TAILGATERS BBQ

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

Power ranking

#2179

of 6,413 rated · rankings

Rating

1531

peak 1531 · rated over 17 contests ⓘ

Contests

in the data

First seen

2014-08-30

latest 2019-08-30

Best ToY finish

#621

Master 2019

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

2 podiums

Overall top-10s

of 17 contests

Avg finish

top 54%

overall standings

Best overall

678.7540 / 720

Master · Bedford Blues & BBQ Festival

Perfect 180s

Current form

672.72 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 644.75 (+27.97)

Walk rate

53%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

176.0000

Brisket · Stillwater Elks Lodge Blazathon

Consistency

±40.51

std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork Ribs

avg 163.85 · weakest Brisket (155.78)

Road miles

3,759

mi across 17 mapped stops · furthest 415 mi

Schedule strength

42%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1555)

Purse competed for

$35K

listed at 4 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

GCs in 5 state-championship entries

Master avg

644.75 / 720

17 Master contests · 0 GCs

⚔ Compare with another team

Storylines (9 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.

On the rise

+41 rating points in a year

Their power rating has climbed 41 points across 6 contests since 2018-08-31 — from 1491 up to 1531.

6 contests since 2018-08-31
now 1531

High-water mark

678.7540 career-best overall

94.3% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 678.7540 at Bedford Blues & BBQ Festival — 94.3% of a perfect 720.

Master
2019-08-30

Their season

2019 their best year

2019 was the year it came together: 5 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 1 category win, at an average finish in the top 37%.

5 contests
1 overall top-10s
1 category wins
average top 37%

A tough matchup

8–0 behind in the head-to-head

BUTCHER BBQ ahead in 100% of their meetings

BUTCHER BBQ has come out ahead in 8 of their 8 shared contests.

The weak link

−8.1 points behind their best meat

Brisket is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 8.07 points below their pork ribs, and turns into a call 24% of the time against 12%.

Brisket avg 155.78
Pork Ribs avg 163.85
4 calls in 17 entries

A strong matchup

4–0 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 100% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of OTAKU SMOKE N BREW in 4 of their 4 shared contests.

Pork Ribs nemesis

7 of 9 shared pork ribs entries lost

Texas-car-b-que ahead 78% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, Texas-car-b-que has out-cooked them in 7 of 9 shared pork ribs entries.

An August team

Top 42% average finish in August

Something about August: average finish in the top 42% across 8 contests, versus top 54% the rest of the year.

8 August contests
top 54% the rest of the year

The long haul

3,759 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 3,759 miles across 17 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 415 miles to Smokin Hot Cars & BBQ.

17 mapped stops
furthest 415 mi

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.

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

JOE'S COOKSHACK

#2171 of the rated field

1532 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 17
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 18%
Peak: 1562

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

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

rated over 14 contests
last seen 2025-01-09

⚔ Head-to-head

SMOKIN BONES COOKING TEAM

#2178 of the rated field

1531 ▼ 0 power rating

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

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

Fewer contests behind them than TAILGATERS BBQ has cooked, 10 to 17, which makes theirs the less settled rating of the two.

rated over 10 contests
last seen 2017-09-01

⚔ Head-to-head

3 Grate Minds BBQ

#2166 of the rated field

1532 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 6
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 17%
Peak: 1532

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

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

rated over 6 contests
last seen 2019-08-30

⚔ Head-to-head

WOOD N PIG SMOKERS

#2167 of the rated field

1532 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 18
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1538

No shared contest yet.

18 contests and no Grand Championship yet.

rated over 18 contests
last seen 2019-05-17

⚔ Head-to-head

MONTANA Q

#2180 of the rated field

1531 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 15
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 33%
Peak: 1540

No shared contest yet.

Their last contest in the data was back in 2016, 3 years before TAILGATERS BBQ's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 15 contests

⚔ Head-to-head

Rub Sweat and Beers

#2183 of the rated field

1531 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 20
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 55%
Peak: 1531

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 2026-08-01
on a 5-contest top-10 run

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
Texas-car-b-que	9	1	8	11%	⚔ compare
KISS MY RACK	8	1	7	13%	⚔ compare
BOOMERANG BBQ	8	1	7	13%	⚔ compare
BUTCHER BBQ	8	0	8	0%	⚔ compare
BUCKSHOT BBQ - TX	8	0	8	0%	⚔ compare
BUTLER'S BACKDRAFT BBQ	7	2	5	29%	⚔ compare
FAT BOYS BBQ - TEMPLE, TX	7	1	6	14%	⚔ compare
BarrelHead Cookers	7	1	6	14%	⚔ compare
Three Hog Night Smokers	6	2	4	33%	⚔ compare
Big Daddy G's BBQ	6	1	5	17%	⚔ compare
Texas Smoke Whisperer	6	1	5	17%	⚔ compare
LA PASADITA	6	0	6	0%	⚔ compare
HONKY-TONK SMOKERS	6	0	6	0%	⚔ compare
Rollin' Smoke BBQ Texas	5	3	2	60%	⚔ compare
TINY E BBQ	5	2	3	40%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	17	2	0	1	172.0000	151.9428	163.57	top 51%
Pork Ribs	17	2	0	0	174.2972	141.0628	163.85	top 47%
Pork	17	2	0	0	167.9772	147.9200	161.55	top 57%
Brisket	17	4	1	1	176.0000	20.0000	155.78	top 46%

“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
TX	14	top 55%
OK	2	top 56%
KS	1	top 37%

By contest size

Field	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
Medium (20–39)	6	0	top 60%
Large (40+)	11	0	top 50%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
*Raider Red Meats BBQ & Ribeye Championship	3	17	top 41%	2018-08-24
Bedford Blues & BBQ Festival	2	21	top 37%	2019-08-30
Shotgun Fred BBQ Showdown	2	21	top 59%	2019-02-15
Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	2	21	top 75%	2016-03-11

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

On the trail 5 yrs 2014-08-30 → 2019-08-30

Busiest season 2019 5 contests

Contests a season 2.8 across 6 seasons in the data

Cooks most in TX 14 of 17 contests · 3 states/provinces in all

Contests visited 12 4 of them cooked more than once

Most-entered meat Chicken 17 entries · 0 wins · 2 calls

Strongest meat Pork Ribs averages 163.85 · weakest Brisket (155.78)

Walk rate 53% a top-10 call in 9 of 17 contests

Overall top-10 rate 6% 1 of 17 contests

Master average 644.75 out of 720 · 17 contests · 0 GCs

Opponents faced 514 394–410 across every shared overall standing

Road miles 3,759 17 mapped stops · furthest 415 mi

Schedule strength 1555 average field rating faced — tougher than 42% of rated contests

Purse competed for $35,175 listed at 4 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships 0 from 5 state-championship entries

Power rating 1531 peak 1531 · #2179 of 6,413 rated

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

2014
Aug 30 First tracked contest City of Bedford Blues & BBQ Festival
2016
Mar 11 First call Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
Aug 26 First overall past 90% of a perfect score654.2856 Raider Red Meats BBQ & Ribeye Championship
2017
Aug 25 10th tracked contest *Raider Red Meats BBQ & Ribeye Championship
2019
Apr 5 First overall top-10 Stillwater Elks Lodge Blazathon
Apr 5 Career-best single call (Brisket)176.0000 Stillwater Elks Lodge Blazathon
Jul 26 First category win (Brisket) Smokin Hot Cars & BBQ
Aug 30 Career-best overall score678.7540 Bedford Blues & BBQ Festival
Aug 30 Peak power rating (1531) Bedford Blues & BBQ Festival
Aug 30 Most recent contest Bedford Blues & BBQ Festival

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+12	Raider Red Meat BBQ & Ribeye Championship	2019-08-23
+11.4	Stillwater Elks Lodge Blazathon	2019-04-05
+10.5	Smokin Hot Cars & BBQ	2019-07-26
+9.3	*Raider Red Meats BBQ & Ribeye Championship	2018-08-24
+7.1	*Bedford Blues & BBQ Festival	2018-08-31

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-13.5	Bynum School's Best of the Basin	2016-04-22
-7.5	Firelake BBQ Cook Off	2015-03-27
-5.7	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	2015-03-13
-4.9	City of Bedford Blues & BBQ Festival	2014-08-30
-4.1	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	2016-03-11

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)
2019	5	1	1	80%	top 37%	94.3%	93.4%
2018	2	0	0	50%	top 35%	93.4%	92.8%
2017	3	0	0	67%	top 53%	91.6%	89.8%
2016	3	0	0	67%	top 73%	90.9%	82.9%
2015	3	0	0	0%	top 71%	89.3%	88%
2014	1	0	0	0%	top 68%	87.4%	87.4%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2019-08-30	Bedford Blues & BBQ Festival 🏅 Bedford, TX	21 / 58 (678.7540)	29 (167.9772)	14 (170.8456)	37 (165.0856)	4 (174.8456)
2019-08-23	Raider Red Meat BBQ & Ribeye Championship 🏅 Lubbock, TX	12 / 62 (674.7768)	16 (170.2856)	15 (168.0000)	26 (165.6684)	11 (170.8228)
2019-07-26	Smokin Hot Cars & BBQ 🏅 Iola, KS	15 / 41 (675.9544)	12 (169.7028)	19 (167.4172)	27 (163.4172)	1 (175.4172)
2019-04-05	Stillwater Elks Lodge Blazathon 🏅 Stillwater, OK	10 / 34 (675.3484)	20 (165.0856)	13 (168.5828)	16 (165.6800)	5 (176.0000)
2019-02-15	Shotgun Fred BBQ Showdown 🏅 Huntsville, TX	21 / 33 (658.7540)	22 (163.4056)	25 (162.8112)	25 (158.2516)	4 (174.2856)
2018-08-31	*Bedford Blues & BBQ Festival Bedford, TX	28 / 74 (663.9772)	44 (163.3712)	8 (174.2972)	54 (160.5828)	32 (165.7260)
2018-08-24	*Raider Red Meats BBQ & Ribeye Championship Lubbock, TX	17 / 54 (672.4224)	15 (169.6800)	17 (169.6800)	22 (165.6684)	21 (167.3940)
2017-08-25	*Raider Red Meats BBQ & Ribeye Championship Lubbock, TX	18 / 44 (659.8744)	17 (169.7028)	21 (166.2744)	14 (166.2400)	29 (157.6572)
2017-08-11	*Q'ing to Cure Childhood Cancer BBQ Cookoff Conroe, TX	13 / 26 (636.9940)	18 (151.9428)	11 (165.6684)	10 (162.8228)	16 (156.5600)
2017-03-10	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour White Settlement, TX	20 / 30 (642.7200)	20 (158.8572)	10 (164.5256)	6 (167.9772)	26 (151.3600)
2016-08-26	Raider Red Meats BBQ & Ribeye Championship Lubbock, TX	36 / 72 (654.2856)	45 (159.4056)	42 (161.7600)	35 (164.5600)	20 (168.5600)
2016-04-22	Bynum School's Best of the Basin Midland, TX	45 / 46 (499.3140)	8 (170.8228)	24 (158.2628)	36 (150.2284)	45 (20.0000)
2016-03-11	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Fort Worth, TX	21 / 29 (637.6228)	3 (172.0000)	29 (141.0628)	11 (165.7144)	18 (158.8456)
2015-03-27	Firelake BBQ Cook Off Shawnee, OK	43 / 52 (640.4688)	47 (151.9428)	16 (170.8572)	41 (161.1544)	44 (156.5144)
2015-03-13	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Fort Worth, TX	23 / 30 (617.4972)	25 (154.2284)	21 (154.2516)	27 (147.9200)	15 (161.0972)
2015-02-26	Shotgun Fred BBQ Showdown Huntsville, TX	33 / 61 (642.9144)	34 (160.5944)	33 (162.8572)	44 (155.4628)	23 (164.0000)
2014-08-30	City of Bedford Blues & BBQ Festival Bedford, TX	52 / 76 (629.0508)	37 (161.6684)	49 (158.2856)	45 (159.9884)	59 (149.1084)

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
2019 ↗	Master	#621 (527 pts)	#751 (447 pts)	#692 (492 pts)	#894 (342 pts)	#308 (1017 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#1368 (160 pts)	#1401 (170 pts)	#1123 (255 pts)	#1519 (135 pts)	#1511 (140 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#1095 (286 pts)	#1208 (266 pts)	#1068 (331 pts)	#922 (411 pts)	#1372 (211 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#1409 (194 pts)	#854 (444 pts)	#1576 (179 pts)	#1312 (244 pts)	#1327 (234 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#1354 (185 pts)	#1520 (175 pts)	#1266 (240 pts)	#1537 (175 pts)	#1245 (235 pts)