar 13 Career-best single call (Pork Ribs)174.8572 Flames on the Flint

20143 milestones

Oct 10 First tracked contest The Real Squeal: Lyons Barbeque & Music Festival (GBC & SBBQA Qualifier)
Oct 10 First call The Real Squeal: Lyons Barbeque & Music Festival (GBC & SBBQA Qualifier)
Oct 10 First overall past 90% of a perfect score655.3144 The Real Squeal: Lyons Barbeque & Music Festival (GBC & SBBQA Qualifier)

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+9.9	Papa Joe's Banjo-B-Que & Music Festival (GBC Qualifier)	May 26, 2017
+0.9	Boss Hog State Championship Cook-Off (GBC Qualifier)	May 13, 2016
+0.8	The Real Squeal BBQ & Music Festival	Oct 12, 2018
+0.8	The Real Squeal BBQ & Music Festival (GBC Qualifier)	Oct 7, 2016
+0.8	The Real Squeal BBQ & Music Festival (GBC Qualifier)	Oct 13, 2017

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-8.9	The Real Squeal (GBC Qualifier)	Oct 9, 2015
-5.1	Papa Joe's Banjo-B-Que & Music Festival	May 24, 2019
-4.8	The Real Squeal BBQ & Music Festival	Oct 11, 2019
-3.7	The Real Squeal BBQ & Music Festival	Oct 7, 2022
-3.2	Flames on the Flint	Mar 13, 2015

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)
2022	1	100%	top 63%	93.8%	93.8%
2019	2	50%	top 77%	92.8%	91.5%
2018	1	100%	top 65%	93.2%	93.2%
2017	3	100%	top 55%	94.5%	92.2%
2016	2	100%	top 60%	92.2%	90.5%
2015	3	67%	top 71%	92.9%	90.3%
2014	1	100%	top 64%	91%	91%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Oct 7, 2022	The Real Squeal BBQ & Music Festival 🏅 Lyons, GA	19 / 30 (675.2684)	9 (173.1200)	12 (170.8228)	24 (163.9544)	20 (167.3712)
Oct 11, 2019	The Real Squeal BBQ & Music Festival 🏅 Lyons, GA	19 / 27 (668.4572)	15 (168.5372)	22 (163.9544)	21 (162.8228)	2 (173.1428)
May 24, 2019	Papa Joe's Banjo-B-Que & Music Festival 🏅 Evans, GA	60 / 72 (649.5316)	31 (168.5600)	20 (171.9772)	53 (162.8000)	70 (146.1944)
Oct 12, 2018	The Real Squeal BBQ & Music Festival Lyons, GA	17 / 26 (670.6856)	17 (166.2400)	15 (168.5372)	4 (171.9656)	19 (163.9428)
Oct 13, 2017	The Real Squeal BBQ & Music Festival (GBC Qualifier) Lyons, GA	18 / 29 (662.1144)	8 (170.8228)	14 (170.8228)	21 (162.8116)	25 (157.6572)
May 26, 2017	Papa Joe's Banjo-B-Que & Music Festival (GBC Qualifier) Evans, GA	25 / 67 (680.4688)	20 (173.7028)	45 (166.2516)	46 (166.2400)	7 (174.2744)
May 12, 2017	Boss Hog State Championship Cook-OFF (GBC Qualifier) 🏅 Waynesboro, GA	27 / 42 (649.0056)	31 (158.8228)	7 (172.5600)	37 (146.8000)	11 (170.8228)
Oct 7, 2016	The Real Squeal BBQ & Music Festival (GBC Qualifier) Lyons, GA	16 / 26 (663.8516)	16 (166.2400)	13 (167.4172)	24 (157.0744)	7 (173.1200)
May 13, 2016	Boss Hog State Championship Cook-Off (GBC Qualifier) 🏅 Waynesboro, GA	24 / 41 (639.6908)	3 (174.2628)	29 (155.9200)	33 (154.7540)	28 (154.7540)
Oct 9, 2015	The Real Squeal (GBC Qualifier) Lyons, GA	24 / 27 (642.1600)	25 (153.6684)	17 (167.3828)	22 (159.4172)	22 (161.6916)
May 8, 2015	Boss Hog State Championship Cook-Off (GBC Qualifier) 🏅 Waynesboro, GA	21 / 39 (639.3148)	21 (161.7144)	7 (167.9888)	30 (152.5256)	24 (157.0860)
Mar 13, 2015	Flames on the Flint Bainbridge, GA	51 / 72 (669.0056)	31 (171.9656)	9 (174.8572)	48 (167.3828)	65 (154.8000)
Oct 10, 2014	The Real Squeal: Lyons Barbeque & Music Festival (GBC & SBBQA Qualifier) Lyons, GA	16 / 25 (655.3144)	15 (165.7144)	9 (167.9888)	8 (166.8228)	20 (154.7884)

REAL SOUTH BBQ

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 (10 found in their record)

They almost always walk

High-water mark

The one to beat

Their season

A tough matchup

The weak link

A strong matchup

The comeback

The metronome

A standing appointment

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

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)