PAPA SEAN'S BBQ

PAPA SEAN'S BBQ is a competition barbecue team with 15 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2015 and 2023. Their best overall finish is 21st of 30 at the Ozarks BBQ Fest (2023). They are ranked #6243 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#6,243

of 6,491 rated · rankings

Rating

1418

peak 1418 · rated over 14 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Jul 24, 2015

latest Jun 9, 2023 · 7.9 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#453

Master 2020 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

0 podiums

Overall top-10s

0% of 15 contests

Avg finish

top 83%

overall standings

Best overall

663.8856 / 720

Master · Smokin on the Osage (Day 2)

Perfect 180s

Current form

648.43 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 627.25 (+21.18)

Walk rate

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

170.2628

Pork Ribs · Ozarks BBQ Fest

Consistency

±23.42

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 159.93 · weakest Pork Ribs (152.18)

Road miles

3,349

across 15 mapped stops · furthest 440 mi

Schedule strength

55%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1570)

Purse competed for

$67K

listed at 6 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 7 state-championship entries

Master avg

627.25 / 720

14 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

663.8856 career-best overall

92.2% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 663.8856 at Smokin on the Osage (Day 2) — 92.2% of a perfect 720.

Master
Jul 18, 2020

A tough matchup

7–0 behind in the head-to-head

QUAU ahead in 100% of their meetings

QUAU has come out ahead in 7 of their 7 shared contests.

The weak link

−7.8 points behind their best meat

Pork Ribs is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 7.75 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 7% of the time against 0%.

Pork Ribs avg 152.18
Chicken avg 159.93
1 call in 15 entries

The comeback

2.6 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 2.6 years, then back at Ozarks BBQ Fest (Jun 9, 2023).

last seen Oct 16, 2020
back Jun 9, 2023

Chicken nemesis

7 of 7 shared chicken entries lost

GETTIN' BASTED ahead 100% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, GETTIN' BASTED has out-cooked them in 7 of 7 shared chicken entries.

The long haul

3,349 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 3,349 miles across 15 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 440 miles to Big Brother Big Sister Riverfest.

15 mapped stops
furthest 440 mi

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
2023 ↗	Master	#1189 (75 pts)	#1617 (55 pts)	#1276 (100 pts)	#1266 (65 pts)	#1180 (90 pts)
2020 ↗	Master	#453 (236 pts)	#386 (306 pts)	#508 (226 pts)	#416 (276 pts)	#382 (311 pts)
2019 ↗	Master	#1617 (115 pts)	#1523 (130 pts)	#1697 (115 pts)	#1359 (170 pts)	#1698 (110 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#1722 (120 pts)	#1802 (120 pts)	#1822 (120 pts)	#1799 (120 pts)	#1794 (120 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#2274 (60 pts)	#2353 (60 pts)	#2349 (60 pts)	#2326 (60 pts)	#2345 (60 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to PAPA SEAN'S BBQ, each with one reason worth a look.

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

CHILLIN AND GRILLIN CREW

#6,248 of the rated field

1418 power rating

Contests: 12
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1418

0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to PAPA SEAN'S BBQ)

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

rated over 12 contests
last seen Sep 12, 2019

⚔ Head-to-head

Smokin Bros BBQ

#6,244 of the rated field

1418 power rating

Contests: 12
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1418

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 12 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 12 contests
last seen Aug 23, 2019

⚔ Compare careers

ARCHIE'S MEATHEADS

#6,245 of the rated field

1418 power rating

Contests: 17
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1418

Their last contest in the data was back in 2017, 6 years before PAPA SEAN'S BBQ's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 17 contests

⚔ Compare careers

Mullet Brothers

#6,249 of the rated field

1418 power rating

Contests: 11
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1418

Careers of much the same size, 11 contests to 15, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 11 contests
last seen Sep 30, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

NachBarBQ

#6,247 of the rated field

1418 power rating

Contests: 11
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1418

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

rated over 11 contests
last seen Sep 23, 2022

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BBQ4FUN

#6,240 of the rated field

1418 power rating

Contests: 20
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 10%
Peak: 1418

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

rated over 20 contests
last seen Jul 18, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Behind	Win rate
QUAU	7	7	0%	⚔ compare
GETTIN' BASTED	7	7	0%	⚔ compare
One2BBQ	6	6	0%	⚔ compare
THE SMOKE HUNTERS	5	5	0%	⚔ compare
NUTTHIN BUT PORK	5	5	0%	⚔ compare
TAILGATE GUYS BBQ	5	5	0%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	14	0	169.1200	149.0856	159.93	top 75%
Pork Ribs	15	1	170.2628	130.2400	152.18	top 82%
Pork	14	0	166.8916	143.9656	159.24	top 72%
Brisket	14	0	167.9656	129.6572	156.34	top 70%

“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)	7	0	top 82%
Large (40+)	7	0	top 83%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	Avg finish
IL	6	top 89%
MO	5	top 78%
WI	1	top 74%
AL	1	top 79%
KS	1	top 80%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Ozarks BBQ Fest	2	21	top 77%	Jun 9, 2023
Smokin on the Osage (Day 2)	2	25	top 85%	Jul 18, 2020
CIBR-BBQ Central Illinois Bragging Right BBQ	2	39	top 95%	Oct 13, 2017

More numbers

Busiest season 2020 4 contests

Contests a season 2.5 across 6 seasons in the data

Most contests held in IL 7 of 15 contests · 5 states in all

Contests visited 11 3 of them more than once

Most-entered meat Pork Ribs 15 entries · 0 wins · 1 call

Opponents faced 731 finished ahead 170 times, behind 751

Longest layoff 2.6 yrs Oct 16, 2020 → Jun 9, 2023

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

20232 milestones

Jun 9 Career-best single call (Pork Ribs)170.2628 Ozarks BBQ Fest
Jun 9 Most recent contest Ozarks BBQ Fest

20202 milestones

Jul 18 First overall past 90% of a perfect score663.8856 Smokin on the Osage (Day 2)
Jul 18 Career-best overall score663.8856 Smokin on the Osage (Day 2)

20191 milestone

Jun 7 10th tracked contest Blues,Brews & Barbecue

20161 milestone

Sep 24 First call Barbeque on the Hill (COMPETITORS SERIES)

20152 milestones

Jul 24 First tracked contest 5th Annual Morton BBQ Throwdown
Jul 24 Peak power rating (1488) 5th Annual Morton BBQ Throwdown

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+0.1	Ozarks BBQ Fest	Jun 9, 2023

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-11.9	5th Annual Morton BBQ Throwdown	Jul 24, 2015
-10.8	Blues,Brews & Barbecue	Jun 7, 2019
-10.3	CIBR-BBQ Central Illinois Bragging Right BBQ	Oct 14, 2016
-10	CIBR-BBQ Central Illinois Bragging Right BBQ	Oct 13, 2017
-6.5	Windy City BBQ Classic	Sep 11, 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	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2023	1	0%	top 70%	91.6%	91.6%
2020	4	0%	top 82%	92.2%	89.7%
2019	2	0%	top 82%	87.1%	83.5%
2017	3	0%	top 85%	88.7%	86.1%
2016	2	50%	top 95%	86.2%	86.2%
2015	3	0%	top 82%	87%	85.9%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Jun 9, 2023	Ozarks BBQ Fest 🏅 Springfield, MO	21 / 30 (659.8400)	29 (155.3716)	16 (170.2628)	23 (166.2400)	18 (167.9656)
Oct 16, 2020	Best of the Midwest BBQ 🏅 Union Grove, WI	37 / 50 (635.8512)	17 (169.1200)	42 (155.9428)	50 (143.9656)	20 (166.8228)
Jul 18, 2020	Smokin on the Osage (Day 2) 🏅 Osceola, MO	26 / 31 (663.8856)	26 (167.3828)	26 (164.5372)	26 (165.1428)	21 (166.8228)
Jul 17, 2020	Smokin on the Osage (Day 1) 🏅 Osceola, MO	25 / 29 (645.0288)	28 (159.9772)	28 (158.2516)	24 (161.1200)	17 (165.6800)
Jun 19, 2020	Ozarks BBQ Fest 🏅 Springfield, MO	22 / 26 (637.5660)	16 (167.9772)	24 (155.3716)	15 (164.5600)	24 (149.6572)
Jun 7, 2019	Blues,Brews & Barbecue 🏅 Beardstown, IL	24 / 25 (575.7944)	21 (157.1200)	24 (134.7544)	22 (154.2628)	25 (129.6572)
Apr 26, 2019	Rock N Ribs BBQ Festival 🏅 Springfield, MO	27 / 40 (627.2800)	32 (155.9428)	28 (157.0744)	16 (162.8572)	32 (151.4056)
Oct 13, 2017	CIBR-BBQ Central Illinois Bragging Right BBQ Arthur, IL	39 / 41 (590.6056)	39 (149.0856)	38 (149.6344)	40 (145.6456)	37 (146.2400)
Sep 15, 2017	Big Brother Big Sister Riverfest Decatur, AL	31 / 39 (638.6516)	27 (163.3828)	35 (150.7772)	27 (161.6572)	25 (162.8344)
Sep 1, 2017	38th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) Kansas City, KS	325 / 407 (631.3372)	354 (154.8456)	386 (146.2288)	192 (166.8112)	211 (163.4516)
Oct 14, 2016	CIBR-BBQ Central Illinois Bragging Right BBQ Authur, IL	52 / 55 (620.9828)	25 (166.2628)	55 (139.8972)	34 (162.8456)	49 (151.9772)
Sep 24, 2016	Barbeque on the Hill (COMPETITORS SERIES) Blue Island, IL	—	—	9 (158.2516)	—	—
Oct 16, 2015	10th Annual Lambs Farm Barn Burner Bar-B-Q Libertyville, IL	27 / 35 (626.2628)	29 (155.3944)	15 (165.2344)	30 (152.5484)	24 (153.0856)
Sep 11, 2015	Windy City BBQ Classic Chicago, IL	46 / 61 (625.5884)	41 (160.5484)	59 (146.2172)	53 (154.8228)	20 (164)
Jul 24, 2015	5th Annual Morton BBQ Throwdown Morton, IL	44 / 47 (602.8460)	34 (156.6172)	47 (130.2400)	15 (166.8916)	43 (149.0972)

PAPA SEAN'S 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

A tough matchup

The weak link

The comeback

Chicken nemesis

The long haul

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)