Yardogs BBQ

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

Power ranking

#476

of 6,413 rated · rankings

Rating

1683

peak 1711 · rated over 34 contests ⓘ

Best runs

straight top-10s · 2 straight GCs

Contests

in the data

First seen

2024-04-19

latest 2026-08-21

Best ToY finish

#16

Backyard 2024

Grand champs

4 reserve

Category wins

23 podiums

Overall top-10s

of 39 contests

Avg finish

top 28%

overall standings

Best overall

690.8000 / 360

Backyard · Grand American Barbecue New York State Championship Open (OPEN FORMAT)

Perfect 180s

2 🔥

Current form

336.97 ▼

last 5 Backyard vs avg 350.11 (-13.14)

Walk rate

85%

contests with a top-10 call

Top-10 streak

best run (overall)

Best single call

180.0000 🔥

Chicken · Smoke on the Rail BBQ Festival (Day 2)

Consistency

±58.81

std dev of Backyard overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 171.33 · weakest Pork (161.48)

Road miles

3,467

mi across 39 mapped stops · furthest 589 mi

Schedule strength

71%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1589)

Purse competed for

$170K

listed at 34 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

2 🏅

GCs in 30 state-championship entries

Backyard avg

350.11 / 360

35 Backyard contests · 3 GCs

This team cooks the Backyard series — its own boards, records and Team of the Year are here.

⚔ Compare with another team

Storylines (18 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.

The heartbreaker

2.2972 points from the title

Came within 2.2972 points of the Grand Championship at Stoney Creek BBQ Cookoff (2025-08-22).

Among the elite

#476 of 6,413 rated teams

In the top 7% of every rated team in the data

A power rating of 1683 puts them #476 of 6,413 rated teams — the top 7% of the field.

rating 1683
peak 1711
34 rated contests

Perfect scores on the board

2 perfect 180s

2 perfect 180s in the data — every judge at the table handing back a nine, all in chicken.

Chicken ×2

Giant slayer

37 teams beaten in one weekend

Took the Grand Championship over a 37-team field at Twin Valley Fire and Smoke (Day 1).

2024-05-17

Happy hunting ground

1× Grand Championships here

New Jersey KnoQ-out - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (DAY 2) is their spot: 1 Grand Championship in 6 visits.

6 visits
best finish 1st
average top 14%

They almost always walk

85% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 33 of 39 contests

A top-10 category call in 85% of their 39 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

690.8000 career-best overall

191.9% of a perfect 360

Their best day on record: 690.8000 at Grand American Barbecue New York State Championship Open (OPEN FORMAT) — 191.9% of a perfect 360.

Backyard
2026-05-02

State champions

2 state championships won

They've taken 2 state championships from 30 entries at contests carrying the title.

30 state-championship entries

The one to beat

4× one call ahead of them

Leaning Jowler BBQ has finished one call ahead of Yardogs BBQ 4 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2024 2 Grand Championships

2024 was the year it came together: 13 contests, 2 Grand Championships and 5 category wins, at an average finish in the top 26%.

13 contests
9 overall top-10s
5 category wins
average top 26%

A tough matchup

8–1 behind in the head-to-head

ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN ahead in 89% of their meetings

ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN has come out ahead in 8 of their 9 shared contests.

A strong matchup

18–1 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 95% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of 4 BOXERS Q in 18 of their 19 shared contests.

Chicken nemesis

17 of 26 shared chicken entries lost

FIRE & SHINE BBQ ahead 65% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, FIRE & SHINE BBQ has out-cooked them in 17 of 26 shared chicken entries.

Always the bridesmaid

4 reserve championships

Runner-up for the whole thing 4 times against 3 Grand Championships — close enough to touch it, over and over.

3 Grand Championships
39 contests

Looking over their shoulder

7× one call behind them

Rough Cut Q has landed one call behind them 7 times.

Boom or bust

±16.34% swing around their own average

Their overall swings ±16.34% of a perfect score around its own average — when it lands they're dangerous, and when it doesn't the weekend is gone by lunch.

averages 97.3% of a perfect score
best 191.9%

An April team

Top 16% average finish in April

Something about April: average finish in the top 16% across 4 contests, versus top 28% the rest of the year.

4 April contests
top 28% the rest of the year

The long haul

3,467 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 3,467 miles across 39 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 589 miles to 7th Annual KCBS World Invitational Chicken (Friday, May 23, 2025).

39 mapped stops
furthest 589 mi

In the record book (1 in the KCBS record book)

Where this team stands in the all-time KCBS record book. A gold line is a record they hold outright; the rest are boards they are on. Rebuilt nightly, so beating one shows up here the next morning.

#5 🏡 Highest Backyard overall score 690.8000 Backyard Series, out of 360 · finished 2nd · 2 May 2026

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.

BRINGIN' THE HEAT

#475 of the rated field

1683 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 35
GCs: 2
Top-10s: 69%
Peak: 1683

No shared contest yet.

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 34 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 34 contests
last seen 2018-09-14
on a 4-contest top-10 run

⚔ Head-to-head

Pig-Chicka-Cow-Cow

#477 of the rated field

1683 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 17
GCs: 4
Top-10s: 59%
Peak: 1683

No shared contest yet.

Their last contest in the data was back in 2020, 6 years before Yardogs BBQ's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 14 contests

⚔ Head-to-head

FIRE DANCER BBQ

#478 of the rated field

1683 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 250
GCs: 17
Top-10s: 50%
Peak: 1821

No shared contest yet.

250 contests to 39: their number has had years to settle where Yardogs BBQ's is still finding its level.

rated over 238 contests
last seen 2026-08-14
on a 3-contest top-10 run

⚔ Head-to-head

BULL IN THE RING

#472 of the rated field

1684 ▲ 1 power rating

Contests: 48
GCs: 2
Top-10s: 54%
Peak: 1693

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

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

rated over 42 contests
last seen 2026-08-14

⚔ Head-to-head

Porket About It

#480 of the rated field

1682 ▼ 1 power rating

Contests: 38
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 53%
Peak: 1682

No shared contest yet.

38 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 53% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 38 contests
last seen 2026-08-15

⚔ Head-to-head

RUBBING BUTTS BBQ KS

#469 of the rated field

1685 ▲ 1 power rating

Contests: 45
GCs: 4
Top-10s: 49%
Peak: 1685

No shared contest yet.

They were already cooking in 2013, 11 years before Yardogs BBQ's first contest.

rated over 43 contests
last seen 2016-10-14

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
Leaning Jowler BBQ	29	11	18	38%	⚔ compare
Capt. Blue BBQ	27	15	12	56%	⚔ compare
Rough Cut Q	25	14	11	56%	⚔ compare
FIRE & SHINE BBQ	25	8	17	32%	⚔ compare
All About the Wood	22	12	10	55%	⚔ compare
Backwooder BBQ	20	12	8	60%	⚔ compare
4 BOXERS Q	19	18	1	95%	⚔ compare
SUSQUEHANNA SMOKERS	19	14	4	74%	⚔ compare
Oink N' Doink BBQ	19	11	8	58%	⚔ compare
Uncle Pig's Barbeque Pit	19	10	6	53%	⚔ compare
CHUNKY BBQ	17	12	3	71%	⚔ compare
Buckeye Blue Smoke BBQ	17	12	2	71%	⚔ compare
Castleton Q	17	12	5	71%	⚔ compare
Piggy & Swine BBQ	16	10	6	63%	⚔ compare
UP IN SMOKERS	15	13	2	87%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	37	26	5	13	180.0000 🔥	161.6916	171.33	top 30%
Pork Ribs	36	25	3	10	177.7144	158.2288	169.12	top 32%
Pork	3	0	0	0	172.0000	153.0744	161.48	top 56%
Brisket	1	0	0	0	165.6684	165.6684	165.67	top 63%

“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	GCs	Avg finish
PA	17	2	top 32%
NJ	10	1	top 20%
VA	4	0	top 33%
NY	3	0	top 26%
TN	1	0	top 9%

By contest size

Field	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
Small (<20 teams)	8	1	top 31%
Medium (20–39)	24	2	top 28%
Large (40+)	3	0	top 18%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	GCs	Avg finish	Last visit
New Jersey KnoQ-out - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (DAY 2)	6	1	1	top 14%	2026-04-18
Smoke on the Rail BBQ Festival (Day 2)	6	3	0	top 39%	2026-07-25
Twin Valley Fire and Smoke (Day 2)	4	1	1	top 41%	2026-05-16
York County BBQ Festival (Day 2)	4	3	0	top 28%	2025-06-28
K.S. Que (BACKYARD ONLY)	2	1	1	top 14%	2026-07-11
Stoney Creek BBQ Cookoff	2	2	0	top 39%	2026-08-21
Red White & Que - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (Day 2)	2	8	0	top 25%	2025-10-25
Catskills Barbeque - Backyard Competition (Day 2)	2	3	0	top 38%	2025-06-07
Red White & Que - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (Day 2)	2	7	0	top 34%	2024-10-19
Americamps BBQ Throwdown (Day 2)	2	7	0	top 27%	2024-08-10

The story so far (20 numbers that describe this team)

On the trail 2.3 yrs 2024-04-19 → 2026-08-21

Busiest season 2025 16 contests · 1 GC

Contests a season 13 across 3 seasons in the data

Cooks most in PA 17 of 39 contests · 5 states/provinces in all

Contests visited 13 10 of them cooked more than once

Most-entered meat Chicken 37 entries · 5 wins · 26 calls

Strongest meat Chicken averages 171.33 · weakest Pork (161.48)

Walk rate 85% a top-10 call in 33 of 39 contests

Overall top-10 rate 64% 25 of 39 contests

Wins it all 8% 3 Grand Championships · 4 reserve

First title 2024-04-20 New Jersey KnoQ-out - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (DAY 2)

Best top-10 run 8 straight contests

Backyard average 350.11 out of 360 · 35 contests · 3 GCs

Perfect 180s 2 every judge at the table handing back a nine

Opponents faced 408 1,150–428 across every shared overall standing

Road miles 3,467 39 mapped stops · furthest 589 mi

Schedule strength 1589 average field rating faced — tougher than 71% of rated contests

Purse competed for $169,830 listed at 34 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships 2 from 30 state-championship entries

Power rating 1683 peak 1711 · #476 of 6,413 rated

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

2024
Apr 19 First tracked contest New Jersey KnoQ-out - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (DAY 1)
Apr 19 First call New Jersey KnoQ-out - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (DAY 1)
Apr 19 First overall top-10 New Jersey KnoQ-out - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (DAY 1)
Apr 19 First overall past 90% of a perfect score329.0860 New Jersey KnoQ-out - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (DAY 1)
Apr 20 First category win (Chicken) New Jersey KnoQ-out - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (DAY 2)
Apr 20 First overall podium New Jersey KnoQ-out - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (DAY 2)
Apr 20 First Grand Championship New Jersey KnoQ-out - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (DAY 2)
Apr 20 First state championship New Jersey KnoQ-out - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (DAY 2)
May 17 First perfect 180 (Chicken) Twin Valley Fire and Smoke (Day 1)
May 17 Biggest field won (37 teams) Twin Valley Fire and Smoke (Day 1)
May 24 First Reserve Championship Big Knob BBQ & Brew Fest
Aug 9 10th tracked contest Americamps BBQ Throwdown (Day 1)
2025
Jul 25 25th tracked contest Smoke on the Rail BBQ Festival (Day 1)
2026
May 2 Career-best overall score690.8000 Grand American Barbecue New York State Championship Open (OPEN FORMAT)
May 2 Peak power rating (1711) Grand American Barbecue New York State Championship Open (OPEN FORMAT)
Aug 21 Most recent contest Stoney Creek BBQ Cookoff

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+17.7	New Jersey KnoQ-out - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (DAY 2)	2024-04-20
+17.4	Twin Valley Fire and Smoke (Day 1)	2024-05-17
+14.7	Twin Valley Fire and Smoke (Day 2)	2024-05-18
+13.1	York County BBQ Festival (Day 2)	2024-06-29
+12.7	K.S. Que (BACKYARD ONLY)	2025-07-12

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-15.1	Twin Valley Fire and Smoke (Day 2)	2026-05-16
-10	Twin Valley Fire and Smoke (Day 1)	2026-05-15
-7.1	Stoney Creek BBQ Cookoff	2026-08-21
-4	Smoke on the Rail BBQ Festival (Day 1)	2025-07-25
-2.8	Smoke on the Rail BBQ Festival (Day 1)	2026-07-24

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	GCs	Top-10s	Category wins	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2026	10	0	4	2	70%	top 38%	191.9%	104.7%
2025	16	1	12	1	88%	top 23%	98.4%	95.5%
2024	13	2	9	5	92%	top 26%	98.4%	93.9%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2026-08-21	Stoney Creek BBQ Cookoff 🏅 Edinburg, VA	17 / 26 (336.5028)	13 (170.8344)	16 (165.6684)	—	—
2026-07-25	Smoke on the Rail BBQ Festival (Day 2) 🏅 New Freedom, PA	12 / 39 (341.6800)	1 (180.0000)	25 (161.6800)	—	—
2026-07-24	Smoke on the Rail BBQ Festival (Day 1) 🏅 New Freedom, PA	18 / 43 (335.3716)	20 (167.3944)	19 (167.9772)	—	—
2026-07-11	K.S. Que (BACKYARD ONLY) Kennett Square, PA	3 / 15 (340.5028)	4 (171.9772)	5 (168.5256)	—	—
2026-05-16	Twin Valley Fire and Smoke (Day 2) 🏅 Morgantown, PA	15 / 17 (330.7888)	10 (170.2744)	18 (160.5144)	—	—
2026-05-15	Twin Valley Fire and Smoke (Day 1) 🏅 Morgantown, PA	15 / 25 (331.3488)	15 (166.2400)	16 (165.1088)	—	—
2026-05-02	Grand American Barbecue New York State Championship Open (OPEN FORMAT) 🏅 New Paltz, NY	2 / 59 (690.8000)	8 (176.5600)	6 (176.5716)	20 (172.0000)	37 (165.6684)
2026-04-18	New Jersey KnoQ-out - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (DAY 2) 🏅 Blairstown, NJ	4 / 26 (346.8228)	9 (170.2628)	1 (176.5600)	—	—
2026-04-18	New Jersey KnoQ-out - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (ONE MEAT RIBS) Blairstown, NJ	—	—	4 (173.1200)	—	—
2026-04-17	New Jersey KnoQ-out - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (DAY 1) 🏅 Blairstown, NJ	4 / 26 (339.9544)	9 (165.0972)	3 (174.8572)	—	—
2025-10-25	Red White & Que - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (Day 2) 🏅 Jackson, NJ	8 / 32 (337.6688)	11 (165.0972)	3 (172.5716)	—	—
2025-10-24	Red White & Que - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (Day 1) 🏅 Jackson, NJ	8 / 31 (334.7772)	5 (171.9656)	11 (162.8116)	—	—
2025-08-22	Stoney Creek BBQ Cookoff 🏅 Edinburg, VA	2 / 16 (347.3944)	3 (174.2744)	4 (173.1200)	—	—
2025-07-26	Smoke on the Rail BBQ Festival (Day 2) 🏅 New Freedom, PA	3 / 27 (346.8688)	2 (176.5716)	8 (170.2972)	—	—
2025-07-25	Smoke on the Rail BBQ Festival (Day 1) 🏅 New Freedom, PA	17 / 30 (338.8116)	22 (166.2400)	7 (172.5716)	—	—
2025-07-12	K.S. Que (BACKYARD ONLY) Kennett Square, PA	1 / 12 (343.9428)	2 (170.8228)	1 (173.1200)	—	—
2025-06-28	York County BBQ Festival (Day 2) 🏅 Delta, PA	3 / 10 (345.6916)	8 (171.4172)	2 (174.2744)	—	—
2025-06-27	York County BBQ Festival (Day 1) 🏅 Delta, PA	6 / 26 (338.8348)	8 (173.1316)	10 (165.7032)	—	—
2025-06-07	Catskills Barbeque - Backyard Competition (Day 2) Grahamsville, NY	3 / 8 (354.2744)	2 (178.8572)	4 (175.4172)	—	—
2025-06-06	Catskills Barbeque - Backyard Competition (Day 1) Grahamsville, NY	3 / 8 (348.5256)	3 (174.2628)	4 (174.2628)	—	—
2025-05-25	7th Annual KCBS World Invitational (Sunday, May 25, 2025) unrated Lebanon, TN	6 / 70 (351.9772)	13 (174.2628)	5 (177.7144)	—	—
2025-05-24	7th Annual KCBS World Invitational (Saturday, May 24, 2025) unrated Lebanon, TN	—	—	—	—	—
2025-05-23	7th Annual KCBS World Invitational Chicken (Friday, May 23, 2025) unrated Lebanon, TN	—	33 (169.6800)	—	—	—
2025-05-03	New Jersey KnoQ-out - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (DAY 2) 🏅 Blairstown, NJ	4 / 34 (337.0744)	4 (168.5372)	5 (168.5372)	—	—
2025-05-02	New Jersey KnoQ-out - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (ONE MEAT CHICKEN) Blairstown, NJ	—	10 (168.5372)	—	—	—
2025-05-02	New Jersey KnoQ-out - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (DAY 1) 🏅 Blairstown, NJ	2 / 33 (341.6572)	3 (168.5256)	2 (173.1316)	—	—
2024-10-19	Red White & Que - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (Day 2) 🏅 Columbia, NJ	11 / 26 (337.6920)	5 (173.1432)	11 (164.5488)	—	—
2024-10-18	Red White & Que - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (Day 1) 🏅 Columbia, NJ	7 / 28 (331.9432)	14 (162.8116)	1 (169.1316)	—	—
2024-08-10	Americamps BBQ Throwdown (Day 2) 🏅 Ashland, VA	7 / 28 (336.5604)	3 (174.8572)	13 (161.7032)	20 (153.0744)	—
2024-08-09	Americamps BBQ Throwdown (Day 1) 🏅 Ashland, VA	8 / 27 (341.6572)	5 (171.9772)	9 (169.6800)	17 (159.3600)	—
2024-07-27	Smoke on the Rail BBQ Festival (Day 2) 🏅 New Freedom, PA	12 / 32 (330.2060)	5 (171.9772)	19 (158.2288)	—	—
2024-07-26	Smoke on the Rail BBQ Festival (Day 1) 🏅 New Freedom, PA	19 / 35 (332.5484)	19 (166.2856)	13 (166.2628)	—	—
2024-06-29	York County BBQ Festival (Day 2) 🏅 Delta, PA	3 / 19 (345.0972)	1 (177.7028)	12 (167.3944)	—	—
2024-06-28	York County BBQ Festival (Day 1) 🏅 Delta, PA	13 / 29 (335.9432)	14 (167.3944)	9 (168.5488)	—	—
2024-05-24	Big Knob BBQ & Brew Fest 🏅 Rochester, PA	2 / 23 (332.0460)	2 (170.8572)	2 (161.1888)	—	—
2024-05-18	Twin Valley Fire and Smoke (Day 2) 🏅 Morgantown, PA	3 / 26 (346.2516)	1 (177.7144)	10 (168.5372)	—	—
2024-05-17	Twin Valley Fire and Smoke (Day 1) 🏅 Morgantown, PA	1 / 37 (354.2744)	1 (180.0000)	2 (174.2744)	—	—
2024-04-20	New Jersey KnoQ-out - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (DAY 2) 🏅 Blairstown, NJ	1 / 27 (339.3716)	1 (171.9888)	3 (167.3828)	—	—
2024-04-19	New Jersey KnoQ-out - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (DAY 1) 🏅 Blairstown, NJ	9 / 29 (329.0860)	13 (161.6916)	6 (167.3944)	—	—

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
2026 ↗	Backyard	#45 (848 pts)	#42 (873 pts)	#29 (1001 pts)	—	—
2026 ↗	Master	—	—	#735 (183 pts)	—	—
2025 ↗	Backyard	#20 (1189 pts)	#28 (1152 pts)	#26 (1158 pts)	—	—
2025 ↗	Master	—	#806 (181 pts)	—	—	—
2024 ↗	Backyard	#16 (1211 pts)	#5 (1311 pts)	#24 (1120 pts)	—	—