FatHeads bbq

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

Power ranking

#2990

of 6,413 rated · rankings

Rating

1506

peak 1600 · rated over 51 contests ⓘ

Best runs

straight top-10s

Contests

in the data

First seen

2013-04-26

latest 2023-10-13

Best ToY finish

#674

Master 2014

Grand champs

2 reserve

Category wins

9 podiums

Overall top-10s

of 51 contests

Avg finish

top 51%

overall standings

Best overall

686.7884 / 720

Master · Jiggy with the Piggy BBQ Challenge

Perfect 180s

Current form

648.96 ▼

last 5 Master vs avg 658.16 (-9.20)

Walk rate

49%

contests with a top-10 call

Top-10 streak

best run (overall)

Best single call

178.8572

Pork Ribs · Tilley Harley-Davidson Biker Blues BBQ Rally and BBQ Classic

Consistency

±12.65

std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 166.67 · weakest Brisket (163.57)

Road miles

9,039

mi across 51 mapped stops · furthest 1043 mi

Schedule strength

52%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1567)

Purse competed for

$205K

listed at 16 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

GCs in 15 state-championship entries

Master avg

658.16 / 720

50 Master contests · 0 GCs

Backyard avg

503.92 / 360

1 Backyard contest · 0 GCs

Master and Backyard overall scores sit on different scales (Master is 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.

⚔ Compare with another team

Storylines (10 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

1.1656 points from the title

Came within 1.1656 points of the Grand Championship at Peak City Pigfest (2016-06-17).

High-water mark

686.7884 career-best overall

95.4% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 686.7884 at Jiggy with the Piggy BBQ Challenge — 95.4% of a perfect 720.

Master
2014-05-09

The one to beat

3× one call ahead of them

MUTTLEY CREW BBQ has finished one call ahead of FatHeads bbq 3 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2013 their best year

2013 was the year it came together: 3 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 1 category win, at an average finish in the top 25%.

3 contests
1 overall top-10s
1 category wins
average top 25%

A strong matchup

19–5 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 79% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of CAROLINA SMOKE in 19 of their 24 shared contests.

The comeback

1.6 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 1.6 years, then back at GrillBillies BBQ Shootout (2021-06-04).

last seen 2019-10-11
back 2021-06-04

Chicken nemesis

33 of 44 shared chicken entries lost

SMOKIN SKULLIES ahead 75% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, SMOKIN SKULLIES has out-cooked them in 33 of 44 shared chicken entries.

Looking over their shoulder

3× one call behind them

SMOKIN SKULLIES has landed one call behind them 3 times.

The long haul

9,039 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 9,039 miles across 51 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 1,043 miles to 17th Annual HANOR Smokin' Red Dirt BBQ.

51 mapped stops
furthest 1,043 mi

A standing appointment

4 years running at one contest

They've cooked Kings of Q BBQ Cook-Off and Festival every year from 2016 to 2019 — the contest they never miss.

6 visits in all
best finish 9th

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.

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

DOCTOR CUE NC

#2998 of the rated field

1505 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 22
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 9%
Peak: 1520

1–4 in 5 shared contests (20% to FatHeads bbq)

These two have cooked 5 of the same contests — DOCTOR CUE NC ahead 4–1 — so there's a record behind this pairing and not just a matching number.

rated over 22 contests
last seen 2023-10-13

⚔ Head-to-head

Kalamazoo Pit Posse

#2980 of the rated field

1506 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 37
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 11%
Peak: 1576

No shared contest yet.

They've been 1576 at their best, 70 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 37 contests
last seen 2025-09-19

⚔ Head-to-head

BLUE EYED BBQ

#2999 of the rated field

1505 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 82
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 9%
Peak: 1526

No shared contest yet.

A longer road to the same neighbourhood — 82 contests to 51.

rated over 81 contests
last seen 2026-06-26

⚔ Head-to-head

SHADE TREE BBQ

#2988 of the rated field

1506 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 31
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 13%
Peak: 1525

No shared contest yet.

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

rated over 31 contests

⚔ Head-to-head

Nice Rack BBQ

#2995 of the rated field

1505 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 24
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 8%
Peak: 1522

No shared contest yet.

24 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 8% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 24 contests
last seen 2023-11-17

⚔ Head-to-head

Click & Q

#2991 of the rated field

1506 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 19
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 58%
Peak: 1512

No shared contest yet.

They turned up 10 years after FatHeads bbq did, first appearing in 2023.

rated over 19 contests
last seen 2026-08-29
on a 6-contest top-10 run

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
MUTTLEY CREW BBQ	46	7	39	15%	⚔ compare
SMOKIN SKULLIES	44	12	32	27%	⚔ compare
REDNECK SCIENTIFIC	42	3	39	7%	⚔ compare
HOLY SMOKE BBQ-NC	36	22	14	61%	⚔ compare
THE SMOKEHOUSE MAFIA	32	5	27	16%	⚔ compare
MCADOO HEIGHTS BBQ	26	3	23	12%	⚔ compare
PICKIN' PORKERS	25	11	14	44%	⚔ compare
WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ	25	1	24	4%	⚔ compare
CAROLINA SMOKE	24	19	5	79%	⚔ compare
SAUCED! BBQ TEAM	24	3	21	13%	⚔ compare
ROLLIN' SMOKE	23	13	10	57%	⚔ compare
HICKORY BARBEQUE COMPANY	23	8	15	35%	⚔ compare
K & D SMOKERS	23	5	18	22%	⚔ compare
SMOKE THIS	22	2	20	9%	⚔ compare
WHO CARES BBQ	21	5	16	24%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	51	9	0	4	177.7028	153.6572	166.67	top 51%
Pork Ribs	51	9	0	3	178.8572	150.2172	164.33	top 50%
Pork	51	13	2	2	176.5600	151.9200	163.78	top 54%
Brisket	50	9	0	0	173.7372	148.4684	163.57	top 50%

“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	Avg finish
NC	48	top 51%
OK	2	top 60%
SC	1	top 18%

By contest size

Field	Contests	Avg finish
Small (<20 teams)	1	top 83%
Medium (20–39)	22	top 58%
Large (40+)	28	top 44%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Kings of Q BBQ Cook-Off and Festival	6	9	top 61%	2023-05-19
Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down	5	14	top 55%	2023-10-13
Jiggy With The Piggy	5	15	top 60%	2022-05-13
Tilley Harley-Davidson Biker Blues BBQ Rally and BBQ Classic	4	22	top 41%	2019-09-20
Bone Suckin Sauce Peak City Pig Fest	3	20	top 69%	2022-07-22
*Beak Week BBQ Challenge	3	17	top 53%	2017-09-08
Peak City Pig Fest	3	9	top 30%	2017-06-16
Peak City Pigfest	2	2	top 22%	2016-06-17
* Hog Happnin'	2	26	top 50%	2015-11-06
Jiggy with the Piggy BBQ Challenge	2	2	top 34%	2015-05-08
BBQ Capital Cook-Off	2	17	top 43%	2015-04-24

The story so far (19 numbers that describe this team)

On the trail 10.5 yrs 2013-04-26 → 2023-10-13

Busiest season 2017 7 contests

Contests a season 5.1 across 10 seasons in the data

Cooks most in NC 48 of 51 contests · 3 states/provinces in all

Contests visited 25 11 of them cooked more than once

Most-entered meat Chicken 51 entries · 0 wins · 9 calls

Strongest meat Chicken averages 166.67 · weakest Brisket (163.57)

Walk rate 49% a top-10 call in 25 of 51 contests

Overall top-10 rate 14% 7 of 51 contests

Best top-10 run 3 straight contests

Master average 658.16 out of 720 · 50 contests · 0 GCs

Backyard average 503.92 out of 360 · 1 contest · 0 GCs

Opponents faced 687 1,230–1,122 across every shared overall standing

Road miles 9,039 51 mapped stops · furthest 1,043 mi

Schedule strength 1567 average field rating faced — tougher than 52% of rated contests

Purse competed for $205,100 listed at 16 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships 0 from 15 state-championship entries

Longest layoff 1.6 yrs 2019-10-11 → 2021-06-04

Power rating 1506 peak 1600 · #2990 of 6,413 rated

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

2013
Apr 26 First tracked contest BBQ Capital Cook-Off
Apr 26 First call BBQ Capital Cook-Off
Apr 26 First overall past 90% of a perfect score653.1430 BBQ Capital Cook-Off
Jun 21 First overall top-10 Peak City Pig Fest
Oct 11 First category win (Pork) Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down
2014
May 9 First overall podium Jiggy with the Piggy BBQ Challenge
May 9 First Reserve Championship Jiggy with the Piggy BBQ Challenge
May 9 Career-best overall score686.7884 Jiggy with the Piggy BBQ Challenge
Oct 31 10th tracked contest Hog Happnin'
2015
Sep 18 Career-best single call (Pork Ribs)178.8572 Tilley Harley-Davidson Biker Blues BBQ Rally and BBQ Classic
2016
Sep 9 Peak power rating (1600) Beak Week BBQ Challenge
2017
May 19 25th tracked contest Kings of Q BBQ cook off and Festival
2023
May 19 50th tracked contest Kings of Q BBQ Cook-Off and Festival
Oct 13 Most recent contest Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+15.2	Jiggy with the Piggy BBQ Challenge	2014-05-09
+12.4	Peak City Pigfest	2016-06-17
+9.7	Beach Boogie and Barbeque	2014-08-29
+9.5	Peak City Pig Fest	2014-06-20
+9	Jiggy With the Piggy	2016-05-06

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-12.2	Jiggy With the Piggy	2017-05-05
-11.3	Jiggy With The Piggy - Day 1	2023-05-05
-10.2	Jiggy With the Piggy	2018-05-04
-9.3	Kings of Q BBQ Cook-Off and Festival	2023-05-19
-9.1	Jimbo's Annual BBQ Competition	2022-04-08

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)
2023	3	0	0	0%	top 90%	90.1%	89.5%
2022	6	0	0	0%	top 72%	93.2%	91%
2021	3	1	0	67%	top 55%	140%	108.3%
2019	5	0	0	80%	top 49%	92.4%	91.4%
2018	4	0	0	50%	top 60%	92%	90.2%
2017	7	0	0	29%	top 57%	93.2%	90.5%
2016	6	2	0	50%	top 36%	95.4%	92.8%
2015	7	0	1	57%	top 49%	92.9%	91.5%
2014	7	3	0	71%	top 27%	95.4%	92.6%
2013	3	1	1	100%	top 25%	92.5%	91.4%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2023-10-13	Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down 🏅 Rocky Mount, NC	23 / 27 (648.4456)	22 (160.5600)	24 (154.8000)	20 (161.6456)	11 (171.4400)
2023-05-19	Kings of Q BBQ Cook-Off and Festival 🏅 Ayden, NC	23 / 25 (640.3544)	25 (155.3828)	17 (162.8116)	24 (159.3600)	18 (162.8000)
2023-05-05	Jiggy With The Piggy - Day 1 🏅 Kannapolis, NC	33 / 35 (644.9144)	28 (165.6800)	33 (159.3716)	31 (161.6572)	32 (158.2056)
2022-10-07	Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down 🏅 Rocky Mount, NC	19 / 27 (663.8628)	13 (173.7028)	15 (167.4172)	25 (156.5144)	14 (166.2284)
2022-07-22	Bone Suckin Sauce Peak City Pig Fest 🏅 Apex, NC	28 / 35 (647.2340)	14 (171.4056)	29 (162.2284)	27 (158.8228)	29 (154.7772)
2022-05-20	Kings of Q BBQ Cook-Off and Festival 🏅 Ayden, NC	26 / 32 (646.1144)	19 (169.6800)	29 (154.8116)	28 (159.9428)	22 (161.6800)
2022-05-13	Jiggy With The Piggy 🏅 Kannapolis, NC	25 / 46 (670.6968)	15 (173.7028)	11 (171.9772)	39 (158.7884)	22 (166.2284)
2022-04-22	17th Annual HANOR Smokin' Red Dirt BBQ Enid, OK	21 / 26 (643.8172)	15 (169.6684)	18 (163.3944)	23 (153.0628)	21 (157.6916)
2022-04-08	Jimbo's Annual BBQ Competition 🏅 Stem, NC	23 / 36 (659.8744)	18 (166.2628)	15 (169.7144)	31 (159.9428)	20 (163.9544)
2021-10-08	Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down 🏅 Rocky Mount, NC	11 / 26 (673.6456)	18 (166.8572)	3 (175.4172)	8 (169.6800)	15 (161.6912)
2021-10-01	Que' For a Cause (BACKYARD) Tahlequah, OK	8 / 20 (503.9200)	4 (174.8572)	13 (162.8228)	10 (166.2400)	—
2021-06-04	GrillBillies BBQ Shootout 🏅 Wendell, NC	15 / 18 (658.1716)	15 (167.3828)	12 (169.1316)	15 (162.2400)	14 (159.4172)
2019-10-11	Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down 🏅 Rocky Mount, NC	16 / 32 (657.6000)	5 (173.7144)	15 (163.9772)	27 (156.5028)	16 (163.4056)
2019-09-20	Tilley Harley-Davidson Biker Blues BBQ Rally and BBQ Classic 🏅 Salisbury, NC	25 / 56 (665.6000)	11 (171.4056)	28 (166.8228)	50 (154.2516)	8 (173.1200)
2019-06-14	Bone Suckin Sauce Peak City Pig Fest 🏅 Apex, NC	20 / 38 (651.2684)	2 (177.7028)	20 (163.9884)	31 (151.9200)	24 (157.6572)
2019-05-17	Kings of Q BBQ Cook-off and Festival 🏅 Ayden, NC	15 / 36 (664.4688)	9 (171.9772)	21 (161.6572)	24 (161.7144)	10 (169.1200)
2019-05-03	Jiggy With The Piggy 🏅 Kannapolis, NC	35 / 60 (651.8972)	32 (165.6684)	22 (166.8344)	11 (169.7144)	57 (149.6800)
2018-10-12	Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down Rocky Mount, NC	14 / 39 (656.4232)	16 (163.9544)	33 (151.9544)	8 (170.8344)	7 (169.6800)
2018-06-15	Bone Suckin Sauce Peak City Pig Fest Apex, NC	33 / 44 (637.5428)	31 (163.4400)	36 (153.6572)	25 (160.5028)	28 (159.9428)
2018-05-18	Kings of Q BBQ cook off and Festival Ayden, NC	17 / 38 (662.1832)	20 (167.4172)	31 (156.5488)	5 (171.9772)	15 (166.2400)
2018-05-04	Jiggy With the Piggy Kannapolis, NC	58 / 70 (641.4512)	51 (163.3828)	33 (165.0972)	65 (154.7656)	63 (158.2056)
2017-10-20	Smoking in the Foothills Barbecue Competition And Festival Lenoir, NC	25 / 39 (658.1260)	33 (161.6572)	11 (170.8228)	19 (164.5372)	26 (161.1088)
2017-10-13	Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down Rocky Mount, NC	17 / 50 (667.9088)	21 (169.1316)	15 (168.5600)	25 (163.3944)	20 (166.8228)
2017-09-15	Tilley Harley-Davidson Biker Blues BBQ Rally and BBQ Classic Salisbury, NC	22 / 63 (671.3372)	44 (164.5600)	24 (170.2744)	5 (174.8572)	33 (161.6456)
2017-09-08	*Beak Week BBQ Challenge Goldsboro, NC	23 / 39 (659.3028)	29 (163.4288)	27 (162.2512)	10 (169.6800)	24 (163.9428)
2017-06-16	Peak City Pig Fest Apex, NC	22 / 47 (650.1256)	35 (157.6572)	29 (161.1200)	20 (163.9656)	12 (167.3828)
2017-05-19	Kings of Q BBQ cook off and Festival Ayden, NC	27 / 36 (634.6972)	36 (153.6572)	15 (165.0972)	28 (157.6572)	24 (158.2856)
2017-05-05	Jiggy With the Piggy Kannapolis, NC	63 / 75 (620.2856)	68 (154.7772)	53 (159.3828)	57 (157.6572)	64 (148.4684)
2016-10-14	Smoking in the Foothills Lenoir, NC	28 / 41 (664.4112)	14 (173.1200)	17 (166.8112)	36 (157.6456)	25 (166.8344)
2016-09-16	Tilley Harley-Davidson Biker Blues BBQ Rally and BBQ Classic Salisbury, NC	32 / 68 (654.1028)	38 (164.5372)	30 (163.3944)	51 (157.6456)	16 (168.5256)
2016-09-09	Beak Week BBQ Challenge Goldsboro, NC	21 / 44 (665.0288)	20 (169.1316)	16 (169.6800)	25 (163.3944)	25 (162.8228)
2016-06-17	Peak City Pigfest Apex, NC	2 / 46 (686.7772)	2 (174.8572)	3 (174.2744)	22 (165.0856)	5 (172.5600)
2016-05-20	Kings of Q BBQ cook off and Festival Ayden, NC	9 / 30 (661.0512)	15 (165.7028)	18 (162.2628)	9 (166.8228)	10 (166.2628)
2016-05-06	Jiggy With the Piggy Kannapolis, NC	15 / 76 (677.0744)	48 (162.8228)	28 (167.4288)	5 (174.8572)	14 (171.9656)
2015-11-06	* Hog Happnin' Shelby, NC	35 / 60 (660.4800)	42 (162.2744)	21 (167.3828)	41 (162.2744)	25 (168.5484)
2015-10-09	Eastern Carolina BBQ ThrowDown Rocky Mount, NC	14 / 49 (663.3488)	40 (155.9544)	4 (172.5600)	18 (164.5716)	10 (170.2628)
2015-09-18	Tilley Harley-Davidson Biker Blues BBQ Rally and BBQ Classic Salisbury, NC	23 / 59 (669.0176)	17 (170.8344)	2 (178.8572)	44 (159.9544)	44 (159.3716)
2015-09-11	Beak Week BBQ Challenge Goldsboro, NC	17 / 32 (658.8000)	21 (161.1428)	10 (165.7028)	19 (164.5372)	10 (167.4172)
2015-06-19	Peak City Pigfest Apex, NC	18 / 45 (661.6000)	40 (157.0628)	9 (169.6800)	1 (176.0000)	31 (158.8572)
2015-05-08	Jiggy with the Piggy BBQ Challenge Kannapolis, NC	48 / 74 (647.8400)	40 (166.8344)	49 (161.0856)	35 (166.2400)	58 (153.6800)
2015-04-24	BBQ Capital Cook-Off Lexington, NC	37 / 60 (650.1372)	30 (166.8112)	54 (151.3488)	41 (163.4056)	15 (168.5716)
2014-10-31	Hog Happnin' Shelby, NC	26 / 61 (669.0056)	45 (162.2284)	31 (164.5372)	16 (169.6800)	13 (172.5600)
2014-10-10	Eastern Carolina BBQ ThrowDown Rocky Mount, NC	15 / 53 (658.1832)	27 (160.5484)	16 (165.7032)	25 (162.2400)	10 (169.6916)
2014-09-19	Tilley Harley-Davidson Biker Blues BBQ Rally Salisbury, NC	21 / 64 (670.8232)	24 (170.2744)	54 (152.5372)	4 (174.2744)	5 (173.7372)
2014-08-29	Beach Boogie and Barbeque Myrtle Beach, SC	7 / 38 (675.4056)	14 (169.1428)	10 (171.4172)	6 (172.5828)	17 (162.2628)
2014-06-20	Peak City Pig Fest Apex, NC	9 / 48 (661.0976)	2 (176.0000)	37 (156.5372)	22 (162.8344)	13 (165.7260)
2014-05-09	Jiggy with the Piggy BBQ Challenge Kannapolis, NC	2 / 80 (686.7884)	11 (172.0000)	5 (174.2856)	12 (171.9772)	16 (168.5256)
2014-04-25	BBQ Capital Cookoff Lexington, NC	30 / 62 (645.0284)	19 (167.9656)	11 (168.0228)	47 (157.1200)	51 (151.9200)
2013-10-11	Eastern Carolina BBQ Throw Down Rocky Mount, NC	15 / 55 (655.8628)	3 (173.1428)	47 (150.2172)	1 (176.5600)	39 (155.9428)
2013-06-21	Peak City Pig Fest Apex, NC	9 / 36 (665.7140)	10 (169.1428)	5 (169.1430)	7 (169.1426)	20 (158.2856)
2013-04-26	BBQ Capital Cook-Off Lexington, NC	17 / 71 (653.1430)	6 (169.7144)	44 (155.9998)	38 (162.2858)	15 (165.1430)

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
2014 ↗	Master	#674 (546 pts)	#693 (546 pts)	#899 (406 pts)	#669 (566 pts)	#634 (586 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#1701 (125 pts)	#1159 (250 pts)	#2043 (75 pts)	#1031 (300 pts)	#2034 (75 pts)