FRIDAY NIGHT SMOKE

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

Power ranking

#2842

of 6,413 rated · rankings

Rating

1509

peak 1509 · rated over 12 contests ⓘ

Contests

in the data

First seen

2017-10-20

latest 2021-09-24

Best ToY finish

#676

Master 2019

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

4 podiums

Overall top-10s

of 12 contests

Avg finish

top 59%

overall standings

Best overall

681.0860 / 720

Master · Ohio Smoked Meat & BBQ Festival

Perfect 180s

Current form

670.18 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 660.97 (+9.21)

Walk rate

67%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

178.8572

Brisket · Ohio Smoked Meat & BBQ Festival

Consistency

±13.31

std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 166.45 · weakest Pork (163.44)

Road miles

781

mi across 12 mapped stops · furthest 94 mi

Schedule strength

59%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1575)

Purse competed for

$38K

listed at 5 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

GCs in 8 state-championship entries

Master avg

660.97 / 720

12 Master contests · 0 GCs

⚔ Compare with another team

Storylines (8 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.

They almost always walk

67% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 8 of 12 contests

A top-10 category call in 67% of their 12 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

681.0860 career-best overall

94.6% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 681.0860 at Ohio Smoked Meat & BBQ Festival — 94.6% of a perfect 720.

Master
2019-10-18

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

SMOKING BAD has finished one call ahead of FRIDAY NIGHT SMOKE 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2019 their best year

2019 was the year it came together: 4 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 1 category win, at an average finish in the top 45%.

4 contests
1 overall top-10s
1 category wins
average top 45%

A tough matchup

9–0 behind in the head-to-head

SMOKIN' 4-PLAY BBQ ahead in 100% of their meetings

SMOKIN' 4-PLAY BBQ has come out ahead in 9 of their 9 shared contests.

A strong matchup

4–1 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 80% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of CIRCLE L BBQ in 4 of their 5 shared contests.

An October team

Top 45% average finish in October

Something about October: average finish in the top 45% across 3 contests, versus top 59% the rest of the year.

3 October contests
top 59% the rest of the year

The metronome

±1.85% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±1.85% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 91.8% of a perfect score
12 contests

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.

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

The Pig's Blanket

#2853 of the rated field

1509 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 8
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 25%
Peak: 1517

1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to FRIDAY NIGHT SMOKE)

One contest in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team FRIDAY NIGHT SMOKE has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.

rated over 7 contests
last seen 2019-10-25

⚔ Head-to-head

Bucknutz BBQ

#2846 of the rated field

1509 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 46
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 7%
Peak: 1512

1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to FRIDAY NIGHT SMOKE)

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 46 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 46 contests
last seen 2026-08-14

⚔ Head-to-head

BURNING PIG BBQ

#2834 of the rated field

1510 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 47
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 21%
Peak: 1542

2–5 in 7 shared contests (29% to FRIDAY NIGHT SMOKE)

47 contests to 12: their number has had years to settle where FRIDAY NIGHT SMOKE's is still finding its level.

rated over 47 contests
last seen 2026-01-16

⚔ Head-to-head

Pigs'R' Us

#2836 of the rated field

1510 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 12
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 33%
Peak: 1544

No shared contest yet.

12 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 33% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 12 contests
last seen 2026-03-13

⚔ Head-to-head

Wisco Fire BBQ

#2839 of the rated field

1510 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 11
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 18%
Peak: 1514

No shared contest yet.

They turned up 6 years after FRIDAY NIGHT SMOKE did, first appearing in 2023.

rated over 11 contests
last seen 2025-08-22

⚔ Head-to-head

THE SMOKING PIGS

#2855 of the rated field

1509 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 11
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 27%
Peak: 1531

No shared contest yet.

Their last contest in the data was back in 2018, 3 years before FRIDAY NIGHT SMOKE's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 11 contests

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
HIGH ON THE HOG OHIO	11	3	8	27%	⚔ compare
CONVICTED PIGS BBQ	10	5	5	50%	⚔ compare
SMOKIN' 4-PLAY BBQ	9	0	9	0%	⚔ compare
SLIPPERY PETE'S BBQ	8	1	7	13%	⚔ compare
HISTORIC BBQ	8	0	8	0%	⚔ compare
ALE YEAH BBQ	7	4	3	57%	⚔ compare
BURNING PIG BBQ	7	2	5	29%	⚔ compare
SMOKING BAD	7	2	5	29%	⚔ compare
ELEGANTLY VIOLENT BBQ	7	1	6	14%	⚔ compare
TIRE SMOKE BBQ	7	0	7	0%	⚔ compare
SMOKIN HOOSIERS	6	3	3	50%	⚔ compare
PEACE LOVE & SMOKINESS	6	1	5	17%	⚔ compare
UNCLE TOAD'S COMPETITION BBQ	6	1	5	17%	⚔ compare
CIRCLE L BBQ	5	4	1	80%	⚔ compare
SMOKE RIDER	5	4	1	80%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	12	2	0	1	174.2972	157.1544	166.45	top 53%
Pork Ribs	12	4	0	2	174.2860	154.8000	166.07	top 50%
Pork	12	2	0	0	171.9772	147.9088	163.44	top 59%
Brisket	12	4	1	1	178.8572	158.2284	165.02	top 54%

“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 contest size

Field	Contests	Avg finish
Small (<20 teams)	1	top 100%
Medium (20–39)	9	top 51%
Large (40+)	2	top 76%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Ohio Smoked Meat & BBQ Festival	3	5	top 45%	2019-10-18
Smokin' in the Hills	2	12	top 58%	2021-09-24
PigMania Hilliard State Championship BBQ & Music Festival	2	14	top 64%	2019-08-30

The story so far (17 numbers that describe this team)

On the trail 3.9 yrs 2017-10-20 → 2021-09-24

Busiest season 2018 5 contests

Contests a season 2.4 across 5 seasons in the data

Cooks most in OH 11 of 12 contests

Contests visited 8 3 of them cooked more than once

Most-entered meat Chicken 12 entries · 0 wins · 2 calls

Strongest meat Chicken averages 166.45 · weakest Pork (163.44)

Walk rate 67% a top-10 call in 8 of 12 contests

Overall top-10 rate 8% 1 of 12 contests

Master average 660.97 out of 720 · 12 contests · 0 GCs

Opponents faced 176 162–219 across every shared overall standing

Road miles 781 12 mapped stops · furthest 94 mi

Schedule strength 1575 average field rating faced — tougher than 59% of rated contests

Purse competed for $38,100 listed at 5 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships 0 from 8 state-championship entries

Longest layoff 1 yrs 2020-09-18 → 2021-09-24

Power rating 1509 peak 1509 · #2842 of 6,413 rated

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

2017
Oct 20 First tracked contest *Ohio Smoked Meat & BBQ Festival
Oct 20 First call *Ohio Smoked Meat & BBQ Festival
Oct 20 First overall past 90% of a perfect score663.2688 *Ohio Smoked Meat & BBQ Festival
2019
Oct 18 First category win (Brisket) Ohio Smoked Meat & BBQ Festival
Oct 18 First overall top-10 Ohio Smoked Meat & BBQ Festival
Oct 18 10th tracked contest Ohio Smoked Meat & BBQ Festival
Oct 18 Career-best overall score681.0860 Ohio Smoked Meat & BBQ Festival
Oct 18 Career-best single call (Brisket)178.8572 Ohio Smoked Meat & BBQ Festival
2021
Sep 24 Peak power rating (1509) Smokin' in the Hills
Sep 24 Most recent contest Smokin' in the Hills

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+14.7	Ohio Smoked Meat & BBQ Festival	2019-10-18
+10.1	Smokin in The Hills	2019-09-20
+6.3	PigMania Hilliard State Championship BBQ & Music Festival	2019-08-30
+6.1	*Our Lady of Victory Holy Smokes BBQ Competition	2018-08-03
+3.9	Smokin' in the Hills	2021-09-24

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-12.1	PigMania Shelby Mansfield KOA RV Resort	2018-06-01
-6.1	Ohio Veterans Barbecue Cook-Off	2019-07-12
-5.5	PigMania Hilliard State Championship BBQ & Music Festival	2018-06-29
-4.9	PigMania Lebanon State Championship BBQ & Music Festival	2018-08-31
-3.5	*Ohio Smoked Meat & BBQ Festival	2018-10-19

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)
2021	1	0	0	100%	top 46%	92%	92%
2020	1	0	0	0%	top 71%	90.8%	90.8%
2019	4	1	1	75%	top 45%	94.6%	93.3%
2018	5	0	0	60%	top 74%	93%	90.7%
2017	1	0	0	100%	top 46%	92.1%	92.1%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2021-09-24	Smokin' in the Hills 🏅 Hillsboro, OH	12 / 26 (662.7544)	14 (166.2284)	4 (171.4172)	11 (165.0972)	13 (160.0116)
2020-09-18	Smokin in the Hills 🏅 Hillsboro, OH	29 / 41 (653.5540)	23 (166.8112)	23 (163.3944)	29 (160.5256)	29 (162.8228)
2019-10-18	Ohio Smoked Meat & BBQ Festival 🏅 Nelsonville, OH	5 / 28 (681.0860)	3 (174.2972)	19 (164.5488)	22 (163.3828)	1 (178.8572)
2019-09-20	Smokin in The Hills 🏅	11 / 38 (677.6344)	12 (171.9884)	3 (174.2860)	15 (169.7028)	26 (161.6572)
2019-08-30	PigMania Hilliard State Championship BBQ & Music Festival 🏅 Hilliard, OH	14 / 28 (675.8512)	24 (162.7884)	2 (173.7144)	16 (167.3828)	6 (171.9656)
2019-07-12	Ohio Veterans Barbecue Cook-Off 🏅 Kettering, OH	27 / 33 (652.4116)	21 (164.5256)	26 (165.0972)	23 (164.5372)	27 (158.2516)
2018-10-19	*Ohio Smoked Meat & BBQ Festival Nelsonville, OH	20 / 28 (661.0632)	25 (157.1544)	16 (163.9544)	6 (170.2744)	12 (169.6800)
2018-08-31	PigMania Lebanon State Championship BBQ & Music Festival 🏅 Lebanon, OH	37 / 46 (654.6972)	20 (169.1084)	43 (154.8000)	23 (168.5372)	39 (162.2516)
2018-08-03	*Our Lady of Victory Holy Smokes BBQ Competition Cincinnati, OH	14 / 35 (669.6000)	5 (170.2628)	15 (169.1200)	6 (171.9772)	25 (158.2400)
2018-06-29	PigMania Hilliard State Championship BBQ & Music Festival 🏅 Hilliard, OH	26 / 33 (646.1484)	21 (163.3944)	22 (163.4172)	23 (161.1084)	28 (158.2284)
2018-06-01	PigMania Shelby Mansfield KOA RV Resort Shelby, OH	18 / 18 (633.5432)	17 (159.9544)	18 (154.8000)	18 (150.8116)	8 (167.9772)
2017-10-20	*Ohio Smoked Meat & BBQ Festival Nelsonville, OH	18 / 39 (663.2688)	11 (170.8344)	4 (174.2628)	36 (147.9088)	10 (170.2628)

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
2021 ↗	Master	#995 (116 pts)	#1104 (106 pts)	#791 (201 pts)	#954 (121 pts)	#1050 (111 pts)
2020 ↗	Master	#856 (60 pts)	#874 (70 pts)	#892 (70 pts)	#899 (60 pts)	#883 (60 pts)
2019 ↗	Master	#676 (474 pts)	#696 (489 pts)	#550 (629 pts)	#891 (344 pts)	#607 (564 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#1858 (78 pts)	#2555 (53 pts)	#1838 (98 pts)	#1424 (168 pts)	#1703 (118 pts)