Bocephus BBQ

Bocephus BBQ is a competition barbecue team with 66 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2019 and 2026. They have won 5 Grand Championships, most recently at the SJV Winter Rub (2026), and finished Reserve Grand Champion twice. They are ranked #143 of 6,476 teams in the KCBS power rankings and hold 1 all-time KCBS record.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

KCBS records held

1 🥇

the 180 grand slam

Power ranking

#143

of 6,476 rated · rankings

Rating

1778

peak 1778 · rated over 57 contests4 invitational or side-series contests not counted

Contests

in the data

First seen

May 31, 2019

latest Sep 11, 2026 · 7.3 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#22

Master 2026 · every season

Grand champs

2 reserve · wins it all 8% of the time

Category wins

43 podiums

Overall top-10s

50% of 66 contests

Best top-10 run

straight overall top-10s

Avg finish

top 30%

overall standings

Best overall

707.3712 / 720

Master · Smoke on the River (Day 2)

Perfect 180s

11 🔥

Current form

696.18 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 688.72 (+7.45)

Walk rate

85%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

180 🔥

Pork Ribs · Smoke on the River (Day 1)

Consistency

±14.98

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 172.73 · weakest Brisket (170.28)

Road miles

3,782

across 66 mapped stops · furthest 223 mi

Schedule strength

76%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1598)

Purse competed for

$668K

listed at 64 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

5 🏅

won from 58 state-championship entries

Master avg

688.72 / 720

59 Master contests · 5 GCs

Storylines (22 found in their record)

Each card leads with the number behind the story, straight from their results.

The heartbreaker

0.0460 points from the title

Came within 0.0460 points of the Grand Championship at Smoke on the Water (Oct 11, 2024).

Among the elite

#143 of 6,476 rated teams

In the top 2% of every rated team in the data

A power rating of 1778 puts them #143 of 6,476 rated teams — the top 2% of the field.

rating 1778
peak 1778
57 rated contests

The 180 club

11 perfect 180s

11 perfect 180s in the data — every judge at the table handing back a nine, across 4 different meats.

Pork Ribs ×5
Chicken ×3
Pork ×2
Brisket ×1

Against the odds

20-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings

The ratings favoured the top seed the other 80 times in 100

Their Grand Championship at Meat Inferno (JUDGING FULL) (Oct 6, 2023) came as the ratings underdog — roughly a 20-in-100 shot against the field's top-rated team, Fergolicious BBQ.

On the rise

+43 rating points in a year

Their power rating has climbed 43 points across 21 contests since Sep 19, 2025 — from 1736 up to 1778.

21 contests since Sep 19, 2025
now 1778

Giant slayer

38 teams beaten in one weekend

Took the Grand Championship over a 38-team field at SJV Winter Rub.

Jan 30, 2026

Happy hunting ground

1× Grand Championship here

Tom Brigham Memorial BBQ is their spot: 1 Grand Championship in 3 visits.

3 visits
best finish 1st
average top 19%

Show 15 more storylines

Multi-meat days

2 contests with 2+ category wins

They've won two or more meats on the same day 2 times — the best of them 2 category wins at McLouth BBQ Blowout 33rd Annual (May 31, 2024).

Pork Ribs 1st
Pork 1st

They almost always walk

85% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 56 of 66 contests

A top-10 category call in 85% of their 66 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

707.3712 career-best overall

98.2% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 707.3712 at Smoke on the River (Day 2) — 98.2% of a perfect 720.

Master
Aug 30, 2025

State champions

5 state championships won

They've taken 5 state championships from 58 entries at contests carrying the title.

58 state-championship entries

The one to beat

4× one call ahead of them

PARTS 'R' SMOKIN has finished one call ahead of Bocephus BBQ 4 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2025 2 Grand Championships

2025 was the year it came together: 14 contests, 2 Grand Championships and 5 category wins, at an average finish in the top 24%.

14 contests
8 overall top-10s
5 category wins
average top 24%

A tough matchup

18–3 behind in the head-to-head

JANKY LEG BBQ ahead in 86% of their meetings

JANKY LEG BBQ has come out ahead in 18 of their 21 shared contests.

A strong matchup

27–5 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 84% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of Who's Cookin' in 27 of their 32 shared contests.

The comeback

2 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 2 years, then back at Mclouth BBQ Blowout 29th Annual (Jun 4, 2021).

last seen May 31, 2019
back Jun 4, 2021

Chicken nemesis

25 of 35 shared chicken entries lost

PARTS 'R' SMOKIN ahead 71% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, PARTS 'R' SMOKIN has out-cooked them in 25 of 35 shared chicken entries.

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

WOOD HOOK BBQ has landed one call behind them 2 times.

An April team

Top 18% average finish in April

Something about April: average finish in the top 18% across 7 contests, versus top 30% the rest of the year.

7 April contests
top 30% the rest of the year

The long haul

3,782 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 3,782 miles across 66 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 223 miles to King of the Corn.

66 mapped stops
furthest 223 mi

The metronome

±2.06% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±2.06% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 95.6% of a perfect score
66 contests

A standing appointment

5 years running at one contest

They've cooked Meat Inferno every year from 2022 to 2026 — the contest they never miss.

5 visits in all
best finish 1st

Holds 1 KCBS record (on 1 all-time board)

Where this team sits in the all-time KCBS record book. A gold line is a record they hold outright; the rest are boards they are on.

🥇 🏵️ The 180 grand slam 4 different meats scored perfect in · first in 2023 · 18 contests to complete the set · Oct 11, 2024 · shared with at least 9 others

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 ↗	Master	#22 (2,100 pts)	#41 (1,824 pts)	#7 (2,326 pts)	#36 (1,736 pts)	#50 (1,654 pts)
2025 ↗	Master	#61 (1,888 pts)	#94 (1,608 pts)	#39 (2,032 pts)	#50 (1,823 pts)	#113 (1,478 pts)
2024 ↗	Master	#87 (1,585 pts)	#152 (1,220 pts)	#86 (1,563 pts)	#84 (1,515 pts)	#121 (1,325 pts)
2023 ↗	Master	#141 (1,257 pts)	#225 (952 pts)	#193 (1,127 pts)	#214 (967 pts)	#70 (1,667 pts)
2022 ↗	Master	#284 (806 pts)	#283 (836 pts)	#364 (701 pts)	#288 (841 pts)	#351 (686 pts)
2021 ↗	Master	#502 (355 pts)	#520 (355 pts)	#442 (475 pts)	#578 (305 pts)	#457 (430 pts)
2019 ↗	Master	#1849 (75 pts)	#1856 (90 pts)	#1697 (115 pts)	#1786 (100 pts)	#2585 (50 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to Bocephus BBQ, each with one reason worth a look.

ARROWHEAD NORTH BBQ

#144 of the rated field

1778 power rating

Contests: 56
GCs: 12
Top-10s: 88%
Peak: 1783

Careers of much the same size, 56 contests to 66, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 54 contests
last seen Jul 26, 2025
on a 12-contest top-10 run

⚔ Compare careers

OKLAHOMA JOE'S SERIOUS QUE

#145 of the rated field

1778 power rating

Contests: 90
GCs: 3
Top-10s: 47%
Peak: 1778

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 85 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 85 contests
last seen Sep 12, 2019

⚔ Compare careers

Rudes BBQ

#146 of the rated field

1778 ▼ 1 power rating

Contests: 71
GCs: 9
Top-10s: 62%
Peak: 1792

0–2 in 2 shared contests (0% to Bocephus BBQ)

2 contests in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team Bocephus BBQ has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.

rated over 65 contests
last seen Sep 25, 2026

⚔ Head-to-head

Swine-O-licious BBQ

#148 of the rated field

1778 ▼ 1 power rating

Contests: 46
GCs: 11
Top-10s: 89%
Peak: 1797

0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to Bocephus BBQ)

Their rating is built on 11 Grand Championships in 46 contests, alongside a 89% overall top-10 rate.

rated over 43 contests
last seen Nov 5, 2025

⚔ Head-to-head

Smoke Central BBQ

#147 of the rated field

1778 ▼ 1 power rating

Contests: 157
GCs: 16
Top-10s: 54%
Peak: 1826

1–1 in 2 shared contests (50% to Bocephus BBQ)

They were already cooking in 2013, 6 years before Bocephus BBQ's first contest.

rated over 140 contests
last seen Sep 11, 2026

⚔ Head-to-head

MAN MEAT BBQ

#149 of the rated field

1778 ▼ 1 power rating

Contests: 310
GCs: 12
Top-10s: 57%
Peak: 1896

20–21 in 41 shared contests (49% to Bocephus BBQ)

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

rated over 290 contests
last seen Sep 25, 2026

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
MAN MEAT BBQ	41	20	21	49%	⚔ compare
PARTS 'R' SMOKIN	35	16	19	46%	⚔ compare
Who's Cookin'	32	27	5	84%	⚔ compare
Cities Edge BBQ	30	20	10	67%	⚔ compare
WOOD HOOK BBQ	30	18	12	60%	⚔ compare
Barking Dog BBQ	29	16	13	55%	⚔ compare
Damn Fine Beef & Swine	28	10	18	36%	⚔ compare
FINGER LEIKAM GOOD	27	12	15	44%	⚔ compare
Dr. Squealgood BBQ	27	11	16	41%	⚔ compare
Squealin N Dealin BBQ	27	9	18	33%	⚔ compare
Pine Tar BBQ	24	21	3	88%	⚔ compare
LOVE 2 Q	23	15	8	65%	⚔ compare
MEAT RUSHMORE BBQ	23	13	10	57%	⚔ compare
MAD MUTT'S BBQ	23	12	11	52%	⚔ compare
KC Meat Sweats	21	19	2	90%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	61	24	2	7	180 🔥	154.7772	172.73	top 39%
Pork Ribs	65	33	10	16	180 🔥	147.3828	172.65	top 33%
Pork	61	26	4	11	180 🔥	160.5028	172.68	top 37%
Brisket	61	26	2	9	180 🔥	145.6000	170.28	top 39%

“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)	1	1	top 5%
Medium (20–39)	39	4	top 27%
Large (40+)	21	0	top 36%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
KS	48	4	top 29%
MO	10	0	top 38%
IA	2	0	top 19%
NE	1	1	top 3%

Repeat visits (contests they've cooked twice or more)

Contest	Visits	Best	GCs	Avg finish	Last visit
Smoke on the River (Day 2)	6	1	1	top 27%	Sep 5, 2026
Meat Inferno	5	1	1	top 25%	Sep 11, 2026
Smoke on the Bricks	5	9	0	top 36%	Aug 7, 2026
Smoke in the Spring (OPEN FORMAT)	5	5	0	top 17%	Apr 10, 2026
Smoke on the Water	5	2	0	top 17%	Oct 10, 2025
Tom Brigham Memorial BBQ	3	1	1	top 19%	Apr 17, 2026
Made for KC BBQ Championship 2026 (COMPETITORS SERIES)	2	19	0	top 55%	Aug 21, 2026
Smokin on the Osage BBQ Contest (Day 2)	2	4	0	top 16%	Jul 18, 2026
Cameron Elks BBQ Cook-Off (MASTERS and BACKYARD 1)	2	3	0	top 36%	Jul 10, 2026

More numbers

Busiest season 2026 19 contests · 1 GC

Contests a season 9.4 across 7 seasons in the data

Most contests held in KS 51 of 66 contests · 4 states in all

Contests visited 35 9 of them more than once

Most-entered meat Pork Ribs 65 entries · 10 wins · 33 calls

First title Oct 6, 2023 Meat Inferno (JUDGING FULL)

Opponents faced 1,078 finished ahead 2,243 times, behind 914

Longest layoff 2 yrs May 31, 2019 → Jun 4, 2021

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

20266 milestones

Jan 30 5th Grand Championship SJV Winter Rub
Jan 30 Biggest field won (38 teams) SJV Winter Rub
Mar 27 50th tracked contest Kickin' It Route 66 Barbecue Challenge
Jul 24 10th perfect 180 Masters at the Midway: Johnson County Fair BBQ Championship
Sep 11 Peak power rating (1778) Meat Inferno
Sep 11 Most recent contest Meat Inferno

20252 milestones

Jun 6 10th category win McLouth BBQ Blowout 34th Annual
Aug 30 Career-best overall score707.3712 Smoke on the River (Day 2)

20243 milestones

Jul 12 25th tracked contest 2024 Cameron Elks BBQ Cook Off (ONE MEAT RIBS)
Oct 11 First Reserve Championship Smoke on the Water
Oct 11 5th perfect 180 Smoke on the Water

20234 milestones

Jun 30 First perfect 180 (Brisket) Happy Basset 3rd Annual BBQ Competition
Oct 6 First Grand Championship Meat Inferno (JUDGING FULL)
Oct 6 First state championship Meat Inferno (JUDGING FULL)
Oct 6 First multi-meat day Meat Inferno (JUDGING FULL)

20222 milestones

Jun 3 First overall podium McLouth BBQ Blowout 31st Annual
Oct 7 10th tracked contest Meat Inferno (JUDGING FULL)

20214 milestones

Jun 4 First call Mclouth BBQ Blowout 29th Annual
Aug 20 First overall past 90% of a perfect score654.7428 Smoke on the Bricks
Oct 15 First category win (Pork Ribs) Smoke on the Water
Oct 15 First overall top-10 Smoke on the Water

20191 milestone

May 31 First tracked contest McLouth BBQ Blowout 28th Annual

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+16	McLouth BBQ Blowout 31st Annual	Jun 3, 2022
+15.1	Smoke in the Spring	Apr 7, 2023
+14.5	Meat Inferno (JUDGING FULL)	Oct 6, 2023
+14	Smoke on the Water	Oct 15, 2021
+13	Smoke on the River (Day 2)	Aug 30, 2025

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-14.6	Cameron Elks BBQ Cook-Off (MASTERS and BACKYARD 1)	Jul 10, 2026
-14.4	Kickin' It Route 66 Barbecue Challenge	Mar 27, 2026
-8.2	McLouth BBQ Blowout 28th Annual	May 31, 2019
-7.9	Mclouth BBQ Blowout 29th Annual	Jun 4, 2021
-7.6	Keepers of the Fire BBQ Contest	Jul 9, 2021

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	19	1	12	5	89%	top 26%	98.1%	96.5%
2025	14	2	8	5	86%	top 24%	98.2%	96.5%
2024	13	1	5	5	92%	top 26%	97.5%	95.8%
2023	9	1	4	2	78%	top 29%	98.1%	95.8%
2022	6	0	3	0	100%	top 31%	96%	94.7%
2021	4	0	1	1	50%	top 64%	96.1%	90.9%
2019	1	0	0	0	0%	top 80%	89.7%	89.7%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Sep 11, 2026	Meat Inferno 🏅 Edgerton, KS	3 / 33 (697.0856)	2 (178.8572)	21 (169.6800)	1 (178.8572)	15 (169.6912)
Sep 11, 2026	Meat Inferno (ONE MEAT RIBS) Edgerton, KS	—	—	9 (164.5256)	—	—
Sep 5, 2026	Smoke on the River (Day 2) 🏅 Burlington, KS	8 / 25 (694.7888)	16 (173.1200)	9 (173.1200)	11 (173.1316)	7 (175.4172)
Sep 4, 2026	Smoke on the River (Day 1) 🏅 Burlington, KS	2 / 25 (706.2628)	14 (173.1428)	1 (180)	3 (178.8572)	10 (174.2628)
Aug 21, 2026	Made for KC BBQ Championship 2026 (COMPETITORS SERIES) unrated Weston, MO	26 / 43 (680.4224)	25 (170.8112)	5 (177.7028)	3 (178.2972)	42 (153.6112)
Aug 14, 2026	BBQ & Fly-In on the River 🏅 Excelsior Springs, MO	32 / 83 (688.5256)	6 (178.2972)	51 (169.7028)	16 (175.4400)	62 (165.0856)
Aug 7, 2026	Smoke on the Bricks 🏅 Baldwin City, KS	16 / 52 (694.2172)	13 (174.2628)	3 (178.8572)	30 (169.6916)	23 (171.4056)
Jul 24, 2026	Masters at the Midway: Johnson County Fair BBQ Championship 🏅 Gardner, KS	9 / 29 (686.7196)	1 (180)	9 (171.9656)	23 (166.2284)	16 (168.5256)
Jul 18, 2026	Smokin on the Osage BBQ Contest (Day 2) 🏅 Osceola, MO	6 / 32 (701.6340)	1 (180)	18 (171.9656)	17 (173.1084)	6 (176.5600)
Jul 17, 2026	Smokin on the Osage BBQ Contest (Day 1) 🏅 Osceola, MO	4 / 32 (697.0744)	12 (175.4056)	2 (177.7144)	19 (167.3828)	6 (176.5716)
Jul 10, 2026	Cameron Elks BBQ Cook-Off (MASTERS and BACKYARD 1) 🏅 Cameron, MO	23 / 37 (679.8624)	23 (169.6684)	19 (172.5600)	20 (171.4056)	25 (166.2284)
Jul 10, 2026	Cameron Elks BBQ Cook-Off (ONE MEAT RIBS) Cameron, MO	—	—	—	—	—
Jun 5, 2026	McLouth BBQ Blowout 35th Annual 🏅 McLouth, KS	4 / 30 (693.0972)	5 (174.8456)	14 (170.8344)	3 (178.8800)	13 (168.5372)
Apr 17, 2026	Tom Brigham Memorial BBQ 🏅 Iola, KS	4 / 27 (698.2168)	7 (176.5600)	3 (177.1428)	14 (171.4056)	4 (173.1084)
Apr 10, 2026	Smoke in the Spring (OPEN FORMAT) 🏅 Osage City, KS	5 / 101 (701.0972)	28 (175.4056)	12 (175.4288)	9 (176.5600)	26 (173.7028)
Apr 3, 2026	Smokin in the Valley 🏅 Linn Valley, KS	8 / 31 (691.9200)	12 (174.2628)	4 (175.4172)	5 (176.5600)	19 (165.6800)
Mar 27, 2026	Kickin' It Route 66 Barbecue Challenge 🏅 St. Robert, MO	17 / 26 (691.3140)	16 (171.9656)	4 (176.5600)	19 (170.8228)	15 (171.9656)
Mar 20, 2026	8th Annual Qlathe BBQ Championship 🏅 Olathe, KS	4 / 68 (698.8344)	31 (169.6800)	2 (177.1544)	13 (175.4400)	7 (176.5600)
Jan 30, 2026	SJV Winter Rub 🏅 Omaha, NE	1 / 38 (705.7028)	11 (171.9884)	1 (178.8572)	8 (176.5600)	3 (178.2972)
Nov 5, 2025	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest 🏅 Kansas City, KS	126 / 401 (686.2056)	241 (168.5256)	79 (174.2744)	225 (168.5256)	57 (174.8800)
Nov 5, 2025	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Invitational Contest unrated Kansas City, KS	63 / 158 (689.0628)	32 (176.5600)	97 (170.8228)	129 (166.2744)	30 (175.4056)
Oct 17, 2025	Happy Basset 5th Annual BBQ Competition 🏅 Topeka, KS	13 / 23 (686.7776)	7 (174.2860)	10 (170.8344)	4 (176.5716)	18 (165.0856)
Oct 10, 2025	Smoke on the Water 🏅 Topeka, KS	3 / 30 (693.6228)	26 (166.2284)	2 (176.5716)	2 (177.7028)	3 (173.1200)
Oct 3, 2025	Meat Inferno 🏅 Edgerton, KS	5 / 21 (693.6344)	5 (174.2744)	1 (175.4172)	9 (171.9656)	9 (171.9772)
Oct 3, 2025	Meat Inferno (One Meat Ribs) Edgerton, KS	—	—	1 (180)	—	—
Sep 19, 2025	37th Annual Jesse James Barbeque Cook Out 🏅 Kearney, MO	14 / 30 (679.8512)	9 (173.1084)	7 (173.1200)	14 (170.8228)	25 (162.8000)
Aug 30, 2025	Smoke on the River (Day 2) 🏅 Burlington, KS	1 / 24 (707.3712)	9 (177.7028)	1 (180)	3 (178.8572)	20 (170.8112)
Aug 29, 2025	Smoke on the River (Day 1) 🏅 Burlington, KS	5 / 25 (700.5144)	11 (173.1200)	15 (174.2628)	5 (176.5716)	4 (176.5600)
Aug 8, 2025	Smoke on the Bricks 🏅 Baldwin City, KS	17 / 53 (695.9200)	3 (177.7144)	6 (176.5600)	34 (168.5256)	15 (173.1200)
Jul 18, 2025	Shenandoah ShenDig 🏅 Shenandoah, IA	3 / 30 (698.7884)	4 (176.5600)	2 (178.8572)	5 (176.5600)	15 (166.8112)
Jun 6, 2025	McLouth BBQ Blowout 34th Annual 🏅 McLouth, KS	5 / 28 (697.6568)	3 (177.1428)	16 (171.9656)	12 (170.8456)	1 (177.7028)
May 16, 2025	Tom Brigham Memorial BBQ 🏅 Iola, KS	1 / 27 (703.9772)	9 (173.1316)	7 (174.2628)	1 (180)	6 (176.5828)
Apr 11, 2025	Smoke in the Spring 🏅 Osage City, KS	10 / 92 (698.2172)	20 (175.4172)	47 (170.8228)	8 (177.7144)	17 (174.2628)
Oct 11, 2024	Smoke on the Water 🏅 Topeka, KS	2 / 31 (700.4912)	2 (180)	11 (173.1084)	14 (171.9772)	3 (175.4056)
Oct 4, 2024	Meat Inferno 🏅 Edgerton, KS	20 / 38 (681.0400)	22 (172.5600)	20 (171.9772)	24 (169.1200)	22 (167.3828)
Sep 20, 2024	36th Annual Jesse James Barbeque Cook Out 🏅 Kearney, MO	6 / 32 (694.7768)	16 (170.8112)	1 (180)	5 (176.5600)	16 (167.4056)
Sep 13, 2024	Made for KC BBQ Championship (COMPETITORS SERIES) unrated Weston, MO	19 / 38 (675.2796)	32 (167.3712)	1 (177.7144)	17 (170.8112)	32 (159.3828)
Aug 31, 2024	Smoke on the River 🏅 Burlington, KS	16 / 28 (686.1828)	14 (174.2628)	22 (165.6916)	2 (178.8572)	20 (167.3712)
Aug 31, 2024	Smoke on the River (ONE MEAT RIBS) Burlington, KS	—	—	9 (170.8228)	—	—
Aug 9, 2024	Smoke on the Bricks 🏅 Baldwin City, KS	9 / 46 (691.3368)	19 (171.4056)	10 (174.2628)	15 (174.2628)	14 (171.4056)
Jul 12, 2024	2024 Cameron Elks BBQ Cook Off 🏅 Cameron, MO	3 / 28 (693.0856)	13 (170.8228)	6 (175.4400)	1 (180)	10 (166.8228)
Jul 12, 2024	2024 Cameron Elks BBQ Cook Off (ONE MEAT RIBS) 🏅 Cameron, MO	—	—	4 (173.7260)	—	—
Jun 21, 2024	The Great Lenexa BBQ Battle - Kansas State Championship 🏅 Lenexa, KS	13 / 172 (683.9884)	8 (177.7028)	46 (168.5484)	75 (165.1772)	11 (172.5600)
May 31, 2024	McLouth BBQ Blowout 33rd Annual 🏅 McLouth, KS	1 / 35 (702.3084)	7 (173.1428)	1 (180)	1 (178.8800)	11 (170.2856)
May 17, 2024	Tom Brigham Memorial BBQ 🏅 Iola, KS	12 / 31 (689.0168)	17 (173.1084)	17 (170.8228)	14 (171.9772)	8 (173.1084)
Apr 5, 2024	Smoke in the Spring 🏅 Osage City, KS	22 / 97 (691.9316)	59 (168.5256)	31 (173.1316)	33 (172.5600)	5 (177.7144)
Oct 13, 2023	Smoke on the Water 🏅 Topeka, KS	11 / 39 (685.6228)	28 (167.3828)	8 (175.4400)	24 (163.9428)	3 (178.8572)
Oct 6, 2023	Meat Inferno (JUDGING FULL) 🏅 Edgerton, KS	1 / 19 (706.2400)	4 (177.7028)	1 (177.7144)	3 (174.2628)	1 (176.5600)
Sep 1, 2023	Smoke on the River 🏅 Burlington, KS	8 / 20 (689.6344)	11 (171.9772)	11 (171.4172)	12 (168.5372)	2 (177.7028)
Aug 11, 2023	5th Annual KCBS World Invitational - OPEN unrated Mayetta, KS	62 / 90 (679.8628)	64 (169.6800)	54 (170.8344)	45 (171.9772)	65 (167.3712)
Jun 30, 2023	Happy Basset 3rd Annual BBQ Competition 🏅 Topeka, KS	9 / 33 (697.0972)	12 (175.4056)	19 (170.2744)	17 (171.4172)	2 (180)
Jun 2, 2023	McLouth BBQ Blowout 32nd Annual 🏅 McLouth, KS	4 / 36 (684.0460)	14 (166.3316)	5 (173.7144)	5 (174.8572)	7 (169.1428)
May 19, 2023	King of the Corn 🏅 Ottumwa, IA	13 / 45 (686.1828)	21 (170.8228)	23 (168.5372)	26 (169.1200)	2 (177.7028)
Apr 7, 2023	Smoke in the Spring 🏅 Osage City, KS	12 / 103 (696.5488)	58 (169.1200)	12 (176.0116)	15 (174.8572)	14 (176.5600)
Mar 17, 2023	5th Annual Qlathe BBQ Championship 🏅 Olathe, KS	28 / 68 (681.6348)	9 (176.5716)	38 (168.5488)	48 (166.2400)	27 (170.2744)
Oct 14, 2022	Smoke on the Water 🏅 Topeka, KS	6 / 28 (691.3372)	4 (175.4172)	11 (171.9656)	5 (175.4172)	12 (168.5372)
Oct 7, 2022	Meat Inferno (JUDGING FULL) 🏅 Edgerton, KS	10 / 29 (687.3372)	9 (175.4172)	11 (170.8344)	8 (176)	22 (165.0856)
Aug 26, 2022	Smoke on the Bricks 🏅 Baldwin City, KS	17 / 48 (685.0284)	10 (174.2628)	15 (169.6684)	9 (175.4288)	30 (165.6684)
Jul 1, 2022	Happy Basset 2nd Annual BBQ Competition 🏅 Topeka, KS	11 / 24 (665.0172)	21 (154.7772)	18 (161.6800)	4 (175.4172)	5 (173.1428)
Jun 3, 2022	McLouth BBQ Blowout 31st Annual 🏅 McLouth, KS	3 / 30 (682.2284)	3 (176)	11 (168.5600)	14 (166.8456)	4 (170.8228)
Apr 8, 2022	Smoke in the Spring 🏅 Osage City, KS	35 / 94 (681.1204)	27 (173.1200)	10 (175.4172)	30 (172.0116)	72 (160.5716)
Oct 15, 2021	Smoke on the Water 🏅 Topeka, KS	5 / 25 (691.9316)	5 (174.8456)	1 (177.7144)	10 (171.9772)	10 (167.3944)
Aug 20, 2021	Smoke on the Bricks 🏅 Baldwin City, KS	28 / 46 (654.7428)	29 (164.5372)	21 (165.7144)	28 (166.2628)	30 (158.2284)
Jul 9, 2021	Keepers of the Fire BBQ Contest 🏅 Mayetta, KS	40 / 43 (626.0684)	32 (165.7028)	41 (154.2628)	37 (160.5028)	42 (145.6000)
Jun 4, 2021	Mclouth BBQ Blowout 29th Annual 🏅 Mclouth, KS	34 / 42 (645.0972)	33 (163.4172)	42 (147.3828)	33 (162.2856)	5 (172.0116)
May 31, 2019	McLouth BBQ Blowout 28th Annual 🏅 McLouth, KS	20 / 25 (645.6572)	17 (162.2856)	12 (164.5716)	15 (166.2628)	25 (152.5372)

An unrated contest — an invitational, or a Competitor or Kosher Series board — is in the record but doesn’t move the power rating.

Bocephus BBQ

At a glance (the record in numbers)

KCBS records held

Power ranking

Rating

Contests

First seen

Best ToY finish

Grand champs

Category wins

Overall top-10s

Best top-10 run

Avg finish

Best overall

Perfect 180s

Current form

Walk rate

Best single call

Consistency

Strongest meat

Road miles

Schedule strength

Purse competed for

State championships

Master avg

Storylines (22 found in their record)

The heartbreaker

Among the elite

The 180 club

Against the odds

On the rise

Giant slayer

Happy hunting ground

Multi-meat days

They almost always walk

High-water mark

State champions

The one to beat

Their season

A tough matchup

A strong matchup

The comeback

Chicken nemesis

Looking over their shoulder

An April team

The long haul

The metronome

A standing appointment

Holds 1 KCBS record (on 1 all-time board)

Team of the Year (rank per category by season — the year links to the full board on kcbs.us)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

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

By meat

By field size and state

By contest size

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Repeat visits (contests they've cooked twice or more)

More numbers

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

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

📉 Toughest weekends

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

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

Career map (orange GC · green top-10 · grey the rest — tap a pin)