JUSTCUZ BBQ

JUSTCUZ BBQ is a competition barbecue team with 20 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2014 and 2022. Their best overall finish is 7th of 35 at the Jesse James Barbeque Cook Out (2018). They are ranked #3478 of 6,477 teams in the KCBS power rankings. Also listed in KCBS results as “Just Cuz BBQ”.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#3,478

of 6,477 rated · rankings

Rating

1493

peak 1514 · rated over 18 contests1 invitational or side-series contest not counted

Contests

in the data

First seen

Jul 11, 2014

latest May 6, 2022 · 7.8 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#846

Master 2021 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

4 podiums

Overall top-10s

15% of 20 contests

Avg finish

top 64%

overall standings

Best overall

683.3256 / 720

Master · Jesse James Barbeque Cook Out

Perfect 180s

Current form

662.31 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 653.50 (+8.81)

Walk rate

50%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

178.8572

Pork Ribs · Jesse James Barbeque Cook Out

Consistency

±20.24

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork Ribs

avg 164.88 · weakest Pork (160.06)

Road miles

1,261

across 20 mapped stops · furthest 106 mi

Schedule strength

68%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1586)

Purse competed for

$26K

listed at 5 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 7 state-championship entries

Master avg

653.50 / 720

18 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (6 found in their record)

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

High-water mark

683.3256 career-best overall

94.9% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 683.3256 at Jesse James Barbeque Cook Out — 94.9% of a perfect 720.

Master
Sep 14, 2018

Their season

2019 their best year

2019 was the year it came together: 3 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 0 category wins, at an average finish in the top 41%.

3 contests
1 overall top-10
0 category wins
average top 41%

A tough matchup

9–0 behind in the head-to-head

SMOKE THIS BBQ MO ahead in 100% of their meetings

SMOKE THIS BBQ MO has come out ahead in 9 of their 9 shared contests.

The weak link

−4.8 points behind their best meat

Pork is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 4.82 points below their pork ribs, and turns into a call 5% of the time against 25%.

Pork avg 160.06
Pork Ribs avg 164.88
1 call in 19 entries

A strong matchup

6–0 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 100% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of Junk Yard Hog in 6 of their 6 shared contests.

Pork Ribs nemesis

8 of 10 shared pork ribs entries lost

SMOKE THIS BBQ MO ahead 80% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, SMOKE THIS BBQ MO has out-cooked them in 8 of 10 shared pork ribs entries.

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
2021 ↗	Master	#846 (146 pts)	#937 (131 pts)	#982 (131 pts)	#1061 (111 pts)	#526 (356 pts)
2019 ↗	Master	#1074 (235 pts)	#1041 (260 pts)	#1032 (275 pts)	#1082 (250 pts)	#1227 (195 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#983 (285 pts)	#1001 (310 pts)	#889 (380 pts)	#1286 (195 pts)	#1086 (265 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#2090 (80 pts)	#2257 (65 pts)	#2059 (100 pts)	#2199 (70 pts)	#2109 (85 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#1263 (228 pts)	#939 (388 pts)	#1434 (208 pts)	#1365 (233 pts)	#1180 (273 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#2737 (58 pts)	#2735 (58 pts)	#2016 (93 pts)	#2754 (58 pts)	#2755 (58 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#2689 (61 pts)	#2141 (81 pts)	#2708 (61 pts)	#2706 (61 pts)	#2698 (61 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

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

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

MAPLE TRAILS SMOKED BBQ

#3,472 of the rated field

1494 power rating

Contests: 7
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1494

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

One contest in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team JUSTCUZ BBQ has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.

rated over 7 contests
last seen Apr 21, 2017

⚔ Head-to-head

RBQ BBQ KS

#3,485 of the rated field

1493 power rating

Contests: 6
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1505

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

Their last contest in the data was back in 2018, 4 years before JUSTCUZ BBQ's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 6 contests

⚔ Head-to-head

Tall Boys and a lil' Smoke

#3,459 of the rated field

1494 power rating

Contests: 6
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1494

0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to JUSTCUZ BBQ)

Fewer contests behind them than JUSTCUZ BBQ has cooked, 6 to 20, which makes theirs the less settled rating of the two.

rated over 6 contests
last seen Apr 21, 2017

⚔ Head-to-head

SadieQ

#3,468 of the rated field

1494 power rating

Contests: 17
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 35%
Peak: 1521

17 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 35% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 16 contests
last seen Oct 2, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

PE LITTLE THRIGS

#3,462 of the rated field

1494 power rating

Contests: 15
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1501

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

rated over 15 contests
last seen Nov 30, 2018

⚔ Compare careers

Tuff Smoke

#3,474 of the rated field

1494 power rating

Contests: 13
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1510

Fewer contests behind them than JUSTCUZ BBQ has cooked, 13 to 20, which makes theirs the less settled rating of the two.

rated over 13 contests
last seen Oct 13, 2023

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
GETTIN' BASTED	9	1	8	11%	⚔ compare
SMOKE THIS BBQ MO	9	0	9	0%	⚔ compare
UNFAMOUS DAVE'S	8	1	7	13%	⚔ compare
SLAPS BBQ	8	1	7	13%	⚔ compare
AWESOME RACKS COOKIN CREW	7	2	5	29%	⚔ compare
MY 3 SONS BARBEQUE MO	7	1	6	14%	⚔ compare
VALLEY OAKS STEAK COMPANY	7	0	7	0%	⚔ compare
UNCLE BUB'S BBQ, LLC	7	0	7	0%	⚔ compare
Junk Yard Hog	6	6	0	100%	⚔ compare
PARTS 'R' SMOKIN	6	2	4	33%	⚔ compare
MEAT RUSHMORE BBQ	6	2	4	33%	⚔ compare
Wabash BBQ	6	1	5	17%	⚔ compare
SMOKIN O BBQ	6	1	5	17%	⚔ compare
IN DEEP SAUCE	6	1	5	17%	⚔ compare
Four Men and A Pig	6	0	6	0%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	19	4	1	1	174.8800	151.9200	164.73	top 61%
Pork Ribs	20	5	1	2	178.8572	149.0744	164.88	top 53%
Pork	19	1	0	0	170.8456	145.6800	160.06	top 72%
Brisket	19	5	0	1	177.1772	150.2400	164.70	top 51%

“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)	15	0	top 66%
Large (40+)	3	0	top 56%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
MO	17	0	top 65%
KS	2	0	top 53%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Columbia Elks BBQ Cookoff	2	21	top 75%	May 6, 2022
Laurie Hillbilly BBQ	2	14	top 66%	Aug 6, 2021
Jesse James Barbeque Cook Out	2	7	top 28%	Sep 20, 2019
Anchor City Cook Off	2	19	top 73%	Oct 12, 2018

More numbers

Busiest season 2018 4 contests

Contests a season 2.2 across 9 seasons in the data

Most contests held in MO 18 of 20 contests · 2 states in all

Contests visited 15 4 of them more than once

Most-entered meat Pork Ribs 20 entries · 1 win · 5 calls

Opponents faced 399 finished ahead 254 times, behind 399

Longest layoff 1.1 yrs Sep 20, 2019 → Oct 17, 2020

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

20221 milestone

May 6 Most recent contest Columbia Elks BBQ Cookoff

20191 milestone

Sep 20 Peak power rating (1514) Jesse James Barbeque Cook Out

20183 milestones

Jul 6 10th tracked contest Johnson County BBQ Challenge (JUDGES FULL)
Sep 14 Career-best overall score683.3256 Jesse James Barbeque Cook Out
Sep 14 Career-best single call (Pork Ribs)178.8572 Jesse James Barbeque Cook Out

20151 milestone

Aug 28 First category win (Pork Ribs) East Central State BBQ Cook Off Paola Roots Festival

20144 milestones

Jul 11 First tracked contest Johnson County Fair BBQ
Oct 2 First call Certified BBQ Judging Class
Oct 2 First overall top-10 Certified BBQ Judging Class
Oct 2 First overall past 90% of a perfect score170.8800 Certified BBQ Judging Class

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+13.3	Jesse James Barbeque Cook Out	Sep 14, 2018
+8	Jesse James Barbeque Cook Out	Sep 20, 2019
+6.9	Laurie Hillbilly BBQ	Aug 2, 2019
+6.8	Smokin on the Lake	May 31, 2019
+4.3	East Central State BBQ Cook Off Paola Roots Festival	Aug 28, 2015

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-13	Columbia Elks Lodge #594 BBQ Contest	May 6, 2016
-10.6	Columbia Elks BBQ Cookoff	May 6, 2022
-8.6	Johnson County Fair BBQ	Jul 11, 2014
-8.3	Laurie Hillbilly BBQ	Aug 6, 2021
-7.8	Johnson County Fair BBQ	Jul 10, 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	Top-10s	Category wins	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2022	2	0	0	50%	top 96%	90.5%	90.5%
2021	2	0	0	50%	top 69%	93.8%	91.5%
2020	1	0	0	0%	top 82%	92.9%	92.9%
2019	3	1	0	100%	top 41%	94.1%	93.3%
2018	4	1	0	50%	top 50%	94.9%	92.2%
2017	1	0	0	0%	top 60%	91.6%	91.6%
2016	3	0	1	33%	top 80%	91.3%	87.6%
2015	2	0	1	50%	top 64%	90.5%	88.8%
2014	2	1	0	50%	top 83%	94.9%	90.6%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
May 6, 2022	Columbia Elks BBQ Cookoff 🏅 Columbia, MO	24 / 25 (651.2796)	24 (160.5140)	14 (169.7144)	24 (154.2056)	15 (166.8456)
May 6, 2022	Columbia Elks BBQ Cookoff - One Meat Ribs Columbia, MO	—	—	8 (170.8800)	—	—
Aug 6, 2021	Laurie Hillbilly BBQ 🏅 Laurie, MO	22 / 26 (641.5880)	21 (161.7256)	25 (155.3828)	25 (155.3712)	11 (169.1084)
May 1, 2021	Columbia Elks BBQ Cookoff 🏅 Columbia, MO	21 / 39 (675.4172)	29 (164.0116)	21 (167.9656)	27 (166.2628)	3 (177.1772)
Oct 17, 2020	Columbia Elks Lodge # 594 BBQ Contest 🏅 Columbia, MO	31 / 38 (668.5372)	25 (172)	17 (169.1544)	28 (166.8572)	30 (160.5256)
Sep 20, 2019	Jesse James Barbeque Cook Out 🏅 Kearney, MO	11 / 31 (674.7200)	9 (169.1200)	13 (165.0972)	13 (168.5372)	7 (171.9656)
Aug 2, 2019	Laurie Hillbilly BBQ 🏅 Laurie, MO	14 / 30 (677.6684)	15 (169.7028)	6 (173.1544)	8 (170.8456)	24 (163.9656)
May 31, 2019	Smokin on the Lake 🏅 Monroe City, MO	10 / 25 (663.9540)	7 (170.8800)	14 (163.4284)	15 (162.8228)	9 (166.8228)
Oct 12, 2018	Anchor City Cook Off Centralia, MO	19 / 33 (662.7540)	24 (160.5256)	5 (172.5828)	28 (159.3600)	9 (170.2856)
Sep 14, 2018	Jesse James Barbeque Cook Out Kearney, MO	7 / 35 (683.3256)	11 (171.4056)	2 (178.8572)	22 (162.8000)	12 (170.2628)
Jul 6, 2018	Johnson County BBQ Challenge (JUDGES FULL) Warrensburg, MO	29 / 47 (647.9428)	13 (170.8456)	27 (165.7144)	47 (147.9656)	21 (163.4172)
May 11, 2018	The Grasshopper '18 (formerly Kansas 10x10) (JUDGES FULL) De Soto, KS	35 / 56 (662.1368)	38 (164.5256)	28 (166.2628)	40 (165.0856)	30 (166.2628)
Jul 7, 2017	Johnson County Fair BBQ Challenge Warrensburg, MO	21 / 35 (659.8748)	24 (165.1200)	17 (168.0004)	23 (163.9544)	20 (162.8000)
Oct 14, 2016	Anchor City Cook Off Centralia, MO	30 / 34 (619.2112)	30 (154.2400)	33 (149.0744)	32 (151.9312)	18 (163.9656)
Jun 3, 2016	Hott Butts BBQ Contest Boonville, MO	12 / 22 (657.0628)	1 (174.8800)	16 (157.0972)	11 (166.8228)	12 (158.2628)
May 6, 2016	Columbia Elks Lodge #594 BBQ Contest Columbia, MO	31 / 32 (616.4568)	31 (154.7884)	31 (154.2628)	32 (149.1656)	23 (158.2400)
Aug 28, 2015	East Central State BBQ Cook Off Paola Roots Festival Paola, KS	28 / 65 (651.9544)	53 (151.9200)	1 (174.2972)	29 (163.4628)	28 (162.2744)
Jul 10, 2015	Johnson County Fair BBQ Warrensburg, MO	28 / 33 (627.3828)	25 (158.8572)	18 (162.8572)	32 (145.6800)	25 (159.9884)
Oct 2, 2014	Certified BBQ Judging Class unrated Kansas City, MO	7 (170.8800)	7 (170.8800)	14 (163.4284)	15 (162.8228)	9 (166.8228)
Jul 11, 2014	Johnson County Fair BBQ Warrensburg, MO	30 / 36 (621.7028)	21 (163.9772)	32 (150.3200)	25 (157.1656)	29 (150.2400)

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

JUSTCUZ 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)

High-water mark

Their season

A tough matchup

The weak link

A strong matchup

Pork Ribs nemesis

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)