HOLY SMOQUE BBQ

HOLY SMOQUE BBQ is a competition barbecue team with 16 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2014 and 2019. Their best overall finish is 11th of 17 at the 3rd Annual Hog & Steer Barbecue Competition and Festival (2015). They are ranked #5419 of 6,476 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#5,419

of 6,476 rated · rankings

Rating

1453

peak 1453 · rated over 15 contests1 invitational or side-series contest not counted

Contests

in the data

First seen

Oct 17, 2014

latest Jul 12, 2019 · 4.7 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#1133

Master 2017 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

2 podiums

Overall top-10s

0% of 16 contests

Avg finish

top 73%

overall standings

Best overall

657.0972 / 720

Master · 3rd Annual Hog & Steer Barbecue Competition and Festival

Perfect 180s

Current form

639.39 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 633.52 (+5.87)

Walk rate

38%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

174.2972

Chicken · Red, White, and BBQ- Day 2

Consistency

±12.73

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Brisket

avg 160.38 · weakest Pork Ribs (153.37)

Road miles

1,441

across 15 mapped stops · furthest 140 mi

Schedule strength

51%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1566)

Purse competed for

$18K

listed at 3 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 2 state-championship entries

Master avg

633.52 / 720

15 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (6 found in their record)

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

A tough matchup

10–0 behind in the head-to-head

CAPTAIN RON'S BREW-N-QUE ahead in 100% of their meetings

CAPTAIN RON'S BREW-N-QUE has come out ahead in 10 of their 10 shared contests.

The weak link

−7.0 points behind their best meat

Pork Ribs is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 7.00 points below their brisket, and turns into a call 6% of the time against 13%.

Pork Ribs avg 153.37
Brisket avg 160.38
1 call in 16 entries

A strong matchup

5–2 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 71% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of Q-N WITH ATTITUDE in 5 of their 7 shared contests.

Brisket nemesis

9 of 9 shared brisket entries lost

One2BBQ ahead 100% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, One2BBQ has out-cooked them in 9 of 9 shared brisket entries.

The metronome

±1.72% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±1.72% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 88.0% of a perfect score
16 contests

A standing appointment

4 years running at one contest

They've cooked Grill Games every year from 2015 to 2018 — the contest they never miss.

4 visits in all
best finish 23rd

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
2019 ↗	Master	#2507 (56 pts)	#2520 (56 pts)	#2522 (56 pts)	#2512 (56 pts)	#1718 (106 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#1894 (70 pts)	#1819 (100 pts)	#1996 (60 pts)	#1997 (65 pts)	#1825 (95 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#1133 (270 pts)	#1101 (315 pts)	#1056 (335 pts)	#929 (405 pts)	#954 (375 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#1287 (223 pts)	#1396 (213 pts)	#1388 (218 pts)	#1337 (238 pts)	#786 (483 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#2576 (67 pts)	#2594 (67 pts)	#2605 (67 pts)	#2618 (67 pts)	#2000 (102 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to HOLY SMOQUE BBQ, each with one reason worth a look.

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

IN HOG HEAVEN

#5,430 of the rated field

1453 power rating

Contests: 10
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1453

1–1 in 2 shared contests (50% to HOLY SMOQUE BBQ)

2 contests in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team HOLY SMOQUE BBQ has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.

rated over 10 contests
last seen May 25, 2019

⚔ Head-to-head

Texas Smoke

#5,408 of the rated field

1453 power rating

Contests: 13
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1453

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 12 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 12 contests
last seen Sep 8, 2023

⚔ Compare careers

James Brothers BBQ

#5,411 of the rated field

1453 power rating

Contests: 12
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1502

Careers of much the same size, 12 contests to 16, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 12 contests
last seen Oct 5, 2018

⚔ Compare careers

Up In Your Grill

#5,409 of the rated field

1453 power rating

Contests: 19
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 16%
Peak: 1453

19 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 16% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 19 contests
last seen Aug 17, 2024

⚔ Compare careers

Fowl Ballz

#5,427 of the rated field

1453 power rating

Contests: 19
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1453

Both teams' first contest in the data came in 2014.

rated over 19 contests
last seen Oct 7, 2022

⚔ Compare careers

MISSISSIPPI MEAT MAFIA

#5,420 of the rated field

1453 power rating

Contests: 20
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1453

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

rated over 20 contests
last seen Apr 24, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
CAPTAIN RON'S BREW-N-QUE	10	0	10	0%	⚔ compare
RACK MASTERS BBQ	9	3	6	33%	⚔ compare
BLUE ISLAND BBQ CO.	9	1	8	11%	⚔ compare
One2BBQ	9	0	9	0%	⚔ compare
D.F.G.'S BBQ	8	0	8	0%	⚔ compare
BIG "E" BBQ	8	0	8	0%	⚔ compare
Q-N WITH ATTITUDE	7	5	2	71%	⚔ compare
THE SMOKE HUNTERS	7	0	7	0%	⚔ compare
CHANNABILLY BBQ	7	0	7	0%	⚔ compare
DESIGNATED SMOKIN' AREA	6	1	5	17%	⚔ compare
Monsters of the Ribway	6	1	5	17%	⚔ compare
QUAU	6	1	5	17%	⚔ compare
SmokinGhost BBQ	6	1	5	17%	⚔ compare
DUCE'S WILD	6	0	6	0%	⚔ compare
THE BBQ BUS	6	0	6	0%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	16	2	1	174.2972	143.9428	160.29	top 67%
Pork Ribs	16	1	0	167.3944	137.6116	153.37	top 76%
Pork	15	3	0	169.7028	144.4684	158.67	top 63%
Brisket	15	2	1	174.2856	148.5028	160.38	top 55%

“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	Avg finish
Small (<20 teams)	2	top 68%
Medium (20–39)	6	top 78%
Large (40+)	8	top 71%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	Avg finish
IL	9	top 74%
WI	6	top 69%
IN	1	top 89%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	GCs	Avg finish	Last visit
Grill Games	4	23	0	top 69%	Aug 24, 2018

More numbers

Busiest season 2017 4 contests

Contests a season 2.3 across 7 seasons in the data

Most contests held in IL 9 of 16 contests · 3 states in all

Contests visited 13 1 of them more than once

Opponents faced 309 finished ahead 169 times, behind 433

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

20192 milestones

May 25 Career-best single call (Chicken)174.2972 Red, White, and BBQ- Day 2
Jul 12 Most recent contest Harvest On Fire at The Winery

20171 milestone

Jun 23 10th tracked contest Heritage Days BBQ Showdown

20153 milestones

Jun 12 First call 3rd Annual Hog & Steer Barbecue Competition and Festival
Jun 12 First overall past 90% of a perfect score657.0972 3rd Annual Hog & Steer Barbecue Competition and Festival
Jun 12 Career-best overall score657.0972 3rd Annual Hog & Steer Barbecue Competition and Festival

20141 milestone

Oct 17 Peak power rating (1493) 9th Annual Lambs Farm Barn Burner Bar-B-Q

—1 milestone

First tracked contest Saluting With Smoke (COMPETITORS SERIES)

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+7	Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown (JUDGES FULL)	Jul 21, 2017
+3.1	Grill Games	Aug 24, 2018
+2.6	Red, White, and BBQ- Day 2	May 25, 2019

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-10.3	Grill Games	Aug 28, 2015
-6.8	Harvest On Fire at The Winery	Jul 12, 2019
-6.8	Heritage Days BBQ Showdown	Jun 23, 2017
-6.7	9th Annual Lambs Farm Barn Burner Bar-B-Q	Oct 17, 2014
-6.5	Marshall County Blazin' BBQ & Bluegrass	Sep 18, 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)
—	1	0%	top 79%	87.5%	87.5%
2019	2	50%	top 75%	90.1%	88.4%
2018	2	50%	top 71%	90.4%	89.3%
2017	4	50%	top 67%	88.7%	87.9%
2016	3	33%	top 73%	89.1%	87.6%
2015	3	33%	top 80%	91.3%	87.9%
2014	1	0%	top 74%	86.7%	86.7%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Jul 12, 2019	Harvest On Fire at The Winery 🏅 Marshall, IL	28 / 31 (624.3200)	26 (160.4796)	31 (137.6116)	25 (162.2516)	15 (163.9772)
May 25, 2019	Red, White, and BBQ- Day 2 🏅 Westmont, IL	29 / 48 (648.4684)	3 (174.2972)	23 (163.3828)	42 (151.3828)	30 (159.4056)
Aug 24, 2018	Grill Games Kenosha, WI	23 / 42 (650.7772)	17 (167.4172)	25 (161.1088)	24 (159.4056)	18 (162.8456)
Jun 23, 2018	Heritage Days BBQ Showdown Day 2 Belvidere, IL	38 / 44 (635.8172)	31 (162.2400)	42 (147.9544)	6 (169.7028)	39 (155.9200)
Aug 25, 2017	Grill Games Kenosha, WI	24 / 39 (637.5656)	37 (152.5372)	8 (167.3944)	34 (149.6684)	6 (167.9656)
Jul 21, 2017	Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown (JUDGES FULL) Peoria, IL	20 / 48 (638.6972)	12 (166.2516)	30 (152.5256)	11 (164.0116)	28 (155.9084)
Jun 23, 2017	Heritage Days BBQ Showdown Belvidere, IL	36 / 42 (624.9828)	34 (154.2628)	42 (138.7544)	8 (169.1200)	21 (162.8456)
May 27, 2017	RED, WHITE and BAR-B-Q ( DAY 2) Westmont, IL	46 / 59 (629.0056)	23 (166.2744)	43 (158.2172)	50 (156)	50 (148.5140)
Aug 26, 2016	Grill Games Kenosha, WI	28 / 37 (615.1768)	36 (143.9428)	29 (154.7772)	26 (155.3828)	15 (161.0740)
Jul 22, 2016	Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown (Formerly Morton BBQ Throwdown) Peoria, IL	26 / 37 (641.5660)	30 (158.2744)	34 (147.9200)	17 (165.6916)	11 (169.6800)
Jun 17, 2016	Hog and Steer Barbecue Competition and Festival Oconomowoc, WI	13 / 18 (634.6168)	15 (159.3600)	14 (156.5028)	18 (144.4684)	2 (174.2856)
Sep 18, 2015	Marshall County Blazin' BBQ & Bluegrass Plymouth, IN	24 / 27 (632.3884)	25 (162.2400)	20 (160.5372)	22 (161.1084)	25 (148.5028)
Aug 28, 2015	Grill Games Kenosha, WI	42 / 49 (608.3772)	41 (152.5484)	44 (146.2288)	25 (159.9772)	39 (149.6228)
Jun 12, 2015	3rd Annual Hog & Steer Barbecue Competition and Festival Oconomowoc, WI	11 / 17 (657.0972)	8 (169.7372)	11 (159.4172)	7 (165.6684)	13 (162.2744)
Oct 17, 2014	9th Annual Lambs Farm Barn Burner Bar-B-Q Libertyville, IL	31 / 42 (623.8856)	27 (162.2628)	34 (152.5372)	40 (146.2628)	18 (162.8228)
—	Saluting With Smoke (COMPETITORS SERIES) unrated Yorkville, IL	30 / 38 (472.4688)	31 (152.4800)	35 (149.1088)	—	—

An unrated contest — an invitational, or a Competitor or Kosher Series board — is in the record but doesn’t move the power rating.

HOLY SMOQUE 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 (6 found in their record)

A tough matchup

The weak link

A strong matchup

Brisket nemesis

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

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)