Giant slayer
41
teams beaten in one weekend
Took the Grand Championship over a 41-team field at Dr.George Smith BBQ Brawl (COMPETITORS SERIES).
- May 11, 2019
Smokin' Bandits BBQ
Smokin' Bandits BBQ is a competition barbecue team with 14 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2017 and 2026. They have won 1 Grand Championship, at the Dr.George Smith BBQ Brawl (COMPETITORS SERIES) (2019), and finished Reserve Grand Champion once. They are ranked #1697 of 6,476 teams in the KCBS power rankings. Also listed in KCBS results as “Smokin Bandits BBQ”.
At a glance (the record in numbers)
Rating
1552
peak 1552 · rated over 8 contests6 invitational or side-series contests not counted
Contests
14
in the data
First seen
Aug 11, 2017
latest May 1, 2026 · 8.7 years on the trail
Grand champs
1
1 reserve · wins it all 7% of the time
Category wins
1
4 podiums
Overall top-10s
7
50% of 14 contests
Best top-10 run
2
straight overall top-10s, still running
Avg finish
top 26%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
0
Walk rate
71%
contests with a top-10 call
Consistency
±5.10
spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Pork Ribs
avg 170.31 · weakest Pork (165.35)
Road miles
269
across 13 mapped stops · furthest 34 mi
Schedule strength
78%
of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1601)
Purse competed for
$76K
listed at 10 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
0 🏅
won from 6 state-championship entries
Master avg
678.32 / 720
4 Master contests · 0 GCs
Backyard avg
331.77 / 360
4 Backyard contests · 0 GCs
These overall scores sit on different scales (Master 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.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 ↗ | Backyard | #358 (80 pts) | #377 (60 pts) | #291 (135 pts) | — | — |
| 2023 ↗ | Backyard | — | #324 (70 pts) | #344 (60 pts) | — | — |
| 2021 ↗ | Master | #917 (120 pts) | #1130 (100 pts) | #855 (175 pts) | #1113 (100 pts) | #957 (120 pts) |
| 2019 ↗ | Master | #1279 (175 pts) | #1340 (175 pts) | #1967 (70 pts) | #1578 (120 pts) | #1191 (210 pts) |
| 2018 ↗ | Master | #1717 (113 pts) | #1485 (148 pts) | #1428 (168 pts) | #2507 (58 pts) | #1551 (128 pts) |
| 2017 ↗ | Master | #1981 (100 pts) | #2178 (75 pts) | #1602 (165 pts) | #1773 (125 pts) | #2266 (60 pts) |
Overall rank by season
Teams like this (closest power rating)
The teams rated closest to Smokin' Bandits BBQ, each with one reason worth a look.
58 rated teams sit within a point of this rating, so a place on this list means the numbers match — no more than that.
#1,691 of the rated field
- Contests
- 8
- GCs
- 2
- Top-10s
- 75%
- Peak
- 1552
This is the highest they've ever been rated, 8 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.
⚔ Compare careers#1,703 of the rated field
- Contests
- 8
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 88%
- Peak
- 1558
Their last contest in the data was back in 2021, 5 years before Smokin' Bandits BBQ's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.
⚔ Compare careers#1,689 of the rated field
- Contests
- 8
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 38%
- Peak
- 1552
Fewer contests behind them than Smokin' Bandits BBQ has cooked, 8 to 14, which makes theirs the less settled rating of the two.
⚔ Compare careers#1,699 of the rated field
- Contests
- 9
- GCs
- 1
- Top-10s
- 33%
- Peak
- 1560
Their rating is built on 1 Grand Championship in 9 contests, alongside a 33% overall top-10 rate.
⚔ Compare careers#1,705 of the rated field
- Contests
- 10
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 30%
- Peak
- 1555
Level with Smokin' Bandits BBQ on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.
⚔ Compare careers#1,708 of the rated field
- Contests
- 10
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 40%
- Peak
- 1552
They turned up 6 years after Smokin' Bandits BBQ did, first appearing in 2023.
⚔ Compare careersFamiliar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)
| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pig Destroyer | 10 | 4 | 6 | 40% | ⚔ compare |
| LEE LA Q | 9 | 2 | 7 | 22% | ⚔ compare |
| Purdom's BBQ | 8 | 7 | 1 | 88% | ⚔ compare |
| BIG ORANGE SMOKERS | 7 | 7 | 0 | 100% | ⚔ compare |
| Hogs B Hatin' | 7 | 6 | 1 | 86% | ⚔ compare |
| VETERAN PORK PULLERS | 7 | 4 | 3 | 57% | ⚔ compare |
| 2 Swine Crew | 7 | 2 | 5 | 29% | ⚔ compare |
| ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| Barking Pig BBQ | 6 | 6 | 0 | 100% | ⚔ compare |
| SimpleManBBQ | 6 | 6 | 0 | 100% | ⚔ compare |
| Smokin Pimp | 6 | 6 | 0 | 100% | ⚔ compare |
| Carter's BBQ | 6 | 6 | 0 | 100% | ⚔ compare |
| Big B BBQ Company | 6 | 5 | 1 | 83% | ⚔ compare |
| BIG G BBQ | 6 | 5 | 1 | 83% | ⚔ compare |
| sHOGun BBQ | 6 | 5 | 1 | 83% | ⚔ compare |
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 14 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 176.5600 | 161.0968 | 168.37 | top 38% |
| Pork Ribs | 14 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 178.8572 | 161.6800 | 170.31 | top 29% |
| Pork | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 175.4172 | 154.7884 | 165.35 | top 43% |
| Brisket | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 174.8456 | 163.9428 | 169.54 | top 41% |
“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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medium (20–39) | 9 | 0 | top 27% |
| Large (40+) | 5 | 1 | top 25% |
Repeat visits (contests they've cooked twice or more)
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship | 4 | 21 | 0 | top 31% | Mar 20, 2026 |
| Dr. George Smith BBQ Brawl (COMPETITORS SERIES) | 3 | 3 | 0 | top 15% | Apr 19, 2024 |
| Dr. George Smith BBQ Brawl (COMPETITOR SERIES) | 2 | 2 | 0 | top 23% | May 1, 2026 |
| Great Americana BBQ Festival | 2 | 6 | 0 | top 30% | Aug 27, 2021 |
| Smokin in McMinnville | 2 | 13 | 0 | top 48% | Aug 10, 2018 |
More numbers
Busiest season
2026
2 contests
Contests a season
1.6
across 9 seasons in the data
Most contests held in
TN
14 of 14 contests
Contests visited
6
5 of them more than once
First title
May 11, 2019
Dr.George Smith BBQ Brawl (COMPETITORS SERIES)
Opponents faced
487
finished ahead 638 times, behind 318
Longest layoff
2 yrs
Aug 23, 2019 → Aug 27, 2021
Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)
20262 milestones
- Peak power rating (1552) Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship
- Most recent contest Dr. George Smith BBQ Brawl (COMPETITOR SERIES)
20253 milestones
- First category win (Pork Ribs) Dr. George Smith BBQ Brawl (COMPETITOR SERIES)
- First Reserve Championship Dr. George Smith BBQ Brawl (COMPETITOR SERIES)
- Career-best single call (Pork Ribs)178.8572 Dr. George Smith BBQ Brawl (COMPETITOR SERIES)
20241 milestone
- 10th tracked contest Dr. George Smith BBQ Brawl (COMPETITORS SERIES)
20194 milestones
- First overall podium Dr.George Smith BBQ Brawl (COMPETITORS SERIES)
- First Grand Championship Dr.George Smith BBQ Brawl (COMPETITORS SERIES)
- Biggest field won (41 teams) Dr.George Smith BBQ Brawl (COMPETITORS SERIES)
- Career-best overall score684.5256 Great Americana BBQ Festival
—4 milestones
- First tracked contest Dr.George Smith BBQ Brawl (COMPETITORS SERIES)
- First call Dr.George Smith BBQ Brawl (COMPETITORS SERIES)
- First overall top-10 Dr.George Smith BBQ Brawl (COMPETITORS SERIES)
- First overall past 90% of a perfect score515.3484 Dr.George Smith BBQ Brawl (COMPETITORS SERIES)
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
📈 Biggest rating jumps
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +13.2 | Great Americana BBQ Festival | Aug 23, 2019 |
| +9.6 | Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship | Mar 15, 2024 |
| +6 | Smokin in McMinnville | Aug 11, 2017 |
| +5.3 | Smokin in McMinnville | Aug 10, 2018 |
| +5.2 | Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship | Mar 17, 2023 |
Scores over time (% of a perfect score — 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 100% | top 14% | 95.4% | 95.4% |
| 2026 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 50% | top 36% | 95% | 93.2% |
| 2025 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 50% | top 20% | 97.7% | 95.3% |
| 2024 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 50% | top 22% | 95.4% | 93.7% |
| 2023 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 50% | top 22% | 95.5% | 93.9% |
| 2021 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100% | top 44% | 93.6% | 93.6% |
| 2019 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 100% | top 9% | 96.7% | 95.9% |
| 2018 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100% | top 46% | 93.5% | 93.5% |
| 2017 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100% | top 49% | 94.7% | 94.7% |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1, 2026 | Dr. George Smith BBQ Brawl (COMPETITOR SERIES) unrated Murfreesboro, TN | 9 / 23 (513.0512) | 13 (167.3828) | 16 (167.9656) | — | — |
| Mar 20, 2026 | Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship 🏅 Lebanon, TN | 42 / 125 (329.0512) | 38 (167.3712) | 46 (161.6800) | 5 (175.4172) | — |
| Apr 25, 2025 | Dr. George Smith BBQ Brawl (COMPETITOR SERIES) unrated Murfreesboro, TN | 2 / 31 (527.3828) | 16 (168.5256) | 1 (178.8572) | — | — |
| Mar 14, 2025 | Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship 🏅 Lebanon, TN | 33 / 100 (334.7656) | 37 (165.0856) | 27 (169.6800) | 41 (159.3944) | — |
| Apr 19, 2024 | Dr. George Smith BBQ Brawl (COMPETITORS SERIES) unrated Murfreesboro, TN | 8 / 37 (515.3600) | 22 (166.2400) | 17 (169.1200) | — | — |
| Mar 15, 2024 | Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship 🏅 Lebanon, TN | 21 / 93 (331.3712) | 36 (161.0968) | 10 (170.2744) | 41 (154.7884) | — |
| May 12, 2023 | Dr. George Smith BBQ Brawl (COMPETITORS SERIES) unrated Murfreesboro, TN | 3 / 32 (515.9428) | 14 (163.9772) | 3 (176.5600) | — | — |
| Mar 17, 2023 | Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship 🏅 Lebanon, TN | 27 / 80 (331.8968) | 23 (167.9540) | 27 (163.9428) | — | — |
| Aug 27, 2021 | Great Americana BBQ Festival 🏅 Franklin, TN | 11 / 25 (673.5884) | 15 (163.9428) | 5 (173.7144) | 15 (165.6800) | 11 (170.2512) |
| Aug 23, 2019 | Great Americana BBQ Festival 🏅 Franklin, TN | 6 / 39 (684.5256) | 6 (174.2856) | 23 (166.8344) | 13 (168.5600) | 4 (174.8456) |
| May 11, 2019 | Dr.George Smith BBQ Brawl (COMPETITORS SERIES) unrated Murfreesboro, TN | 1 / 41 (522.3088) | 2 (176.5600) | 2 (172.5716) | — | — |
| Aug 10, 2018 | Smokin in McMinnville McMinnville, TN | 13 / 28 (673.0056) | 8 (171.9656) | 6 (171.4172) | 24 (160.5144) | 10 (169.1084) |
| Aug 11, 2017 | Smokin in McMinnville McMinnville, TN | 17 / 35 (682.1600) | 22 (169.6800) | 7 (175.4172) | 12 (173.1200) | 26 (163.9428) |
| — | Dr.George Smith BBQ Brawl (COMPETITORS SERIES) unrated Murfreesboro, TN | 5 / 36 (515.3484) | 4 (173.1084) | 14 (166.2400) | — | — |
An unrated contest — an invitational, or a Competitor or Kosher Series board — is in the record but doesn’t move the power rating.