The heartbreaker
2.2744
points from the title
Came within 2.2744 points of the Grand Championship at Bring'n Home the Bacon (Jun 21, 2019).
Southside Smoke
Southside Smoke is a competition barbecue team with 32 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2026. Their best overall finish is 2nd of 37 at the Bring'n Home the Bacon (2019), and they have finished Reserve Grand Champion once. They are ranked #3615 of 6,476 teams in the KCBS power rankings.
At a glance (the record in numbers)
Rating
1491
peak 1504 · rated over 23 contests2 invitational or side-series contests not counted
Contests
32
in the data
First seen
Jun 28, 2013
latest Jun 12, 2026 · 13 years on the trail
Grand champs
0
1 reserve
Category wins
1
4 podiums
Overall top-10s
5
16% of 32 contests
Best top-10 run
2
straight overall top-10s
Avg finish
top 64%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
0
Current form
330.13
last 5 Backyard vs avg 330.20 (-0.08)
Walk rate
38%
contests with a top-10 call
Consistency
±7.36
spread of their Backyard overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Chicken
avg 162.66 · weakest Brisket (144.71)
Road miles
2,755
across 31 mapped stops · furthest 580 mi
Schedule strength
55%
of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1571)
Purse competed for
$96K
listed at 21 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
0 🏅
won from 11 state-championship entries
Master avg
618.08 / 720
10 Master contests · 0 GCs
Backyard avg
330.20 / 360
15 Backyard contests · 0 GCs
These overall scores sit on different scales (Master out of 720, Backyard out of 360), so they're kept separate — averaging them together would be misleading.
This team cooks the Backyard series — its own boards, records and Team of the Year are here.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 ↗ | Backyard | #317 (60 pts) | #320 (60 pts) | #317 (75 pts) | — | — |
| 2025 ↗ | Backyard | #368 (60 pts) | #371 (60 pts) | #313 (120 pts) | — | — |
| 2025 ↗ | Master | — | — | #1293 (60 pts) | — | — |
| 2024 ↗ | Backyard | #237 (184 pts) | #253 (164 pts) | #147 (375 pts) | — | — |
| 2024 ↗ | Master | — | — | #1124 (111 pts) | — | — |
| 2023 ↗ | Backyard | — | #126 (473 pts) | #87 (737 pts) | — | — |
| 2023 ↗ | Master | — | — | #979 (160 pts) | — | — |
| 2022 ↗ | Backyard | — | #123 (345 pts) | #124 (331 pts) | — | — |
| 2022 ↗ | Master | #1280 (68 pts) | #1184 (103 pts) | #1297 (88 pts) | #1303 (73 pts) | #1325 (63 pts) |
| 2013 ↗ | Master | #1589 (141 pts) | #1729 (131 pts) | #1479 (171 pts) | #1347 (196 pts) | #1736 (126 pts) |
Overall rank by season
Teams like this (closest power rating)
The teams rated closest to Southside Smoke, each with one reason worth a look.
158 rated teams sit within a point of this rating, so a place on this list means the numbers match — no more than that.
#3,607 of the rated field
- Contests
- 31
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1535
0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to Southside Smoke)
One contest in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team Southside Smoke has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.
⚔ Head-to-head#3,614 of the rated field
- Contests
- 7
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1503
1–1 in 2 shared contests (50% to Southside Smoke)
Their last contest in the data was back in 2023, 3 years before Southside Smoke's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.
⚔ Head-to-head#3,609 of the rated field
- Contests
- 23
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 26%
- Peak
- 1510
Careers of much the same size, 23 contests to 32, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.
⚔ Compare careers#3,590 of the rated field
- Contests
- 22
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1522
They've been 1522 at their best, 31 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.
⚔ Compare careers#3,629 of the rated field
- Contests
- 25
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 4%
- Peak
- 1531
25 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 4% top-10 finishes rather than wins.
⚔ Compare careers#3,619 of the rated field
- Contests
- 18
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 6%
- Peak
- 1491
Both teams' first contest in the data came in 2013.
⚔ Compare careersFamiliar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)
| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SHIGGIN & GRINNIN | 14 | 1 | 13 | 7% | ⚔ compare |
| Big Ten Bones | 12 | 5 | 7 | 42% | ⚔ compare |
| IT'S BBQ TIME | 12 | 2 | 10 | 17% | ⚔ compare |
| UGLY BABY BBQ | 11 | 7 | 4 | 64% | ⚔ compare |
| Good Grefe! | 10 | 8 | 1 | 80% | ⚔ compare |
| FENDER BENDER BBQ | 10 | 4 | 6 | 40% | ⚔ compare |
| T Daddys BBQ | 10 | 4 | 6 | 40% | ⚔ compare |
| THE GREAT PIG IN THE SKY | 10 | 4 | 6 | 40% | ⚔ compare |
| DAD BOD BARBEQUE | 10 | 2 | 8 | 20% | ⚔ compare |
| Porket About It | 10 | 2 | 8 | 20% | ⚔ compare |
| Son of a Boar BBQ | 10 | 1 | 9 | 10% | ⚔ compare |
| Sensuous BBQ | 10 | 0 | 10 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| What’cha Got BBQ | 9 | 5 | 4 | 56% | ⚔ compare |
| DAWGS BBQ | 9 | 3 | 6 | 33% | ⚔ compare |
| Big Racks BBQ | 9 | 1 | 8 | 11% | ⚔ compare |
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 25 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 173.1428 | 151.4172 | 162.66 | top 61% |
| Pork Ribs | 31 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 178.2972 | 143.3716 | 162.36 | top 56% |
| Pork | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 171.4172 | 144.5372 | 157.69 | top 69% |
| Brisket | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 155.9544 | 133.6688 | 144.71 | top 86% |
“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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small (<20 teams) | 2 | 0 | top 39% |
| Medium (20–39) | 16 | 0 | top 71% |
| Large (40+) | 7 | 0 | top 55% |
Repeat visits (contests they've cooked twice or more)
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bring'n Home the Bacon Day 1 (MASTER & BACKYARD) | 6 | 10 | 0 | top 51% | Jun 12, 2026 |
| Smokin' in the Bogs | 4 | 19 | 0 | top 86% | Sep 2, 2022 |
| Bring'n Home the Bacon II Day 1 (BACKYARD ONLY) | 2 | 18 | 0 | top 68% | Oct 14, 2022 |
More numbers
Busiest season
2023
6 contests
Contests a season
2.1
across 15 seasons in the data
Most contests held in
WI
27 of 32 contests · 5 states in all
Contests visited
16
3 of them more than once
Most-entered meat
Pork Ribs
31 entries · 1 win · 9 calls
Opponents faced
450
finished ahead 417 times, behind 604
Longest layoff
1.2 yrs
Jun 21, 2019 → Sep 4, 2020
Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)
20261 milestone
- Most recent contest Bring'n Home the Bacon Day 1 (MASTER & BACKYARD)
20241 milestone
- Peak power rating (1504) Bring'n Home the Bacon Day 1 (MASTER & BACKYARD)
20233 milestones
- First category win (Pork Ribs) Fillmore County Fair BBQ Cookoff (BACKYARD ONLY)
- Career-best single call (Pork Ribs)178.2972 Fillmore County Fair BBQ Cookoff (BACKYARD ONLY)
- 25th tracked contest Bring'n Home the Bacon II (MASTER & BACKYARD)
20195 milestones
- First overall top-10 Bring'n Home the Bacon
- First overall podium Bring'n Home the Bacon
- First Reserve Championship Bring'n Home the Bacon
- First overall past 90% of a perfect score338.2628 Bring'n Home the Bacon
- 10th tracked contest Bring'n Home the Bacon
20171 milestone
- Career-best overall score637.0856 Big Blue BBQ Championship (TEAM FULL)
20141 milestone
—1 milestone
- First tracked contest Dells BBQ Bash (BACKYARD ONLY)
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
📈 Biggest rating jumps
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +18.3 | Bring'n Home the Bacon | Jun 21, 2019 |
| +14.9 | Bring'n Home the Bacon II Day 2 (BACKYARD) | Oct 16, 2021 |
| +10.7 | Bring'n Home the Bacon Day 1 (MASTER & BACKYARD) | Jun 7, 2024 |
| +10.4 | Bring'n Home the Bacon - Day 1 | Jun 11, 2021 |
| +10.3 | Bring'n Home the Bacon Day 1 (MASTER & BACKYARD) | Jun 10, 2022 |
📉 Toughest weekends
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -9.9 | 5th Annual Smokin In the Bogs | Sep 4, 2015 |
| -9.6 | Grill Games | Aug 23, 2013 |
| -8.6 | 7th Annual Smokin' In The Bogs | Sep 1, 2017 |
| -8.6 | Smokin' in the Bogs | Sep 3, 2021 |
| -7.9 | Bring'n Home the Bacon Day 1 (MASTER & BACKYARD) | Jun 13, 2025 |
Scores over time (% of a perfect score, averaged over 5 contests — 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 | GCs | Top-10s | Category wins | Walk rate | Avg finish | Best overall (% of perfect) | Avg overall (% of perfect) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 68% | 87.9% | 87.9% |
| 2026 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 78% | 91.7% | 91.7% |
| 2025 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 94% | 90.5% | 90.5% |
| 2024 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25% | top 44% | 94.6% | 94.2% |
| 2023 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 67% | top 60% | 93.6% | 91.6% |
| 2022 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 50% | top 66% | 91.4% | 89.5% |
| 2021 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 50% | top 46% | 94.4% | 89.8% |
| 2020 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 86% | 85.5% | 85.5% |
| 2019 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 100% | top 5% | 94% | 94% |
| 2018 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 76% | 88.3% | 88.3% |
| 2017 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 82% | 88.5% | 85.5% |
| 2016 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 72% | 86.9% | 86.9% |
| 2015 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100% | top 89% | 86.7% | 86.7% |
| 2014 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100% | — | — | — |
| 2013 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 74% | 86.1% | 84.7% |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 12, 2026 | Bring'n Home the Bacon Day 1 (MASTER & BACKYARD) 🏅 West Salem, WI | 31 / 40 (330.2284) | 38 (161.1084) | 22 (169.1200) | — | — |
| Jun 13, 2025 | Bring'n Home the Bacon (ONE MEAT RIBS) West Salem, WI | — | — | 27 (163.9888) | — | — |
| Jun 13, 2025 | Bring'n Home the Bacon Day 1 (MASTER & BACKYARD) 🏅 West Salem, WI | 34 / 36 (325.6688) | 32 (163.4288) | 34 (162.2400) | — | — |
| Jun 7, 2024 | Bring'n Home the Bacon Day 1 (MASTER & BACKYARD) 🏅 West Salem, WI | 11 / 41 (337.6800) | 20 (163.9772) | 4 (173.7028) | — | — |
| Jun 7, 2024 | Bring'n Home the Bacon (ONE MEAT RIBS) West Salem, WI | — | — | 13 (165.6916) | — | — |
| May 25, 2024 | 6th Annual KCBS World Invitational - BACKYARD SERIES INVITATIONAL unrated Lebanon, TN | 29 / 47 (340.5372) | 20 (173.1428) | 37 (167.3944) | — | — |
| May 24, 2024 | 6th Annual KCBS World Invitational - OPEN unrated Lebanon, TN | — | — | — | — | — |
| Oct 13, 2023 | Bring'n Home the Bacon II (MASTER & BACKYARD) 🏅 West Salem, WI | 22 / 21 (325.6344) | 27 (157.0744) | 8 (168.5600) | — | — |
| Oct 13, 2023 | Bring'n Home the Bacon II (ONE MEAT RIBS) West Salem, WI | — | — | 15 (168.0116) | — | — |
| Sep 15, 2023 | Cranberry Country Rally Days Backyard BBQ Contest (BACKYARD ONLY) Tomah, WI | 3 / 8 (335.4400) | 4 (165.1428) | 3 (170.2972) | — | — |
| Jul 21, 2023 | Fillmore County Fair BBQ Cookoff (BACKYARD ONLY) Preston, MN | 6 / 15 (337.0972) | 12 (158.8000) | 1 (178.2972) | — | — |
| Jun 9, 2023 | Bring'n Home the Bacon Day 1 (MASTER & BACKYARD) 🏅 West Salem, WI | 24 / 43 (321.0512) | 10 (169.6684) | 28 (151.3828) | — | — |
| Jun 9, 2023 | Bring'n Home the Bacon (ONE MEAT RIBS) West Salem, WI | — | — | 24 (158.2860) | — | — |
| Oct 15, 2022 | Bring'n Home the Bacon II (One Meat Ribs) West Salem, WI | — | — | 4 (166.2400) | — | — |
| Oct 14, 2022 | Bring'n Home the Bacon II Day 1 (BACKYARD ONLY) West Salem, WI | 18 / 22 (322.7884) | 11 (168.5256) | 22 (154.2628) | — | — |
| Sep 2, 2022 | Smokin' in the Bogs 🏅 Warrens, WI | 21 / 23 (628.4916) | 14 (164) | 17 (162.8344) | 20 (157.6912) | 22 (143.9660) |
| Jun 10, 2022 | Bring'n Home the Bacon Day 1 (MASTER & BACKYARD) 🏅 West Salem, WI | 10 / 39 (329.0972) | 3 (172.5600) | 20 (156.5372) | — | — |
| Oct 16, 2021 | Bring'n Home the Bacon II Day 2 (BACKYARD) West Salem, WI | 5 / 36 (339.9772) | 8 (170.2744) | 6 (169.7028) | — | — |
| Oct 15, 2021 | Bring'n Home the Bacon II Day 1 (BACKYARD) West Salem, WI | 22 / 40 (323.3828) | 26 (158.2628) | 11 (165.1200) | — | — |
| Sep 3, 2021 | Smokin' in the Bogs 🏅 Warrens, WI | 23 / 25 (599.2112) | 21 (156.5256) | 19 (158.2400) | 25 (147.3828) | 25 (137.0628) |
| Jun 11, 2021 | Bring'n Home the Bacon - Day 1 🏅 West Salem, WI | 13 / 52 (329.6800) | 19 (163.9656) | 9 (165.7144) | — | — |
| Sep 4, 2020 | Smokin in the Bogs 🏅 Warrens, WI | 24 / 28 (615.3944) | 17 (163.4744) | 20 (158.8344) | 23 (156.5256) | 27 (136.5600) |
| Jun 21, 2019 | Bring'n Home the Bacon 🏅 West Salem, WI | 2 / 37 (338.2628) | 3 (172.5600) | 7 (165.7028) | — | — |
| Aug 31, 2018 | Smokin in the Bogs Warrens, WI | 19 / 25 (635.8972) | 16 (164.5484) | 15 (159.9772) | 13 (165.1200) | 21 (146.2516) |
| Sep 1, 2017 | 7th Annual Smokin' In The Bogs Warrens, WI | 26 / 29 (594.0688) | 26 (151.4172) | 25 (149.6228) | 28 (144.5372) | 24 (148.4916) |
| Jun 2, 2017 | Big Blue BBQ Championship (TEAM FULL) Marysville, KS | 26 / 35 (637.0856) | 34 (154.8456) | 21 (162.8456) | 18 (163.4400) | 24 (155.9544) |
| Sep 2, 2016 | 6th Annual Smokin' In the Bogs Warrens, WI | 23 / 32 (625.6800) | 20 (161.1316) | 26 (154.8572) | 23 (157.6912) | 20 (152) |
| Sep 4, 2015 | 5th Annual Smokin In the Bogs Warrens, WI | 24 / 27 (624.5376) | 21 (160.6172) | 19 (158.8344) | 8 (171.4172) | 27 (133.6688) |
| Sep 27, 2014 | BBQ on the Hill Competitor's Series (RIBS ONLY) Blue Island, IL | — | — | 4 (167.4400) | — | — |
| Aug 23, 2013 | Grill Games Kenosha, WI | 35 / 43 (600.3888) | 28 (157.1200) | 38 (143.3716) | 38 (150.2284) | 32 (149.6688) |
| Jun 28, 2013 | Grillin' in Grafton Grafton, WI | 22 / 33 (620.0004) | 24 (154.8570) | 16 (158.8572) | 11 (162.8574) | 30 (143.4288) |
| — | Dells BBQ Bash (BACKYARD ONLY) Wisconsin Dells, WI | 17 / 25 (316.5256) | 13 (159.4400) | 18 (157.0856) | — | — |
An unrated contest — an invitational, or a Competitor or Kosher Series board — is in the record but doesn’t move the power rating.