Mercer BBQ

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

Power ranking

#6074

of 6,413 rated · rankings

Rating

1427

peak 1427 · rated over 12 contests ⓘ

Contests

in the data

First seen

2022-08-26

latest 2026-04-10

Best ToY finish

#581

Master 2024

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

1 podiums

Overall top-10s

of 14 contests

Avg finish

top 88%

overall standings

Best overall

670.2060 / 720

Master · Smokin' Saddles Double Header (Day 1)

Perfect 180s

1 🔥

Current form

663.65 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 636.07 (+27.57)

Walk rate

29%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

180.0000 🔥

Pork · Smoke in the Spring

Consistency

±43.02

std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork

avg 165.93 · weakest Brisket (159.47)

Road miles

923

mi across 14 mapped stops · furthest 210 mi

Schedule strength

82%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1608)

Purse competed for

$258K

listed at 13 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

GCs in 12 state-championship entries

Master avg

636.07 / 720

13 Master contests · 0 GCs

⚔ Compare with another team

Storylines (8 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.

Perfect scores on the board

1 perfect 180s

1 perfect 180 in the data — every judge at the table handing back a nine, all in pork.

Pork ×1

High-water mark

670.2060 career-best overall

93.1% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 670.2060 at Smokin' Saddles Double Header (Day 1) — 93.1% of a perfect 720.

Master
2024-07-26

A tough matchup

13–0 behind in the head-to-head

MAN MEAT BBQ ahead in 100% of their meetings

MAN MEAT BBQ has come out ahead in 13 of their 13 shared contests.

The weak link

−6.5 points behind their best meat

Brisket is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 6.46 points below their pork, and turns into a call 0% of the time against 21%.

Brisket avg 159.47
Pork avg 165.93
0 calls in 13 entries

A strong matchup

4–0 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 100% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of Big Daddy and the Butt Rubbers in 4 of their 4 shared contests.

Pork nemesis

12 of 13 shared pork entries lost

MAN MEAT BBQ ahead 92% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, MAN MEAT BBQ has out-cooked them in 12 of 13 shared pork entries.

They cook the hard rooms

1608 average field rating faced

A tougher draw than 82% of rated fields

The fields they enter average a 1608 power rating — a tougher draw than 82% of every rated contest in the data.

12 rated contests

A standing appointment

4 years running at one contest

They've cooked Smoke in the Spring (OPEN FORMAT) every year from 2023 to 2026 — the contest they never miss.

4 visits in all
best finish 73rd

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.

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

SMOKE & FIRE BBQ

#6073 of the rated field

1428 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 13
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1428

No shared contest yet.

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 13 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 13 contests
last seen 2017-08-18

⚔ Head-to-head

Tommy Boy Grillin

#6080 of the rated field

1427 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 11
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 18%
Peak: 1427

No shared contest yet.

Careers of much the same size, 11 contests to 14, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 11 contests
last seen 2026-08-14

⚔ Head-to-head

4 MEAT SAKES

#6075 of the rated field

1427 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 11
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 9%
Peak: 1427

No shared contest yet.

Their last contest in the data was back in 2023, 3 years before Mercer BBQ's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 11 contests

⚔ Head-to-head

BBEEQ

#6072 of the rated field

1428 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 14
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1428

No shared contest yet.

14 contests and no Grand Championship yet.

rated over 14 contests
last seen 2017-09-01

⚔ Head-to-head

Why Not Smoke

#6071 of the rated field

1428 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 16
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1501

No shared contest yet.

They were already cooking in 2013, 9 years before Mercer BBQ's first contest.

rated over 16 contests
last seen 2025-09-26

⚔ Head-to-head

FAT CAT'S BBQ OF LSMO

#6076 of the rated field

1427 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 8
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1427

No shared contest yet.

Level with Mercer BBQ on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 8 contests
last seen 2025-04-25

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
MAN MEAT BBQ	13	0	13	0%	⚔ compare
MEAT RUSHMORE BBQ	12	0	12	0%	⚔ compare
FINGER LEIKAM GOOD	11	0	11	0%	⚔ compare
PARTS 'R' SMOKIN	11	0	11	0%	⚔ compare
Cities Edge BBQ	10	1	9	10%	⚔ compare
Barking Dog BBQ	10	0	10	0%	⚔ compare
MAD MUTT'S BBQ	10	0	10	0%	⚔ compare
PIRATES OF BAR-B-QUE BAY	10	0	10	0%	⚔ compare
KC Meat Sweats	9	1	8	11%	⚔ compare
Damn Fine Beef & Swine	9	0	9	0%	⚔ compare
JANKY LEG BBQ	9	0	9	0%	⚔ compare
SLAPS BBQ	9	0	9	0%	⚔ compare
Pine Tar BBQ	8	2	6	25%	⚔ compare
Split Borders BBQ	8	1	7	13%	⚔ compare
Bocephus BBQ	8	0	8	0%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	14	1	0	174.2744	149.6572	162.82	top 83%
Pork Ribs	14	0	0	170.8344	138.2172	160.24	top 79%
Pork	14	3	1	180.0000 🔥	148.5372	165.93	top 66%
Brisket	13	0	0	174.2972	145.6456	159.47	top 80%

“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
KS	11	0	top 85%
MO	3	0	top 98%

By contest size

Field	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
Medium (20–39)	3	0	top 87%
Large (40+)	11	0	top 88%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Smoke in the Spring (OPEN FORMAT)	4	73	top 85%	2026-04-10
Smoke on the Bricks	3	35	top 91%	2024-08-09
Smokin' Saddles Double Header (Day 2)	2	16	top 83%	2024-07-27
Boo-B-Que BBQ Championship (Day 2) (MASTERS and BACKYARD)	2	40	top 99%	2023-10-28

The story so far (17 numbers that describe this team)

On the trail 3.6 yrs 2022-08-26 → 2026-04-10

Busiest season 2023 6 contests

Contests a season 2.8 across 5 seasons in the data

Cooks most in KS 11 of 14 contests · 2 states/provinces in all

Contests visited 7 4 of them cooked more than once

Most-entered meat Chicken 14 entries · 0 wins · 1 calls

Strongest meat Pork averages 165.93 · weakest Brisket (159.47)

Walk rate 29% a top-10 call in 4 of 14 contests

Overall top-10 rate 0% 0 of 14 contests

Master average 636.07 out of 720 · 13 contests · 0 GCs

Perfect 180s 1 every judge at the table handing back a nine

Opponents faced 711 230–1,102 across every shared overall standing

Road miles 923 14 mapped stops · furthest 210 mi

Schedule strength 1608 average field rating faced — tougher than 82% of rated contests

Purse competed for $257,590 listed at 13 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships 0 from 12 state-championship entries

Power rating 1427 peak 1427 · #6074 of 6,413 rated

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

2022
Aug 26 First tracked contest Smoke on the Bricks
Aug 26 Peak power rating (1489) Smoke on the Bricks
2023
Aug 11 First overall past 90% of a perfect score657.5660 5th Annual KCBS World Invitational - OPEN
Aug 25 First call Smoke on the Bricks
2024
Jul 26 Career-best overall score670.2060 Smokin' Saddles Double Header (Day 1)
Jul 27 10th tracked contest Smokin' Saddles Double Header (Day 2)
2025
Apr 11 First perfect 180 (Pork) Smoke in the Spring
2026
Apr 10 Most recent contest Smoke in the Spring (OPEN FORMAT)

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

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-12.6	Smoke on the Bricks	2023-08-25
-10.6	Smoke on the Bricks	2022-08-26
-9.2	Boo-B-Que BBQ Championship (Day 1) (MASTERS and BACKYARD)	2023-10-27
-8.7	Smoke in the Spring	2023-04-07
-8.7	Boo-B-Que BBQ Championship (Day 2) (MASTERS and BACKYARD)	2023-10-28

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	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2026	1	0%	top 87%	92.6%	92.6%
2025	1	100%	top 79%	92.4%	92.4%
2024	5	40%	top 83%	93.1%	92.1%
2023	6	17%	top 92%	91.3%	85.6%
2022	1	0%	top 96%	81.8%	81.8%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2026-04-10	Smoke in the Spring (OPEN FORMAT) 🏅 Osage City, KS	88 / 101 (666.7316)	81 (167.3828)	72 (168.5600)	78 (167.9772)	86 (162.8116)
2025-04-11	Smoke in the Spring 🏅 Osage City, KS	73 / 92 (665.6344)	80 (163.9656)	86 (159.3944)	2 (180.0000)	71 (162.2744)
2024-09-13	Made for KC BBQ Championship (COMPETITORS SERIES) unrated Weston, MO	36 / 38 (650.1144)	38 (158.2288)	26 (167.9656)	35 (162.2400)	27 (161.6800)
2024-08-09	Smoke on the Bricks 🏅 Baldwin City, KS	35 / 46 (651.2228)	32 (165.0972)	20 (170.2744)	42 (158.2056)	37 (157.6456)
2024-07-27	Smokin' Saddles Double Header (Day 2) 🏅 Dodge City, KS	17 / 20 (664.4464)	10 (174.2744)	18 (154.2288)	14 (169.7032)	17 (166.2400)
2024-07-26	Smokin' Saddles Double Header (Day 1) 🏅 Dodge City, KS	16 / 20 (670.2060)	17 (168.5716)	12 (170.8344)	9 (174.2628)	20 (156.5372)
2024-04-05	Smoke in the Spring 🏅 Osage City, KS	76 / 97 (665.6000)	64 (167.3828)	92 (157.6572)	66 (166.2628)	20 (174.2972)
2023-10-28	Boo-B-Que BBQ Championship (Day 2) (MASTERS and BACKYARD) 🏅 Oak Grove, MO	40 / 40 (616.3776)	39 (161.6916)	40 (147.3944)	40 (155.9316)	40 (151.3600)
2023-10-27	Boo-B-Que BBQ Championship (Day 1) (MASTERS and BACKYARD) 🏅 Oak Grove, MO	46 / 47 (639.8172)	44 (161.7028)	45 (162.2400)	38 (165.6916)	46 (150.1828)
2023-09-27	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest 🏅 Kansas City, KS	347 / 487 (653.5544)	427 (157.6456)	290 (166.2400)	272 (166.8344)	326 (162.8344)
2023-08-25	Smoke on the Bricks 🏅 Baldwin City, KS	44 / 44 (511.9200)	35 (164.5140)	21 (169.6916)	4 (177.7144)	—
2023-08-11	5th Annual KCBS World Invitational - OPEN unrated Mayetta, KS	82 / 90 (657.5660)	83 (162.8344)	74 (163.3944)	50 (170.8228)	80 (160.5144)
2023-04-07	Smoke in the Spring 🏅 Osage City, KS	96 / 103 (616.9260)	97 (149.6572)	98 (147.3256)	91 (158.8344)	82 (161.1088)
2022-08-26	Smoke on the Bricks 🏅 Baldwin City, KS	46 / 48 (588.9716)	41 (156.5716)	47 (138.2172)	45 (148.5372)	45 (145.6456)

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 ↗	Master	#927 (60 pts)	#1010 (60 pts)	#1051 (60 pts)	#970 (60 pts)	#950 (60 pts)
2025 ↗	Master	#1148 (60 pts)	#1221 (60 pts)	#1293 (60 pts)	#638 (260 pts)	#1190 (60 pts)
2024 ↗	Master	#581 (295 pts)	#590 (325 pts)	#619 (335 pts)	#556 (350 pts)	#607 (300 pts)