The heartbreaker
0.0116
points from the title
Came within 0.0116 points of the Grand Championship at Smoke on the Water Guntersville (BACKYARD ONLY) (Sep 12, 2025).
931 BBQ
931 BBQ is a competition barbecue team with 30 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2023 and 2026. They have won 1 Grand Championship, at the Last Chance Points Dance (BACKYARD) (2025), and finished Reserve Grand Champion twice. They are ranked #561 of 6,476 teams in the KCBS power rankings.
At a glance (the record in numbers)
Rating
1666
peak 1666 · rated over 21 contests2 invitational or side-series contests not counted
Contests
30
in the data
First seen
Apr 7, 2023
latest Apr 3, 2026 · 3 years on the trail
Grand champs
1
2 reserve · wins it all 3% of the time
Category wins
3
9 podiums
Overall top-10s
17
57% of 30 contests
Best top-10 run
10
straight overall top-10s
Avg finish
top 31%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
3 🔥
Current form
350.37 ▲
last 5 Backyard vs avg 336.72 (+13.65)
Walk rate
73%
contests with a top-10 call
Consistency
±37.16
spread of their Backyard overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Chicken
avg 173.40 · weakest Pork (171.03)
Road miles
1,891
across 30 mapped stops · furthest 158 mi
Schedule strength
67%
of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1585)
Purse competed for
$204K
listed at 25 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
0 🏅
won from 9 state-championship entries
Backyard avg
336.72 / 360
21 Backyard contests · 1 GC
Backyard (3-meat) avg
508.48 / 540
1 Backyard (3-meat) contest · 0 GCs
These overall scores sit on different scales (Backyard out of 360, Backyard (3-meat) out of 540), 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.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 ↗ | Backyard | #144 (291 pts) | #150 (296 pts) | #119 (456 pts) | — | — |
| 2026 ↗ | Master | — | #1025 (85 pts) | #954 (120 pts) | — | — |
| 2025 ↗ | Backyard | #42 (999 pts) | #50 (936 pts) | #54 (907 pts) | — | — |
| 2025 ↗ | Master | — | #1097 (92 pts) | #933 (148 pts) | #505 (382 pts) | — |
| 2024 ↗ | Backyard | #44 (934 pts) | #65 (824 pts) | #47 (917 pts) | — | — |
| 2023 ↗ | Backyard | — | #46 (995 pts) | #96 (687 pts) | — | — |
Overall rank by season
Teams like this (closest power rating)
The teams rated closest to 931 BBQ, each with one reason worth a look.
#563 of the rated field
- Contests
- 21
- GCs
- 5
- Top-10s
- 71%
- Peak
- 1665
This is the highest they've ever been rated, 20 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.
⚔ Compare careers#564 of the rated field
- Contests
- 34
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 50%
- Peak
- 1681
Their last contest in the data was back in 2019, 7 years before 931 BBQ's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.
⚔ Compare careers#562 of the rated field
- Contests
- 48
- GCs
- 1
- Top-10s
- 38%
- Peak
- 1678
A longer road to the same neighbourhood — 48 contests to 30.
⚔ Compare careers#565 of the rated field
- Contests
- 39
- GCs
- 4
- Top-10s
- 46%
- Peak
- 1664
Their rating is built on 4 Grand Championships in 39 contests, alongside a 46% overall top-10 rate.
⚔ Compare careers#560 of the rated field
- Contests
- 48
- GCs
- 4
- Top-10s
- 38%
- Peak
- 1675
They were already cooking in 2016, 7 years before 931 BBQ's first contest.
⚔ Compare careers#559 of the rated field
- Contests
- 52
- GCs
- 1
- Top-10s
- 35%
- Peak
- 1693
Level with 931 BBQ on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.
⚔ Compare careersFamiliar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)
| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NORALA BBQ TEAM | 20 | 7 | 13 | 35% | ⚔ compare |
| Deviant Smoke | 18 | 10 | 8 | 56% | ⚔ compare |
| LEE LA Q | 17 | 15 | 2 | 88% | ⚔ compare |
| Smokey Bees BBQ - MS | 17 | 7 | 10 | 41% | ⚔ compare |
| Pork Life | 16 | 12 | 4 | 75% | ⚔ compare |
| Modest Meats | 15 | 12 | 3 | 80% | ⚔ compare |
| Bentley Que | 15 | 9 | 6 | 60% | ⚔ compare |
| Rollin Smoke BBQ | 15 | 9 | 6 | 60% | ⚔ compare |
| Dixie Pigs & Chick's BBQ Team | 14 | 12 | 2 | 86% | ⚔ compare |
| Small Batch BBQ - TN | 13 | 5 | 8 | 38% | ⚔ compare |
| Electro-Que-ted | 11 | 6 | 5 | 55% | ⚔ compare |
| 2 Swine Crew | 11 | 5 | 6 | 45% | ⚔ compare |
| Ghost Hill BBQ | 10 | 9 | 1 | 90% | ⚔ compare |
| PUCKDADDY'S KILLER Q | 10 | 4 | 6 | 40% | ⚔ compare |
| Say My Name BBQ | 9 | 8 | 1 | 89% | ⚔ compare |
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 23 | 12 | 1 | 6 | 180 🔥 | 167.9772 | 173.40 | top 31% |
| Pork Ribs | 24 | 16 | 1 | 2 | 180 🔥 | 163.9312 | 171.55 | top 33% |
| Pork | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 180 🔥 | 166.8572 | 171.03 | top 31% |
“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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small (<20 teams) | 6 | 1 | top 39% |
| Medium (20–39) | 11 | 0 | top 35% |
| Large (40+) | 5 | 0 | top 10% |
Repeat visits (contests they've cooked twice or more)
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke on the Falls | 3 | 5 | 0 | top 51% | Apr 3, 2026 |
| Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship | 2 | 7 | 0 | top 10% | Mar 20, 2026 |
| Smoke on the Water Guntersville (BACKYARD ONLY) | 2 | 2 | 0 | top 35% | Sep 12, 2025 |
| Poosa Q | 2 | 3 | 0 | top 7% | Jun 20, 2025 |
| The High on the Hog Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) | 2 | 6 | 0 | top 28% | May 17, 2024 |
More numbers
Busiest season
2025
10 contests · 1 GC
Contests a season
7.5
across 4 seasons in the data
Most contests held in
AL
20 of 30 contests · 2 states in all
Contests visited
16
5 of them more than once
Most-entered meat
Pork Ribs
24 entries · 1 win · 16 calls
First title
Oct 25, 2025
Last Chance Points Dance (BACKYARD)
Opponents faced
545
finished ahead 925 times, behind 286
Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)
20262 milestones
- Peak power rating (1666) Smoke on the Falls
- Most recent contest Smoke on the Falls
20252 milestones
- 25th tracked contest The Great Alabama BBQ Cook-Off (ONE MEAT CHICKEN)
- First Grand Championship Last Chance Points Dance (BACKYARD)
20245 milestones
- 10th tracked contest Smoke on the Falls
- First category win (Chicken) O'So Good BBQ Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) Day 1
- First overall podium O'So Good BBQ Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) Day 1
- First Reserve Championship O'So Good BBQ Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) Day 1
- First perfect 180 (Pork Ribs) Poosa Q
20235 milestones
- First tracked contest Smoke on the Falls
- First call Smoke on the Falls
- First overall top-10 The High on the Hog Festival (BACKYARD ONLY)
- First overall past 90% of a perfect score344.5488 The High on the Hog Festival (BACKYARD ONLY)
- Career-best overall score508.4800 Smoke in the Park (BACKYARD & KIDS QUE)
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
📈 Biggest rating jumps
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +15.9 | Last Chance Points Dance (BACKYARD) | Oct 25, 2025 |
| +15.6 | Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship | Mar 15, 2024 |
| +15.1 | The High on the Hog Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) | May 19, 2023 |
| +14.9 | Poosa Q | Oct 4, 2024 |
| +14.4 | O'So Good BBQ Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) Day 1 | May 3, 2024 |
📉 Toughest weekends
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -13.2 | Smoke on the Falls | Apr 7, 2023 |
| -4.5 | Smoke on the Water Guntersville (BACKYARD ONLY) | Sep 13, 2024 |
| -0.3 | The Art of the 'Cue (BACKYARD ONLY) | Jul 12, 2024 |
Scores over time (% of a perfect score, averaged over 5 contests — 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 | GCs | Top-10s | Category wins | Walk rate | Avg finish | Best overall (% of perfect) | Avg overall (% of perfect) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 25% | top 13% | 96.2% | 95.9% |
| 2025 | 10 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 70% | top 14% | 99.4% | 97.5% |
| 2024 | 9 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 78% | top 30% | 98.4% | 95.5% |
| 2023 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 100% | top 48% | 95.7% | 87.9% |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 3, 2026 | Smoke on the Falls 🏅 Gadsden, AL | 5 / 36 (346.2400) | 11 (171.9656) | 4 (174.2744) | — | — |
| Mar 20, 2026 | Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship 🏅 Lebanon, TN | 15 / 125 (343.9544) | 20 (171.9772) | 11 (171.9772) | 31 (166.8572) | — |
| Mar 20, 2026 | Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship (ONE MEAT CHICKEN) Lebanon, TN | — | 20 (175.4172) | — | — | — |
| Mar 20, 2026 | Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship (ONE MEAT RIBS) Lebanon, TN | — | — | 13 (175.4172) | — | — |
| Oct 25, 2025 | Last Chance Points Dance (BACKYARD) Cleveland, AL | 1 / 16 (355.4288) | 3 (178.8572) | 3 (176.5716) | — | — |
| Oct 24, 2025 | The Great Alabama BBQ Cook-Off (ONE MEAT CHICKEN) Cleveland, AL | — | 17 (170.8228) | — | — | — |
| Oct 24, 2025 | The Great Alabama BBQ Cook-Off (ONE MEAT PORK) Cleveland, AL | — | — | — | 1 (180) | — |
| Oct 24, 2025 | The Great Alabama BBQ Cook-Off (ONE MEAT RIBS) Cleveland, AL | — | — | 8 (174.2628) | — | — |
| Sep 12, 2025 | Smoke on the Water Guntersville (BACKYARD ONLY) Guntersville, AL | 2 / 28 (357.7028) | 3 (180) | 6 (177.7028) | — | — |
| Sep 12, 2025 | The Great Alabama BBQ Cook-off Qualifier "Lakeside Pork Fest" (ONE MEAT PORK) Guntersville, AL | — | — | — | 11 (167.3944) | — |
| Jun 20, 2025 | Poosa Q 🏅 Montgomery, AL | 4 / 42 (348.5488) | 7 (176.5600) | 7 (171.9888) | — | — |
| May 25, 2025 | 7th Annual KCBS World Invitational (Sunday, May 25, 2025) unrated Lebanon, TN | 12 / 70 (347.3944) | 34 (169.6800) | 4 (177.7144) | — | — |
| May 24, 2025 | 7th Annual KCBS World Invitational (Saturday, May 24, 2025) unrated Lebanon, TN | — | — | — | — | — |
| Apr 11, 2025 | Smoke on the Falls BBQ Competition 🏅 Gadsden, AL | 9 / 31 (346.2516) | 3 (177.7144) | 15 (168.5372) | — | — |
| Oct 4, 2024 | Poosa Q 🏅 Montgomery, AL | 3 / 59 (354.2744) | 16 (174.2744) | 1 (180) | — | — |
| Sep 13, 2024 | Smoke on the Water Guntersville (BACKYARD ONLY) Guntersville, AL | 21 / 33 (333.0744) | 20 (167.9772) | 24 (165.0972) | — | — |
| Jul 12, 2024 | The Art of the 'Cue (BACKYARD ONLY) Shelbyville, TN | 9 / 17 (343.3944) | 13 (168.5372) | 4 (174.8572) | 7 (169.7144) | — |
| May 17, 2024 | The High on the Hog Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) Winchester, TN | 15 / 39 (341.6456) | 20 (169.6800) | 7 (171.9656) | — | — |
| May 4, 2024 | O'So Good BBQ Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) Day 2 Oneonta, AL | 9 / 20 (344.5256) | 9 (170.8228) | 6 (173.7028) | — | — |
| May 3, 2024 | O'So Good BBQ Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) Day 1 Oneonta, AL | 2 / 27 (348.5372) | 1 (177.7028) | 9 (170.8344) | — | — |
| Apr 12, 2024 | Smoke on the Falls 🏅 Gadsden, AL | 7 / 31 (343.9428) | 4 (174.2628) | 8 (169.6800) | — | — |
| Mar 15, 2024 | Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship 🏅 Lebanon, TN | 7 / 93 (341.0972) | 14 (169.6800) | 7 (171.4172) | 8 (171.9656) | — |
| Mar 15, 2024 | Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship (ONE MEAT RIBS) Lebanon, TN | — | — | — | — | — |
| Oct 27, 2023 | Railyard BBQ Brawl 2023 🏅 Madison, AL | 9 / 14 (342.2400) | 4 (176) | 18 (166.2400) | — | — |
| Sep 22, 2023 | O'So Good BBQ Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) #1 Oneonta, AL | 8 / 18 (337.0512) | 6 (173.1200) | 13 (163.9312) | — | — |
| Sep 22, 2023 | O'So Good BBQ Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) #2 Oneonta, AL | 5 / 11 (337.0512) | 3 (171.9656) | 8 (165.0856) | — | — |
| Aug 26, 2023 | Smoke on the Water BBQ Fest (BACKYARD ONLY) Lincoln, AL | 4 / 17 (341.6572) | 6 (173.1200) | 6 (168.5372) | — | — |
| Aug 11, 2023 | Smoke in the Park (BACKYARD & KIDS QUE) Glencoe, AL | 8 / 35 (508.4800) | 16 (169.6800) | 13 (168.5372) | 7 (170.2628) | — |
| May 19, 2023 | The High on the Hog Festival (BACKYARD ONLY) Winchester, TN | 6 / 34 (344.5488) | 2 (178.2972) | 16 (166.2516) | — | — |
| Apr 7, 2023 | Smoke on the Falls 🏅 Gadsden, AL | 46 / 39 (172.5600) | — | 6 (172.5600) | — | — |
An unrated contest — an invitational, or a Competitor or Kosher Series board — is in the record but doesn’t move the power rating.