The heartbreaker
1.1428
points from the title
Came within 1.1428 points of the Grand Championship at First State BBQ Bash (Sep 25, 2026).
SUSQUEHANNA SMOKERS
SUSQUEHANNA SMOKERS is a competition barbecue team with 51 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2019 and 2026. They have won 1 Grand Championship, at the Keystone Classic BBQ State Championship (2025), and finished Reserve Grand Champion once. They are ranked #880 of 6,476 teams in the KCBS power rankings.
At a glance (the record in numbers)
Rating
1618
peak 1618 · rated over 48 contests3 invitational or side-series contests not counted
Contests
51
in the data
First seen
Jun 28, 2019
latest Sep 25, 2026 · 7.2 years on the trail
Grand champs
1
1 reserve · wins it all 2% of the time
Category wins
5
16 podiums
Overall top-10s
23
45% of 51 contests
Best top-10 run
5
straight overall top-10s
Avg finish
top 47%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
1 🔥
Current form
686.89 ▲
last 5 Master vs avg 672.02 (+14.87)
Walk rate
73%
contests with a top-10 call
Consistency
±20.35
spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Chicken
avg 168.98 · weakest Brisket (166.57)
Road miles
4,895
across 51 mapped stops · furthest 585 mi
Schedule strength
58%
of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1574)
Purse competed for
$357K
listed at 47 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
1 🏅
won from 48 state-championship entries
Master avg
672.02 / 720
50 Master contests · 1 GC
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 ↗ | Master | #63 (1,596 pts) | #48 (1,746 pts) | #120 (1,312 pts) | #51 (1,630 pts) | #70 (1,481 pts) |
| 2025 ↗ | Master | #84 (1,700 pts) | #116 (1,485 pts) | #66 (1,838 pts) | #83 (1,642 pts) | #73 (1,698 pts) |
| 2024 ↗ | Master | #358 (609 pts) | #328 (719 pts) | #388 (619 pts) | #349 (644 pts) | #322 (699 pts) |
| 2023 ↗ | Master | #295 (727 pts) | #302 (752 pts) | #313 (812 pts) | #309 (692 pts) | #288 (772 pts) |
| 2022 ↗ | Master | #834 (176 pts) | #912 (166 pts) | #1020 (146 pts) | #757 (231 pts) | #910 (156 pts) |
| 2021 ↗ | Master | #1236 (60 pts) | #1286 (60 pts) | #1309 (60 pts) | #1262 (60 pts) | #1245 (60 pts) |
Overall rank by season
Teams like this (closest power rating)
The teams rated closest to SUSQUEHANNA SMOKERS, each with one reason worth a look.
#881 of the rated field
- Contests
- 18
- GCs
- 3
- Top-10s
- 67%
- Peak
- 1625
0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to SUSQUEHANNA SMOKERS)
One contest in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team SUSQUEHANNA SMOKERS has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.
⚔ Head-to-head#884 of the rated field
- Contests
- 41
- GCs
- 1
- Top-10s
- 27%
- Peak
- 1628
Their last contest in the data was back in 2021, 5 years before SUSQUEHANNA SMOKERS's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.
⚔ Compare careers#882 of the rated field
- Contests
- 38
- GCs
- 1
- Top-10s
- 42%
- Peak
- 1618
This is the highest they've ever been rated, 38 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.
⚔ Compare careers#877 of the rated field
- Contests
- 67
- GCs
- 2
- Top-10s
- 25%
- Peak
- 1647
Careers of much the same size, 67 contests to 51, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.
⚔ Compare careers#878 of the rated field
- Contests
- 35
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 29%
- Peak
- 1619
35 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 29% top-10 finishes rather than wins.
⚔ Compare careers#879 of the rated field
- Contests
- 94
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 17%
- Peak
- 1657
They were already cooking in 2013, 6 years before SUSQUEHANNA SMOKERS's first contest.
⚔ Compare careersFamiliar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)
| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 BOXERS Q | 37 | 28 | 9 | 76% | ⚔ compare |
| Capt. Blue BBQ | 33 | 9 | 21 | 27% | ⚔ compare |
| Leaning Jowler BBQ | 31 | 5 | 24 | 16% | ⚔ compare |
| All About the Wood | 29 | 11 | 17 | 38% | ⚔ compare |
| FIRE & SHINE BBQ | 29 | 5 | 24 | 17% | ⚔ compare |
| Uncle Pig's Barbeque Pit | 29 | 1 | 28 | 3% | ⚔ compare |
| BEER TIME BBQ | 28 | 15 | 13 | 54% | ⚔ compare |
| WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ | 25 | 7 | 18 | 28% | ⚔ compare |
| OLD VIRGINIA SMOKE | 24 | 6 | 18 | 25% | ⚔ compare |
| CHUNKY BBQ | 23 | 7 | 16 | 30% | ⚔ compare |
| B'S QUE | 22 | 7 | 15 | 32% | ⚔ compare |
| UP IN SMOKERS | 20 | 19 | 1 | 95% | ⚔ compare |
| Buckeye Blue Smoke BBQ | 20 | 14 | 6 | 70% | ⚔ compare |
| Castleton Q | 20 | 14 | 6 | 70% | ⚔ compare |
| Backwooder BBQ | 20 | 10 | 9 | 50% | ⚔ compare |
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 51 | 17 | 2 | 6 | 180 🔥 | 136.5372 | 168.98 | top 50% |
| Pork Ribs | 51 | 17 | 1 | 2 | 178.8572 | 152.5256 | 168.05 | top 46% |
| Pork | 51 | 22 | 1 | 5 | 177.1428 | 155.3828 | 168.97 | top 47% |
| Brisket | 51 | 21 | 1 | 3 | 178.2972 | 144.5604 | 166.57 | top 49% |
“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) | 7 | 0 | top 46% |
| Medium (20–39) | 32 | 1 | top 45% |
| Large (40+) | 12 | 0 | top 54% |
Repeat visits (contests they've cooked twice or more)
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Twin Valley Fire and Smoke (Day 2) | 7 | 3 | 0 | top 45% | May 16, 2026 |
| New Jersey KnoQ-out - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (DAY 2) | 7 | 5 | 0 | top 57% | Apr 18, 2026 |
| Smoke on the Rail BBQ Festival (Day 2) | 6 | 7 | 0 | top 42% | Jul 25, 2026 |
| York County BBQ Festival (Day 2) | 6 | 5 | 0 | top 56% | Jun 13, 2026 |
| Keystone Classic BBQ State Championship | 3 | 1 | 1 | top 35% | Oct 3, 2025 |
| New Holland Summer Fest | 3 | 20 | 0 | top 53% | Aug 23, 2024 |
| Rekindled Ironman | 2 | 7 | 0 | top 45% | Apr 3, 2026 |
| MD State BBQ Bash | 2 | 6 | 0 | top 49% | Oct 10, 2025 |
| Smoke on the Rail (Day 2) | 2 | 14 | 0 | top 39% | Jul 29, 2023 |
More numbers
Busiest season
2026
17 contests
Contests a season
7.3
across 7 seasons in the data
Most contests held in
PA
33 of 51 contests · 9 states in all
Contests visited
22
9 of them more than once
First title
Oct 3, 2025
Keystone Classic BBQ State Championship
Opponents faced
650
finished ahead 1,236 times, behind 1,242
Longest layoff
1.6 yrs
Sep 27, 2019 → May 14, 2021
Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)
20266 milestones
- First perfect 180 (Chicken) York County BBQ Festival (Day 2)
- 50th tracked contest Saxonburg BBQ Smokeout
- First Reserve Championship First State BBQ Bash
- Career-best overall score701.0972 First State BBQ Bash
- Peak power rating (1618) First State BBQ Bash
- Most recent contest First State BBQ Bash
20256 milestones
- 25th tracked contest Twin Valley Fire and Smoke (Day 2)
- First overall podium Big Knob BBQ Fest
- First multi-meat day York County BBQ Festival (Day 2)
- First Grand Championship Keystone Classic BBQ State Championship
- First state championship Keystone Classic BBQ State Championship
- Biggest field won (30 teams) Keystone Classic BBQ State Championship
20241 milestone
- First category win (Pork) MD State BBQ Bash
20231 milestone
- 10th tracked contest York County BBQ Festival
20221 milestone
- First overall past 90% of a perfect score665.0404 New Holland Summer Fest
20193 milestones
- First tracked contest York County BBQ Festival
- First call Route Six Ribfest
- First overall top-10 Route Six Ribfest
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
📈 Biggest rating jumps
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +16.6 | Keystone Classic BBQ State Championship | Oct 3, 2025 |
| +14.6 | First State BBQ Bash | Sep 25, 2026 |
| +14.2 | Twin Valley Fire and Smoke | May 19, 2023 |
| +13.3 | New Jersey KnoQ-out - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (DAY 1) | May 2, 2025 |
| +12.8 | Twin Valley Fire and Smoke (Day 1) | May 15, 2026 |
📉 Toughest weekends
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -11.6 | York County BBQ Festival | Jun 28, 2019 |
| -10.2 | Twin Valley Fire and Smoke | May 14, 2021 |
| -10.1 | Twin Valley Fire and Smoke | May 13, 2022 |
| -7.9 | Smoke on the Rail BBQ Festival (Day 1) | Jul 24, 2026 |
| -7.4 | Red White & Que - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (Day 1) | Oct 24, 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 17 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 76% | top 42% | 97.4% | 94.9% |
| 2025 | 14 | 1 | 10 | 3 | 93% | top 38% | 96.5% | 94.6% |
| 2024 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 67% | top 53% | 95.1% | 93.3% |
| 2023 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 71% | top 45% | 94.8% | 92.7% |
| 2022 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33% | top 64% | 92.4% | 90.3% |
| 2021 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 83% | 85.6% | 85.6% |
| 2019 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 33% | top 77% | 88.9% | 86.8% |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 25, 2026 | First State BBQ Bash 🏅 Milford, DE | 2 / 39 (701.0972) | 3 (178.8572) | 8 (174.2744) | 4 (176) | 11 (171.9656) |
| Aug 28, 2026 | Saxonburg BBQ Smokeout 🏅 Saxonburg, PA | 4 / 16 (690.2288) | 3 (174.2744) | 5 (170.8344) | 3 (173.1428) | 4 (171.9772) |
| Aug 21, 2026 | Stoney Creek BBQ Cookoff 🏅 Edinburg, VA | 17 / 26 (678.1944) | 2 (178.2972) | 9 (171.9772) | 8 (176.5600) | 25 (151.3600) |
| Jul 25, 2026 | Smoke on the Rail BBQ Festival (Day 2) 🏅 New Freedom, PA | 14 / 39 (690.8000) | 29 (169.6800) | 14 (173.7372) | 9 (175.4056) | 16 (171.9772) |
| Jul 24, 2026 | Smoke on the Rail BBQ Festival (Day 1) 🏅 New Freedom, PA | 29 / 43 (674.1484) | 19 (173.1200) | 17 (170.8228) | 34 (165.0856) | 32 (165.1200) |
| Jun 26, 2026 | Grizzly BBQ Brawl 🏅 Wellington, OH | 17 / 39 (680.4800) | 14 (172.5484) | 5 (174.8572) | 24 (165.6800) | 20 (167.3944) |
| Jun 13, 2026 | York County BBQ Festival (Day 2) 🏅 Delta, PA | 7 / 13 (687.3372) | 1 (180) | 9 (168.5372) | 10 (169.1084) | 7 (169.6916) |
| Jun 12, 2026 | York County BBQ Festival (Day 1) 🏅 Delta, PA | 10 / 25 (687.9316) | 5 (175.4172) | 12 (170.8344) | 11 (171.9772) | 9 (169.7028) |
| May 24, 2026 | 8th Annual KCBS World Invitational: Master Series Invitational and the Backyard Series Invitational (Sunday, May 24, 2026) unrated Lebanon, TN | 74 / 82 (679.3256) | 38 (174.2856) | 79 (163.3944) | 47 (173.1084) | 64 (168.5372) |
| May 23, 2026 | 8th Annual KCBS World Invitational: Wells Cup, Cocktail Ancillary, Dessert Ancillary (Saturday, May 23, 2026) unrated Lebanon, TN | 50 / 117 (686.7428) | 95 (168.5256) | 36 (174.2744) | 21 (176.5600) | 84 (167.3828) |
| May 16, 2026 | Twin Valley Fire and Smoke (Day 2) 🏅 Morgantown, PA | 10 / 17 (678.1716) | 13 (168.5372) | 13 (165.6916) | 10 (170.8228) | 6 (173.1200) |
| May 15, 2026 | Twin Valley Fire and Smoke (Day 1) 🏅 Morgantown, PA | 3 / 25 (686.1944) | 5 (174.2744) | 16 (164.5488) | 2 (174.2628) | 4 (173.1084) |
| May 2, 2026 | Grand American Barbecue New York State Championship Open (OPEN FORMAT) 🏅 New Paltz, NY | 6 / 59 (691.3828) | 35 (171.9656) | 17 (173.1428) | 27 (170.8572) | 9 (175.4172) |
| May 1, 2026 | Grand American Barbecue World Championship Invitational (COMPETITOR SERIES) unrated New Paltz, NY | 6 / 43 (699.9772) | 24 (172.5484) | 13 (173.7144) | 10 (176.5600) | 6 (177.1544) |
| Apr 18, 2026 | New Jersey KnoQ-out - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (DAY 2) 🏅 Blairstown, NJ | 13 / 26 (678.7312) | 18 (165.6800) | 13 (170.2628) | 6 (174.2628) | 16 (168.5256) |
| Apr 17, 2026 | New Jersey KnoQ-out - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (DAY 1) 🏅 Blairstown, NJ | 15 / 26 (661.5888) | 18 (166.2400) | 17 (160.5372) | 12 (169.1200) | 13 (165.6916) |
| Apr 3, 2026 | Rekindled Ironman 🏅 Seven Valleys, PA | 7 / 14 (668.9828) | 9 (169.6684) | 12 (161.6572) | 7 (168.5256) | 5 (169.1316) |
| Oct 24, 2025 | Red White & Que - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (Day 1) 🏅 Jackson, NJ | 19 / 31 (672.5148) | 18 (169.6916) | 4 (174.8688) | 19 (168.5372) | 25 (159.4172) |
| Oct 10, 2025 | MD State BBQ Bash 🏅 Bel Air, MD | 22 / 29 (653.0628) | 3 (177.1428) | 23 (162.8228) | 20 (164) | 28 (149.0972) |
| Oct 3, 2025 | Keystone Classic BBQ State Championship 🏅 Harrisburg, PA | 1 / 30 (693.0856) | 13 (171.4056) | 15 (167.9772) | 2 (176) | 1 (177.7028) |
| Jul 26, 2025 | Smoke on the Rail BBQ Festival (Day 2) 🏅 New Freedom, PA | 10 / 27 (679.3144) | 24 (161.6456) | 4 (175.4288) | 4 (175.4172) | 13 (166.8228) |
| Jul 25, 2025 | Smoke on the Rail BBQ Festival (Day 1) 🏅 New Freedom, PA | 7 / 30 (694.8460) | 14 (171.9772) | 4 (174.3088) | 7 (175.4172) | 11 (173.1428) |
| Jun 28, 2025 | York County BBQ Festival (Day 2) 🏅 Delta, PA | 5 / 10 (686.7428) | 1 (177.7144) | 1 (178.8572) | 7 (169.6800) | 9 (160.4912) |
| Jun 27, 2025 | York County BBQ Festival (Day 1) 🏅 Delta, PA | 10 / 26 (680.4456) | 8 (172.5600) | 3 (175.4172) | 13 (168.5256) | 14 (163.9428) |
| Jun 13, 2025 | Almost Heaven BBQ Bash 🏅 Buckhannon, WV | 17 / 30 (674.2172) | 27 (162.8000) | 11 (170.8344) | 10 (172.5600) | 19 (168.0228) |
| May 23, 2025 | Big Knob BBQ Fest 🏅 Rochester, PA | 3 / 12 (693.6572) | 5 (171.4056) | 4 (171.9888) | 3 (177.1428) | 4 (173.1200) |
| May 17, 2025 | Twin Valley Fire and Smoke (Day 2) 🏅 Morgantown, PA | 7 / 21 (682.1600) | 10 (170.8228) | 6 (169.6916) | 7 (170.8228) | 9 (170.8228) |
| May 16, 2025 | Twin Valley Fire and Smoke (Day 1) 🏅 Morgantown, PA | 6 / 28 (683.3600) | 20 (169.1200) | 7 (171.4400) | 10 (169.6800) | 5 (173.1200) |
| May 3, 2025 | New Jersey KnoQ-out - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (DAY 2) 🏅 Blairstown, NJ | 20 / 34 (669.0284) | 25 (162.8000) | 17 (167.4172) | 18 (169.1084) | 15 (169.7028) |
| May 2, 2025 | New Jersey KnoQ-out - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (DAY 1) 🏅 Blairstown, NJ | 5 / 33 (689.6460) | 13 (170.8344) | 15 (168.5488) | 8 (171.9656) | 2 (178.2972) |
| Apr 4, 2025 | Rekindled Ironman 🏅 Seven Valleys, PA | 9 / 23 (682.7428) | 9 (174.2628) | 13 (166.8344) | 13 (167.3828) | 4 (174.2628) |
| Oct 11, 2024 | MD State BBQ Bash 🏅 Bel Air, MD | 6 / 26 (684.4456) | 5 (175.4172) | 21 (162.8000) | 1 (175.4056) | 8 (170.8228) |
| Aug 23, 2024 | New Holland Summer Fest 🏅 New Holland, PA | 24 / 38 (663.8056) | 28 (165.0972) | 16 (167.3944) | 30 (159.3484) | 8 (171.9656) |
| Jul 27, 2024 | Smoke on the Rail BBQ Festival (Day 2) 🏅 New Freedom, PA | 15 / 32 (683.8972) | 11 (176.5600) | 18 (169.1200) | 21 (169.6800) | 15 (168.5372) |
| Jul 26, 2024 | Smoke on the Rail BBQ Festival (Day 1) 🏅 New Freedom, PA | 15 / 35 (670.1712) | 11 (171.4056) | 14 (167.9772) | 29 (159.9656) | 8 (170.8228) |
| Apr 20, 2024 | New Jersey KnoQ-out - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (DAY 2) 🏅 Blairstown, NJ | 19 / 27 (666.7316) | 15 (170.8228) | 8 (170.8572) | 23 (161.0972) | 19 (163.9544) |
| Apr 19, 2024 | New Jersey KnoQ-out - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (DAY 1) 🏅 Blairstown, NJ | 20 / 29 (660.9944) | 11 (171.9772) | 18 (168.5372) | 14 (168.5372) | 28 (151.9428) |
| Oct 6, 2023 | Keystone Classic BBQ State Championship 🏅 Harrisburg, PA | 10 / 28 (662.1940) | 5 (170.8228) | 4 (169.1428) | 22 (157.6800) | 14 (164.5484) |
| Aug 25, 2023 | New Holland Summer Fest 🏅 New Holland, PA | 24 / 44 (655.2684) | 26 (165.6684) | 16 (165.0972) | 21 (162.8344) | 24 (161.6684) |
| Jul 29, 2023 | Smoke on the Rail (Day 2) 🏅 New Freedom, PA | 20 / 40 (678.2628) | 13 (174.2628) | 23 (168.0116) | 11 (173.1428) | 30 (162.8456) |
| Jul 28, 2023 | Smoke on the Rail (Day 1) 🏅 New Freedom, PA | 14 / 51 (682.7888) | 20 (173.1084) | 27 (167.9888) | 23 (167.4288) | 7 (174.2628) |
| Jun 16, 2023 | York County BBQ Festival 🏅 Delta, PA | 16 / 29 (667.2800) | 8 (173.7028) | 8 (169.6916) | 12 (170.8228) | 25 (153.0628) |
| May 19, 2023 | Twin Valley Fire and Smoke 🏅 Morgantown, PA | 6 / 37 (682.2168) | 17 (167.9884) | 23 (164.5600) | 7 (174.2628) | 3 (175.4056) |
| Apr 21, 2023 | New Jersey KnoQ-out - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (Day 1) 🏅 Blairstown, NJ | 28 / 36 (644.9600) | 33 (148.4684) | 8 (168.5832) | 29 (163.3944) | 20 (164.5140) |
| Oct 7, 2022 | Keystone Classic BBQ State Championship 🏅 Harrisburg, PA | 17 / 26 (643.8168) | 14 (165.6800) | 18 (160.5028) | 20 (159.9428) | 16 (157.6912) |
| Aug 26, 2022 | New Holland Summer Fest 🏅 New Holland, PA | 20 / 49 (665.0404) | 34 (164.5372) | 27 (166.2628) | 8 (173.1316) | 30 (161.1088) |
| May 13, 2022 | Twin Valley Fire and Smoke 🏅 Morgantown, PA | 34 / 39 (642.1600) | 33 (162.2400) | 31 (159.4288) | 35 (157.6912) | 24 (162.8000) |
| May 14, 2021 | Twin Valley Fire and Smoke 🏅 Morgantown, PA | 38 / 46 (616.4456) | 45 (144.5028) | 27 (157.7144) | 28 (159.9540) | 33 (154.2744) |
| Sep 27, 2019 | Smoke in the Park 🏅 Lemoyne, PA | 29 / 40 (639.8284) | 29 (160.5256) | 27 (157.1088) | 28 (162.8228) | 27 (159.3712) |
| Aug 31, 2019 | Route Six Ribfest 🏅 Coudersport, PA | 10 / 16 (639.3032) | 10 (160.5488) | 12 (157.6916) | 12 (155.3828) | 6 (165.6800) |
| Jun 28, 2019 | York County BBQ Festival 🏅 Delta, PA | 46 / 48 (595.3032) | 47 (136.5372) | 41 (152.5256) | 35 (161.6800) | 46 (144.5604) |
An unrated contest — an invitational, or a Competitor or Kosher Series board — is in the record but doesn’t move the power rating.