MUDHOLE BBQ

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

Power ranking

#1292

of 6,413 rated · rankings

Rating

1579

peak 1588 · rated over 17 contests ⓘ

Contests

in the data

First seen

2013-06-07

latest 2016-10-29

Best ToY finish

#910

Master 2015

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

6 podiums

Overall top-10s

of 17 contests

Avg finish

top 34%

overall standings

Best overall

689.0512 / 720

Master · Jesse James Barbeque Cook Out

Perfect 180s

1 🔥

Current form

661.21 ▼

last 5 Master vs avg 663.71 (-2.50)

Walk rate

59%

contests with a top-10 call

Top-10 streak

best run (overall)

Best single call

180.0000 🔥

Pork · 35th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open

Consistency

±15.89

std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 169.87 · weakest Pork Ribs (162.37)

Road miles

831

mi across 17 mapped stops · furthest 279 mi

Schedule strength

28%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1538)

Master avg

663.71 / 720

17 Master contests · 0 GCs

⚔ Compare with another team

Storylines (7 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.

Perfect scores on the board

1 perfect 180s

1 perfect 180 in the data — every judge at the table handing back a nine, all in pork.

Pork ×1

High-water mark

689.0512 career-best overall

95.7% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 689.0512 at Jesse James Barbeque Cook Out — 95.7% of a perfect 720.

Master
2014-09-19

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

DIRT ROAD BBQ has finished one call ahead of MUDHOLE BBQ 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2014 their best year

2014 was the year it came together: 4 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 1 category win, at an average finish in the top 18%.

4 contests
2 overall top-10s
1 category wins
average top 18%

The weak link

−7.5 points behind their best meat

Pork Ribs is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 7.51 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 12% of the time against 29%.

Pork Ribs avg 162.37
Chicken avg 169.87
2 calls in 17 entries

A strong matchup

7–2 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 78% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of Smoke Me Tender BBQ in 7 of their 9 shared contests.

The metronome

±2.21% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±2.21% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 92.2% of a perfect score
17 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.

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

Backdraft BBQ

#1297 of the rated field

1579 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 219
GCs: 5
Top-10s: 39%
Peak: 1749

1–2 in 3 shared contests (33% to MUDHOLE BBQ)

These two have cooked 3 of the same contests — Backdraft BBQ ahead 2–1 — so there's a record behind this pairing and not just a matching number.

rated over 215 contests
last seen 2025-08-01

⚔ Head-to-head

HOGAHOLICS

#1293 of the rated field

1579 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 16
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 44%
Peak: 1584

No shared contest yet.

Careers of much the same size, 16 contests to 17, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 16 contests
last seen 2017-07-07

⚔ Head-to-head

BIG DADDY QUE

#1287 of the rated field

1579 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 20
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 30%
Peak: 1579

No shared contest yet.

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 20 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 20 contests
last seen 2017-08-25

⚔ Head-to-head

Cooters N Smoke

#1299 of the rated field

1578 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 27
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 22%
Peak: 1591

No shared contest yet.

27 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 22% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 25 contests
last seen 2026-03-20

⚔ Head-to-head

Barely Sober BBQ

#1296 of the rated field

1579 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 10
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 40%
Peak: 1579

No shared contest yet.

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

rated over 10 contests
last seen 2026-01-22

⚔ Head-to-head

R2-BQ

#1290 of the rated field

1579 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 11
GCs: 2
Top-10s: 64%
Peak: 1579

No shared contest yet.

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

rated over 10 contests
last seen 2017-06-03

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
THUMP & STRUM BBQ	13	5	8	38%	⚔ compare
DIRT ROAD BBQ	12	2	10	17%	⚔ compare
VALLEY OAKS STEAK COMPANY	12	2	10	17%	⚔ compare
Sons of a Brisket	10	4	6	40%	⚔ compare
50 SHADES OF QUE	10	3	7	30%	⚔ compare
JAESTAR BBQ	10	2	8	20%	⚔ compare
Smoke Me Tender BBQ	9	7	2	78%	⚔ compare
HANG 'EM' HIGH	9	6	3	67%	⚔ compare
WALDO BBQ	9	6	3	67%	⚔ compare
SLAPS BBQ	9	3	6	33%	⚔ compare
Theslabs.com	9	3	6	33%	⚔ compare
PELLET ENVY	9	1	8	11%	⚔ compare
BURNT FINGER BBQ	9	1	8	11%	⚔ compare
GETTIN' BASTED	9	1	8	11%	⚔ compare
WOODBROTHERS BBQ	8	7	1	88%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	17	5	1	2	177.1428	160.5372	169.87	top 27%
Pork Ribs	17	2	0	1	174.8800	145.1430	162.37	top 50%
Pork	17	5	1	2	180.0000 🔥	158.2744	166.34	top 42%
Brisket	17	4	0	1	174.8800	154.8228	165.13	top 36%

“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	Avg finish
MO	15	top 33%
KS	1	top 51%
IL	1	top 47%

By contest size

Field	Contests	Avg finish
Small (<20 teams)	1	top 47%
Medium (20–39)	4	top 35%
Large (40+)	12	top 33%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	GCs	Avg finish	Last visit
Smokin' on the Summit	3	8	0	top 30%	2015-06-05
Liberty 4th Fest BBQ Contest	2	3	0	top 31%	2015-07-03

The story so far (16 numbers that describe this team)

On the trail 3.4 yrs 2013-06-07 → 2016-10-29

Busiest season 2015 6 contests

Contests a season 4.3 across 4 seasons in the data

Cooks most in MO 15 of 17 contests · 3 states/provinces in all

Contests visited 14 2 of them cooked more than once

Most-entered meat Chicken 17 entries · 1 win · 5 calls

Strongest meat Chicken averages 169.87 · weakest Pork Ribs (162.37)

Walk rate 59% a top-10 call in 10 of 17 contests

Overall top-10 rate 35% 6 of 17 contests

Best top-10 run 2 straight contests

Master average 663.71 out of 720 · 17 contests · 0 GCs

Perfect 180s 1 every judge at the table handing back a nine

Opponents faced 1,494 1,794–1,099 across every shared overall standing

Road miles 831 17 mapped stops · furthest 279 mi

Schedule strength 1538 average field rating faced — tougher than 28% of rated contests

Power rating 1579 peak 1588 · #1292 of 6,413 rated

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

2013
Jun 7 First tracked contest SMOKIN on the Summit
Jul 3 First call Liberty 4th Fest BBQ Contest
Jul 3 First overall past 90% of a perfect score653.1432 Liberty 4th Fest BBQ Contest
Jul 13 First overall top-10 Heart of Illinois Fair BBQ Cookoff
2014
Sep 19 Career-best overall score689.0512 Jesse James Barbeque Cook Out
Oct 2 First category win (Pork) 35th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open
Oct 2 First perfect 180 (Pork) 35th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open
2015
May 15 10th tracked contest 20th Annual Platte City BBQ Cook-Off
Jul 3 First overall podium Liberty 4th Fest BBQ Contest
Aug 21 Peak power rating (1588) Holy Smoke BBQ Contest
2016
Oct 29 Most recent contest 37th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue(OPEN)

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+13.4	35th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open	2014-10-02
+13.4	Blue Springs Barbeque Blaze-Off	2013-09-06
+12.8	Liberty 4th Fest BBQ Contest	2015-07-03
+12.6	Smokin on the Summit	2014-06-06
+12.4	Jesse James Barbeque Cook Out	2014-09-19

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-7.6	36th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbeque- Open	2015-10-03
-2.7	20th Annual Platte City BBQ Cook-Off	2015-05-15
-0.8	The Best Damn BBQ Contest at Smithville Lake	2016-04-08
-0.6	37th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue(OPEN)	2016-10-29

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)

Team of the Year rank by season

Season by season

Season	Contests	Top-10s	Category wins	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2016	2	0	0	0%	top 51%	90.9%	90.9%
2015	6	2	1	67%	top 38%	95.5%	92.4%
2014	4	2	1	100%	top 18%	95.7%	93.6%
2013	5	2	0	40%	top 38%	94.7%	91.4%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2016-10-29	37th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue(OPEN) Kansas City, KS	282 / 557 (654.2856)	120 (170.3084)	501 (149.0972)	331 (162.2856)	65 (172.5944)
2016-04-08	The Best Damn BBQ Contest at Smithville Lake Smithville, MO	27 / 53 (654.7768)	11 (170.8456)	33 (161.6800)	21 (167.4284)	39 (154.8228)
2015-10-03	36th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbeque- Open Kansas City, MO	332 / 606 (649.6344)	369 (161.6800)	283 (164.5600)	437 (158.2744)	234 (165.1200)
2015-08-21	Holy Smoke BBQ Contest Liberty, MO	10 / 28 (679.4288)	7 (175.4172)	2 (174.8800)	20 (165.1200)	17 (164.0116)
2015-07-24	Racing for the BBQ Lees Summit, MO	25 / 63 (667.9200)	5 (176.5600)	24 (169.1200)	57 (158.8228)	33 (163.4172)
2015-07-03	Liberty 4th Fest BBQ Contest Liberty, MO	3 / 27 (687.9200)	1 (177.1428)	17 (163.3944)	3 (174.2628)	2 (173.1200)
2015-06-05	Smokin' on the Summit Lee's Summit, MO	23 / 78 (653.0404)	32 (164.5372)	50 (153.0744)	42 (160.5488)	4 (174.8800)
2015-05-15	20th Annual Platte City BBQ Cook-Off Platte City, MO	28 / 51 (651.8972)	32 (164.0116)	34 (161.1200)	14 (169.6800)	32 (157.0856)
2014-10-02	35th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open Kansas City, MO	38 / 552 (686.2400)	161 (169.1200)	217 (166.2628)	1 (180.0000)	85 (170.8572)
2014-09-19	Jesse James Barbeque Cook Out Kearney, MO	5 / 49 (689.0512)	12 (172.5600)	11 (170.8228)	5 (175.4056)	12 (170.2628)
2014-06-21	Buckner Smoke Out in the Valley Buckner, MO	15 / 35 (648.4344)	23 (160.5372)	17 (160.5372)	25 (160.5372)	6 (166.8228)
2014-06-06	Smokin on the Summit Lee's Summit, MO	8 / 79 (671.3372)	14 (169.1200)	6 (173.1428)	26 (163.9772)	19 (165.0972)
2013-10-03	34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open Kansas City, MO	161 / 535 (651.9888)	35 (172.5600)	245 (159.9888)	184 (164.5600)	314 (154.8800)
2013-09-06	Blue Springs Barbeque Blaze-Off Blue Springs, MO	8 / 72 (681.6684)	15 (171.4056)	19 (167.4172)	11 (173.7256)	11 (169.1200)
2013-07-13	Heart of Illinois Fair BBQ Cookoff Peoria, IL	7 / 15 (666.8112)	2 (174.2972)	11 (162.2512)	7 (164.5372)	8 (165.7256)
2013-07-03	Liberty 4th Fest BBQ Contest Liberty, MO	15 / 30 (653.1432)	5 (170.2858)	19 (157.7146)	8 (169.1428)	18 (156.0000)
2013-06-07	SMOKIN on the Summit Lees Summit, MO	41 / 81 (635.4286)	13 (167.4286)	71 (145.1430)	43 (159.4286)	21 (163.4284)

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
2015 ↗	Master	#910 (355 pts)	#831 (435 pts)	#996 (345 pts)	#1094 (305 pts)	#978 (345 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#2084 (75 pts)	#2167 (75 pts)	#2161 (75 pts)	#1091 (300 pts)	#2148 (75 pts)