Up From The Pits BBQ IL
Rating
1624
peak 1626
Contests
64
in the data
First seen
2019-05-31
latest 2025-08-31
Best ToY finish
#111
Backyard 2024
Grand champs
2
3 reserve
Category wins
10
22 podiums
Overall top-10s
15
of 64 contests
Avg finish
top 49%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
2 🔥
Current form
343.28 ▼
last 5 vs career avg 635.36 (-292.08)
Walk rate
61%
contests with a top-10 call
Top-10 streak
4
best run (overall)
Consistency
±105.01
std dev of overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Chicken
avg 168.99 · weakest Pork (167.33)
Road miles
9519
mi across 64 mapped stops · furthest 577 mi
Storylines
🎯 The one to beat
SmokinGhost BBQ has finished one call ahead of Up From The Pits BBQ 2 times — their closest competition in the data.
👀 Looking over their shoulder
DB BBQ has landed one call behind them 4 times.
⚔️ A tough matchup
TRIPLE H BBQ has come out ahead in 30 of their 33 shared contests.
⚔️ A strong matchup
They've finished ahead of LOADED-N-ROLLIN BBQ in 10 of their 13 shared contests.
🏕️ Happy hunting ground
American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest is their spot: an average finish in the top 8% across 2 visits.
💔 The heartbreaker
Came within 1.1428 points of the Grand Championship at Best of the Midwest BBQ (2022-10-14).
📅 A October team
Something about October: average finish in the top 31% across 4 contests, versus top 49% the rest of the year.
🃏 Against the odds
Their Grand Championship at 8th Annual Rockin' BBQ (Day 2) (2022-05-14) came as the ratings underdog — roughly a 23-in-100 shot against the field's top-rated team, THE REAL SMOKIN ACES.
Teams like this (closest power rating, IL first)
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 54 | 16 | 2 | 6 | 180.0000 🔥 | 154.8228 | 168.99 | top 51% |
| Pork Ribs | 61 | 22 | 3 | 5 | 177.7144 | 150.8344 | 168.05 | top 47% |
| Pork | 48 | 13 | 1 | 4 | 178.8572 | 146.7772 | 167.33 | top 53% |
| Brisket | 48 | 16 | 4 | 7 | 180.0000 🔥 | 151.3828 | 168.21 | top 45% |
“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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| IL | 27 | 1 | top 53% |
| KS | 6 | 0 | top 46% |
| IN | 6 | 1 | top 27% |
| MO | 6 | 0 | top 57% |
| WI | 4 | 0 | top 35% |
| IA | 3 | 0 | top 50% |
| OK | 1 | 0 | top 95% |
| TN | 1 | 0 | top 66% |
By contest size
| Field | Contests | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small (<20 teams) | 3 | 0 | top 35% |
| Medium (20–39) | 27 | 2 | top 43% |
| Large (40+) | 24 | 0 | top 59% |
The story so far
- Busiest season: 2022 (17 contests)
- Cooks mostly in IL (33 of 64 contests)
- Most-entered category: Pork Ribs (61 entries)
- First Grand Championship in the data: 8th Annual Rockin' BBQ (Day 2) (2022-05-14)
- Wins it all in 3% of contests
- All-time average overall score: 635.36
- 2 perfect 180s on the books 🔥
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
Category scores over time
Overall finish over time (top-% of field, lower is better)
Where they finish (overall)
Best vs average (by meat)
Team of the Year rank by season
Season by season
| Season | Contests | GCs | Category wins | Best overall | Avg overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 343.3944 | 341.09 |
| 2024 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 350.8688 | 344.15 |
| 2023 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 698.2288 | 687.62 |
| 2022 | 17 | 1 | 3 | 697.1084 | 679.52 |
| 2021 | 17 | 0 | 3 | 693.0740 | 668.60 |
| 2020 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 684.0000 | 663.54 |
| 2019 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 632.5028 | 626.97 |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-08-31 | Smokin Ghost BBQ Rib Double Dip 2 (ONE MEAT RIBS) Chillicothe, IL | — | — | 11 (166.2400) | — | — |
| 2025-08-31 | Smokin Ghost BBQ Rib Double Dip 1 (ONE MEAT RIBS) Chillicothe, IL | — | — | 13 (163.9428) | — | — |
| 2025-08-22 | Up in Smoke on the Square (BACKYARD ONLY) Lincoln, IL | 16 / 31 (340.5028) | 20 (166.2400) | 6 (174.2628) | — | — |
| 2025-08-16 | Smoke on the Midway (BACKYARD ONLY) Fairbury, IL | 3 / 20 (343.3944) | 1 (180.0000) | 13 (163.3944) | — | — |
| 2025-06-27 | Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown Eureka, IL | 10 / 26 (339.3712) | 3 (175.4056) | 16 (163.9656) | — | — |
| 2024-09-01 | Rib Double Dip (2) (ONE MEAT RIBS) Chillicothe, IL | — | — | 10 (167.3828) | — | — |
| 2024-09-01 | Rib Double Dip (1) (ONE MEAT RIBS) Chillicothe, IL | — | — | 4 (173.1200) | — | — |
| 2024-08-23 | Up in Smoke on the Square (BACKYARD ONLY) Lincoln, IL | 1 / 28 (350.8688) | 2 (176.0000) | 4 (174.8688) | — | — |
| 2024-08-17 | Smoke on the Midway (BACKYARD ONLY) Fairbury, IL | 7 / 26 (342.2400) | 10 (171.4056) | 9 (170.8344) | — | — |
| 2024-03-29 | Iowa State BBQ Championship Altoona, IA | 16 / 42 (339.3368) | 19 (169.6684) | 13 (169.6684) | — | — |
| 2023-10-06 | Smokin' for Garrett Mt. Carmel, IL | 6 / 26 (693.6112) | 17 (168.5140) | 5 (174.2628) | 12 (171.9772) | 1 (178.8572) |
| 2023-09-27 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Sides Kansas City, KS | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2023-09-27 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest Kansas City, KS | 54 / 487 (691.3828) | 111 (173.7028) | 82 (174.2744) | 126 (172.5484) | 132 (170.8572) |
| 2023-09-27 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Invitational Contest Kansas City, KS | 122 / 211 (681.5884) | 13 (177.7144) | 164 (167.3712) | 113 (170.8228) | 157 (165.6800) |
| 2023-09-16 | Saluting with Smoke - Honor Q Reboot Yorkville, IL | 2 / 18 (698.2288) | 12 (171.9772) | 6 (173.1200) | 3 (176.5600) | 3 (176.5716) |
| 2023-09-03 | Rib Double Dip (2) (ONE MEAT RIBS) Chillicothe, IL | — | — | 3 (173.1200) | — | — |
| 2023-09-03 | Rib Double Dip (1) (ONE MEAT RIBS) Chillicothe, IL | — | — | 9 (165.7028) | — | — |
| 2023-08-12 | 5th Annual KCBS World Invitational - MASTER SERIES INVITATIONAL Mayetta, KS | 47 / 62 (689.0168) | 32 (175.4056) | 42 (171.9772) | 51 (168.5256) | 35 (173.1084) |
| 2023-08-11 | 5th Annual KCBS World Invitational - OPEN Mayetta, KS | 57 / 90 (681.0400) | 54 (170.8228) | 51 (170.8688) | 77 (163.9428) | 13 (175.4056) |
| 2023-07-14 | Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown Eureka, IL | 10 / 25 (680.4340) | 3 (175.4056) | 4 (169.6800) | 10 (170.8228) | 16 (164.5256) |
| 2023-05-19 | King of the Corn Ottumwa, IA | 14 / 45 (685.6800) | 7 (174.2628) | 27 (166.8572) | 9 (174.8800) | 16 (169.6800) |
| 2022-10-14 | Best of the Midwest BBQ Union Grove, WI | 2 / 36 (696.5028) | 13 (171.4172) | 1 (176.5716) | 6 (173.1084) | 5 (175.4056) |
| 2022-10-01 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - SIDES Kansas City, KS | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2022-09-29 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - INVITATIONAL CONTEST Kansas City, KS | 153 / 249 (677.6456) | 133 (170.8456) | 157 (169.1200) | 109 (171.4172) | 172 (166.2628) |
| 2022-09-29 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - OPEN CONTEST Kansas City, KS | 20 / 505 (695.9656) | 87 (174.2628) | 85 (173.7144) | 30 (177.1428) | 119 (170.8456) |
| 2022-09-16 | Smokin' For Garrett Mt. Carmel, IL | 16 / 27 (671.3140) | 12 (171.9772) | 14 (166.2628) | 3 (177.7028) | 24 (155.3712) |
| 2022-07-15 | Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown Eureka, IL | 8 / 25 (681.6460) | 10 (172.0000) | 14 (167.9888) | 9 (170.8344) | 8 (170.8228) |
| 2022-07-08 | Harvest on Fire at the Winery Marshall, IL | 15 / 28 (681.0624) | 24 (167.4056) | 7 (173.1200) | 6 (173.7256) | 19 (166.8112) |
| 2022-06-25 | Heritage Days BBQ Showdown (Day Two) Belvidere, IL | 16 / 32 (675.2912) | 12 (173.1200) | 5 (173.7144) | 24 (165.0856) | 28 (163.3712) |
| 2022-06-24 | Heritage Days BBQ Showdown (Day One) Belvidere, IL | 29 / 36 (655.7940) | 9 (171.9656) | 20 (166.2744) | 26 (165.0856) | 32 (152.4684) |
| 2022-06-18 | Hoosier BBQ Classic Day 2 Franklin, IN | 13 / 27 (683.3372) | 1 (178.8572) | 12 (171.9772) | 21 (166.2400) | 19 (166.2628) |
| 2022-06-17 | Hoosier BBQ Classic Day 1 Franklin, IN | 21 / 42 (678.7544) | 8 (174.2856) | 32 (162.8116) | 20 (169.6800) | 12 (171.9772) |
| 2022-05-14 | 8th Annual Rockin' BBQ (Day 2) Warsaw, IN | 1 / 25 (697.1084) | 7 (175.4172) | 1 (177.1428) | 12 (170.2856) | 5 (174.2628) |
| 2022-05-13 | 8th Annual Rockin' BBQ (Day 1) Warsaw, IN | 15 / 36 (681.0516) | 16 (171.4056) | 9 (170.8344) | 23 (166.8344) | 9 (171.9772) |
| 2022-05-13 | 8th Annual Rockin' BBQ (One Meat Ribs) Warsaw, IN | — | — | 22 (163.9544) | — | — |
| 2022-05-06 | Route 66 Smoke Out Dwight, IL | 16 / 33 (672.4684) | 24 (166.8228) | 13 (166.8228) | 22 (162.2628) | 2 (176.5600) |
| 2022-03-26 | Kickin It Route 66 Barbeque Challenge - Day 2 St. Robert, MO | 26 / 39 (669.5656) | 34 (162.2400) | 8 (171.9772) | 20 (166.8228) | 18 (168.5256) |
| 2022-03-25 | Kickin It Route 66 Barbeque Challenge - Day 1 St. Robert, MO | 11 / 38 (675.2796) | 26 (163.9312) | 15 (167.9656) | 10 (171.9772) | 7 (171.4056) |
| 2021-11-13 | 3rd Annual KCBS World Invitational - Master Invitational Shawnee, OK | 87 / 92 (671.3024) | 86 (166.8112) | 65 (170.2972) | 90 (158.7884) | 19 (175.4056) |
| 2021-11-11 | 3rd Annual KCBS World Invitational - Ancillary Shawnee, OK | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2021-09-10 | Honor-Q Yorkville, IL | 6 / 17 (687.3140) | 9 (169.6800) | 3 (174.2628) | 8 (168.5256) | 4 (174.8456) |
| 2021-09-03 | Smithfield Classic in Nashville Nashville, TN | 33 / 50 (678.7428) | 46 (161.6572) | 4 (177.7144) | 46 (159.3712) | 1 (180.0000) |
| 2021-07-17 | Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown Day 2 Eureka, IL | 11 / 19 (671.8968) | 17 (159.3484) | 12 (166.3084) | 4 (173.1200) | 3 (173.1200) |
| 2021-07-16 | Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown Day 1 Eureka, IL | 15 / 25 (667.2912) | 23 (158.2056) | 4 (175.4172) | 14 (167.4056) | 11 (166.2628) |
| 2021-07-09 | Harvest On the Fire At the Winery Marshall, IL | 31 / 38 (653.5080) | 25 (166.2284) | 33 (156.5256) | 27 (164.5256) | 24 (166.2284) |
| 2021-06-26 | Heritage Days BBQ Showdown (Day Two) Belvidere, IL | 36 / 43 (660.9600) | 42 (162.7884) | 40 (163.3944) | 2 (176.5600) | 36 (158.2172) |
| 2021-06-25 | Heritage Days BBQ Showdown (Day one) Belvidere, IL | 37 / 49 (652.4228) | 41 (159.3484) | 45 (155.9544) | 26 (168.5600) | 21 (168.5600) |
| 2021-06-12 | Bring'n Home the Bacon - Day 2 West Salem, WI | 36 / 45 (649.6344) | 35 (164.5600) | 14 (168.6060) | 31 (161.0856) | 37 (155.3828) |
| 2021-06-11 | Bring'n Home the Bacon - Day 1 West Salem, WI | 22 / 52 (665.6112) | 12 (170.8228) | 9 (168.5600) | 22 (168.0000) | 42 (158.2284) |
| 2021-05-15 | Rockin' BBQ - Day 2 Warsaw, IN | 2 / 39 (693.0740) | 14 (171.9656) | 1 (176.5944) | 20 (169.6684) | 5 (174.8456) |
| 2021-05-14 | Rockin' BBQ - Day 1 Warsaw, IN | 6 / 41 (684.5028) | 4 (174.2628) | 40 (153.6800) | 1 (178.8572) | 4 (177.7028) |
| 2021-05-01 | Route 66 Smoke Out Dwight, IL | 20 / 44 (667.8628) | 16 (169.6800) | 17 (166.8228) | 31 (162.8000) | 19 (168.5600) |
| 2021-04-23 | WashMo BBQ & Bluesfest Washington, MO | 29 / 45 (659.8972) | 11 (172.5600) | 13 (171.4172) | 44 (146.7772) | 9 (169.1428) |
| 2021-03-27 | Mother Road BBQ Competition Waynesville, MO | 20 / 32 (674.7996) | 10 (172.5600) | 21 (167.4056) | 25 (165.7028) | 15 (169.1312) |
| 2021-03-26 | Kickin It Route 66 Barbeque Challenge St. Roberts, MO | 43 / 52 (658.7768) | 41 (163.4172) | 26 (169.1084) | 47 (157.6684) | 26 (168.5828) |
| 2020-10-16 | Best of the Midwest BBQ Union Grove, WI | 6 / 50 (684.0000) | 2 (177.7144) | 14 (167.4400) | 9 (172.5828) | 23 (166.2628) |
| 2020-10-02 | Ottumwa Smoketoberfest Ottumwa, IA | 54 / 66 (642.2056) | 61 (155.9312) | 61 (150.8344) | 17 (170.8572) | 39 (164.5828) |
| 2020-09-11 | Kickin It Route 66 Barbeque Challenge St. Roberts, MO | 10 / 26 (682.7768) | 6 (175.4056) | 8 (170.2628) | 25 (157.6684) | 1 (179.4400) |
| 2020-07-18 | CIBBQ Red Devil Edition Day 2 Eureka, IL | 14 / 25 (672.4800) | 24 (162.8112) | 17 (165.0972) | 14 (166.2744) | 1 (178.2972) |
| 2020-07-17 | CIBBQ Red Devil Edition Day 1 Eureka, IL | 14 / 30 (673.0856) | 22 (165.6800) | 17 (168.0000) | 12 (170.2856) | 12 (169.1200) |
| 2020-07-10 | Harvest On the Fire At the Winery Marshall, IL | 49 / 53 (626.6972) | 51 (155.9772) | 49 (151.9544) | 38 (163.4172) | 49 (155.3484) |
| 2019-07-19 | Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown Peoria, IL | 37 / 40 (615.9428) | 37 (154.8228) | 38 (151.9316) | 33 (152.6056) | 35 (156.5828) |
| 2019-06-28 | BBQ SmokeDown at Chicagoland Joliet, IL | 37 / 42 (632.4684) | 32 (163.4056) | 19 (166.8800) | 39 (150.8000) | 38 (151.3828) |
| 2019-05-31 | Up In Smoke on the Square Lincoln, IL | 31 / 36 (632.5028) | 32 (157.1084) | 20 (161.7144) | 25 (161.7144) | 36 (151.9656) |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 ↗ | Backyard | #131 (443 pts) | #101 (573 pts) | #109 (578 pts) | — | — |
| 2025 ↗ | Master | — | — | #794 (210 pts) | — | — |
| 2024 ↗ | Backyard | #111 (539 pts) | #136 (469 pts) | #106 (577 pts) | — | — |
| 2024 ↗ | Master | — | — | #653 (312 pts) | — | — |
| 2023 ↗ | Master | #238 (889 pts) | #250 (889 pts) | #186 (1166 pts) | #260 (844 pts) | #207 (994 pts) |
| 2022 ↗ | Master | #122 (1437 pts) | #115 (1384 pts) | #83 (1602 pts) | #146 (1255 pts) | #109 (1453 pts) |
| 2021 ↗ | Master | #150 (1168 pts) | #154 (1148 pts) | #82 (1578 pts) | #120 (1321 pts) | #70 (1633 pts) |
| 2020 ↗ | Master | #183 (636 pts) | #181 (671 pts) | #208 (566 pts) | #215 (581 pts) | #120 (861 pts) |
| 2019 ↗ | Master | #1231 (180 pts) | #1301 (180 pts) | #1142 (235 pts) | #1307 (180 pts) | #1283 (180 pts) |