SCRUM DOWN SMOKERS

SCRUM DOWN SMOKERS is a competition barbecue team with 21 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2015 and 2020. Their best overall finish is 8th of 34 at the Ribs, Rods and Rock'n Roll (2016). They are ranked #2726 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#2,726

of 6,491 rated · rankings

Rating

1513

peak 1532 · rated over 21 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Aug 21, 2015

latest Aug 21, 2020 · 5 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#415

Master 2017 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

6 podiums

Overall top-10s

24% of 21 contests

Best top-10 run

straight overall top-10s

Avg finish

top 58%

overall standings

Best overall

682.1940 / 720

Master · BBQ in the Badlands

Perfect 180s

Current form

649.19 ▼

last 5 Master vs avg 653.94 (-4.75)

Walk rate

81%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

179.4400

Chicken · Hill City Wine Brew & BBQ

Consistency

±33.24

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 170.43 · weakest Pork (157.86)

Road miles

5,806

across 21 mapped stops · furthest 372 mi

Schedule strength

64%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1580)

Purse competed for

$25K

listed at 2 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 3 state-championship entries

Master avg

653.94 / 720

21 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

81% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 17 of 21 contests

A top-10 category call in 81% of their 21 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

682.1940 career-best overall

94.7% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 682.1940 at BBQ in the Badlands — 94.7% of a perfect 720.

Master
Sep 29, 2017

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

BIG DADDY QUE has finished one call ahead of SCRUM DOWN SMOKERS 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2017 their best year

2017 was the year it came together: 8 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 1 category win, at an average finish in the top 47%.

8 contests
3 overall top-10s
1 category win
average top 47%

A tough matchup

17–2 behind in the head-to-head

PARROTHEAD SMOKERS ahead in 89% of their meetings

PARROTHEAD SMOKERS has come out ahead in 17 of their 19 shared contests.

The weak link

−12.6 points behind their best meat

Pork is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 12.57 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 33% of the time against 57%.

Pork avg 157.86
Chicken avg 170.43
7 calls in 21 entries

A strong matchup

4–0 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 100% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of SMOKIN JERKS in 4 of their 4 shared contests.

Show 3 more storylines

Chicken nemesis

11 of 17 shared chicken entries lost

LAST CALL HEROES BBQ ahead 65% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, LAST CALL HEROES BBQ has out-cooked them in 11 of 17 shared chicken entries.

The long haul

5,806 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 5,806 miles across 21 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 372 miles to Pepsi WY State Championship BBQ & Bluegrass Festival.

21 mapped stops
furthest 372 mi

A standing appointment

5 years running at one contest

They've cooked Hill City Wine Brew & BBQ every year from 2015 to 2019 — the contest they never miss.

5 visits in all
best finish 10th

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
2020 ↗	Master	#856 (60 pts)	#896 (60 pts)	#913 (60 pts)	#899 (60 pts)	#883 (60 pts)
2019 ↗	Master	#1947 (61 pts)	#996 (281 pts)	#1924 (76 pts)	#2512 (56 pts)	#2509 (56 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#866 (356 pts)	#504 (726 pts)	#960 (341 pts)	#987 (316 pts)	#741 (476 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#415 (892 pts)	#235 (1,287 pts)	#398 (967 pts)	#384 (997 pts)	#511 (772 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#884 (391 pts)	#633 (646 pts)	#963 (381 pts)	#912 (421 pts)	#807 (466 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#1199 (236 pts)	#1401 (201 pts)	#1535 (171 pts)	#1033 (326 pts)	#861 (416 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to SCRUM DOWN SMOKERS, each with one reason worth a look.

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

PURE SMOKE

#2,758 of the rated field

1512 power rating

Contests: 20
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 5%
Peak: 1512

0–2 in 2 shared contests (0% to SCRUM DOWN SMOKERS)

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

rated over 20 contests
last seen Jun 5, 2026

⚔ Head-to-head

RUB Q LONG TIME

#2,747 of the rated field

1512 power rating

Contests: 21
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 29%
Peak: 1518

Their last contest in the data was back in 2016, 4 years before SCRUM DOWN SMOKERS's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 21 contests

⚔ Compare careers

DIDY SMOKE IT

#2,752 of the rated field

1512 power rating

Contests: 22
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 27%
Peak: 1512

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 22 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 22 contests
last seen Sep 4, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

OOPS

#2,741 of the rated field

1513 power rating

Contests: 20
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1515

Careers of much the same size, 20 contests to 21, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 20 contests
last seen Sep 8, 2022

⚔ Compare careers

MAGUIRE UNIVERSITY CULINARY INSTITUTE

#2,749 of the rated field

1512 power rating

Contests: 19
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1533

19 contests and no Grand Championship yet.

rated over 19 contests
last seen Aug 16, 2019

⚔ Compare careers

BIG JOHNSON'S BBQ

#2,759 of the rated field

1512 power rating

Contests: 25
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 12%
Peak: 1522

Level with SCRUM DOWN SMOKERS on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 24 contests
last seen Jul 19, 2024

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
PARROTHEAD SMOKERS	19	2	17	11%	⚔ compare
LAST CALL HEROES BBQ	17	1	16	6%	⚔ compare
RICHIE Z's	15	5	10	33%	⚔ compare
SIN CIRCLE BBQ	14	2	12	14%	⚔ compare
YOU QUE'D ME ALL NIGHT LONG	14	1	13	7%	⚔ compare
PAPA'S PIT CREW	13	7	6	54%	⚔ compare
SPITFIRE	13	1	12	8%	⚔ compare
ROLLIN' SMOKE BBQ SD	12	6	6	50%	⚔ compare
SMOKIN HOT BUTTS BBQ	11	1	10	9%	⚔ compare
Backdraft BBQ	10	1	9	10%	⚔ compare
B-S BBQ OUTLAWS	10	1	9	10%	⚔ compare
LONESTAR SMOKE RANGERS	9	3	6	33%	⚔ compare
Eggspert BBQ	9	1	8	11%	⚔ compare
BIG DADDY QUE	8	1	7	13%	⚔ compare
SMOKE ON THE PRAIRIE BBQ - WY	8	0	8	0%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	21	12	3	4	179.4400	149.6340	170.43	top 35%
Pork Ribs	21	3	0	1	175.4172	149.0400	163.26	top 62%
Pork	21	7	0	0	175.4056	20	157.86	top 55%
Brisket	21	6	1	1	176	143.3256	162.39	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)	1	top 50%
Medium (20–39)	16	top 55%
Large (40+)	4	top 70%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	Avg finish
SD	14	top 59%
WY	4	top 63%
MT	3	top 45%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Hill City Wine Brew & BBQ	5	10	top 62%	Aug 23, 2019
BBQ in the Badlands	2	9	top 50%	Sep 28, 2018
Ribs, Rod & Rock'n Roll	2	17	top 61%	Sep 7, 2018
Original SD BBQ Championships	2	15	top 60%	Jun 2, 2017

More numbers

Busiest season 2017 8 contests

Contests a season 3.5 across 6 seasons in the data

Most contests held in SD 14 of 21 contests · 3 states in all

Contests visited 14 4 of them more than once

Opponents faced 254 finished ahead 264 times, behind 362

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

20201 milestone

Aug 21 Most recent contest Hill City Wine Brew and BBQ Fest

20181 milestone

Aug 24 Career-best single call (Chicken)179.4400 Hill City Wine Brew & BBQ

20173 milestones

Jul 14 10th tracked contest Cookin On Kampeska
Sep 29 Career-best overall score682.1940 BBQ in the Badlands
Sep 29 Peak power rating (1532) BBQ in the Badlands

20155 milestones

Aug 21 First tracked contest Hill City Wine, Brew & BBQ
Aug 21 First call Hill City Wine, Brew & BBQ
Aug 21 First category win (Brisket) Hill City Wine, Brew & BBQ
Aug 21 First overall top-10 Hill City Wine, Brew & BBQ
Aug 21 First overall past 90% of a perfect score675.3828 Hill City Wine, Brew & BBQ

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+13	Ribs, Rods and Rock'n Roll	Sep 9, 2016
+7.3	Miles City Cowtown Cookoff	Jun 16, 2017
+7.3	BBQ in the Badlands	Sep 29, 2017
+7.2	Hill City Wine, Brew & BBQ	Aug 21, 2015
+4.5	Hill City Wine Brew & BBQ	Aug 25, 2017

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-10.8	Best of the West	Aug 12, 2016
-6.6	Hill City Wine Brew and BBQ Fest	Aug 21, 2020
-6	Original SD BBQ Championships	Jun 3, 2016
-5.5	Hill City Wine Brew & BBQ	Aug 26, 2016
-4.8	Hill City Wine Brew & BBQ	Aug 23, 2019

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)
2020	1	0	0	0%	top 86%	89.7%	89.7%
2019	1	0	1	100%	top 77%	91.2%	91.2%
2018	4	0	1	100%	top 66%	91.8%	90.4%
2017	8	3	1	88%	top 47%	94.7%	92.9%
2016	5	1	0	60%	top 66%	93.5%	87%
2015	2	1	1	100%	top 43%	93.8%	93.4%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Aug 21, 2020	Hill City Wine Brew and BBQ Fest 🏅 Hill City, SD	37 / 43 (646.1256)	28 (167.9772)	33 (162.8344)	36 (157.0856)	34 (158.2284)
Aug 23, 2019	Hill City Wine Brew & BBQ 🏅 Hill City, SD	24 / 31 (656.3768)	1 (177.7028)	21 (167.3828)	26 (159.3600)	30 (151.9312)
Sep 28, 2018	BBQ in the Badlands Glendive, MT	17 / 26 (661.0168)	5 (172.5828)	17 (164.5372)	14 (166.2512)	19 (157.6456)
Sep 14, 2018	Smoke & Soul Fest Casper, WY	18 / 28 (645.5080)	12 (169.7028)	13 (163.9428)	27 (150.7540)	10 (161.1084)
Sep 7, 2018	Ribs, Rod & Rock'n Roll Vermillion, SD	17 / 25 (636.9256)	7 (169.6800)	18 (161.6800)	16 (162.2400)	22 (143.3256)
Aug 24, 2018	Hill City Wine Brew & BBQ Hill City, SD	18 / 27 (659.8400)	1 (179.4400)	27 (149.0400)	23 (157.0628)	4 (174.2972)
Sep 29, 2017	BBQ in the Badlands Glendive, MT	9 / 26 (682.1940)	11 (171.4056)	16 (167.3828)	5 (175.4056)	13 (168)
Sep 22, 2017	Smoke & Soul Fest Casper, WY	9 / 18 (657.0280)	5 (170.8572)	14 (157.1084)	11 (163.3940)	6 (165.6684)
Sep 8, 2017	Ribs, Rod & Rock'n Roll Vermillion, SD	17 / 31 (670.7884)	3 (175.4400)	9 (171.4172)	21 (161.6568)	20 (162.2744)
Aug 25, 2017	Hill City Wine Brew & BBQ Hill City, SD	12 / 26 (671.3024)	15 (166.2400)	9 (170.8112)	10 (168.5600)	16 (165.6912)
Aug 18, 2017	Pepsi WY State Championship BBQ & Bluegrass Festival 🏅 Worland, WY	13 / 28 (657.0056)	9 (169.1200)	15 (160.5372)	9 (166.8228)	12 (160.5256)
Jul 14, 2017	Cookin On Kampeska Watertown, SD	31 / 48 (664.3996)	17 (170.8228)	38 (162.2400)	18 (168.5256)	33 (162.8112)
Jun 16, 2017	Miles City Cowtown Cookoff Miles City, MT	9 / 26 (677.0396)	1 (179.4400)	3 (175.4172)	13 (161.6340)	17 (160.5484)
Jun 2, 2017	Original SD BBQ Championships Huron, SD	15 / 32 (669.0396)	8 (170.8228)	15 (166.8228)	7 (173.1428)	26 (158.2512)
Sep 9, 2016	Ribs, Rods and Rock'n Roll Vermillion, SD	8 / 34 (673.0856)	4 (174.8572)	19 (161.0856)	8 (168.5600)	10 (168.5828)
Aug 26, 2016	Hill City Wine Brew & BBQ Hill City, SD	25 / 31 (647.2800)	5 (175.4172)	30 (150.2056)	26 (160.5028)	22 (161.1544)
Aug 12, 2016	Best of the West Sheridan, WY	24 / 26 (516.5032)	9 (167.3828)	12 (169.1432)	26 (20)	15 (159.9772)
Jul 15, 2016	Cookin' on Kampeska Watertown, SD	24 / 41 (660.4344)	25 (167.3944)	32 (160.5600)	17 (168.5372)	23 (163.9428)
Jun 3, 2016	Original SD BBQ Championships Huron, SD	32 / 44 (635.2568)	41 (149.6340)	31 (161.6800)	27 (162.2400)	19 (161.7028)
Sep 18, 2015	Taste of Autumn BBQ Championships Spearfish, SD	14 / 30 (670.1484)	13 (171.9656)	25 (156.5372)	5 (173.1200)	9 (168.5256)
Aug 21, 2015	Hill City Wine, Brew & BBQ Hill City, SD	10 / 26 (675.3828)	18 (161.1200)	12 (168)	8 (170.2628)	1 (176)

SCRUM DOWN SMOKERS

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

Rating

Contests

First seen

Best ToY finish

Grand champs

Category wins

Overall top-10s

Best top-10 run

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

Chicken nemesis

The long haul

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)