They almost always walk
81%
of contests with a top-10 call
A call in 13 of 16 contests
A top-10 category call in 81% of their 16 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.
Bubba's BBQ Nation
At a glance (everything the results say about this team, in numbers)
Rating
1499
peak 1526 · rated over 15 contests ⓘ
Contests
16
in the data
First seen
2013-04-05
latest 2026-06-12
Best ToY finish
#398
Master 2013
Grand champs
0
0 reserve
Category wins
0
2 podiums
Overall top-10s
4
of 16 contests
Avg finish
top 54%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
0
Current form
662.27 ▲
last 5 Master vs avg 654.50 (+7.77)
Walk rate
81%
contests with a top-10 call
Top-10 streak
2
best run (overall)
Consistency
±18.47
std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Pork
avg 165.89 · weakest Brisket (160.71)
Road miles
1,536
mi across 16 mapped stops · furthest 412 mi
Schedule strength
29%
of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1539)
Purse competed for
$61K
listed at 6 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
0 🏅
GCs in 6 state-championship entries
Master avg
654.50 / 720
14 Master contests · 0 GCs
Backyard avg
335.94 / 360
1 Backyard contest · 0 GCs
Master and Backyard overall scores sit on different scales (Master is 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.
Storylines (7 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.
High-water mark
691.3832
career-best overall
96.0% of a perfect 720
Their best day on record: 691.3832 at Smoke on the Plains Derby BBQ & Music Fest — 96.0% of a perfect 720.
- Master
- 2021-06-11
A tough matchup
7–0
behind in the head-to-head
RUBBING BUTTS BBQ KS ahead in 100% of their meetings
RUBBING BUTTS BBQ KS has come out ahead in 7 of their 7 shared contests.
The weak link
−5.2
points behind their best meat
Brisket is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 5.18 points below their pork, and turns into a call 29% of the time against 50%.
- Brisket avg 160.71
- Pork avg 165.89
- 4 calls in 14 entries
A strong matchup
4–0
ahead in the head-to-head
Ahead in 100% of their meetings
They've finished ahead of Outhouse BBQ in 4 of their 4 shared contests.
The comeback
4.7 yrs
off the trail, then back
Off the trail for 4.7 years, then back at Smoke on the Plains Derby BBQ & Music Fest (2019-06-07).
- last seen 2014-09-12
- back 2019-06-07
Pork nemesis
5 of 7
shared pork entries lost
BUTCHER BBQ ahead 71% of the time
Even in their strongest meat, BUTCHER BBQ has out-cooked them in 5 of 7 shared pork entries.
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.
125 rated teams sit within a point of this rating, so a place on this list means the numbers match — no more than that.
#3239 of the rated field
- Contests
- 7
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 14%
- Peak
- 1499
1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to Bubba's BBQ Nation)
One contest in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team Bubba's BBQ Nation has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.
⚔ Head-to-head#3259 of the rated field
- Contests
- 15
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 20%
- Peak
- 1499
No shared contest yet.
This is the highest they've ever been rated, 15 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.
⚔ Head-to-head#3275 of the rated field
- Contests
- 16
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 13%
- Peak
- 1498
No shared contest yet.
Their last contest in the data was back in 2022, 4 years before Bubba's BBQ Nation's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.
⚔ Head-to-head#3244 of the rated field
- Contests
- 14
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1505
No shared contest yet.
Careers of much the same size, 14 contests to 16, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.
⚔ Head-to-head#3264 of the rated field
- Contests
- 14
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 21%
- Peak
- 1516
No shared contest yet.
14 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 21% top-10 finishes rather than wins.
⚔ Head-to-head#3237 of the rated field
- Contests
- 12
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 8%
- Peak
- 1509
No shared contest yet.
They turned up 10 years after Bubba's BBQ Nation did, first appearing in 2023.
⚔ Head-to-headFamiliar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)
| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SMOKIN ELVISES | 7 | 4 | 3 | 57% | ⚔ compare |
| BUTCHER BBQ | 7 | 1 | 6 | 14% | ⚔ compare |
| RUBBING BUTTS BBQ KS | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| WICHITA SWINEMEN | 6 | 2 | 4 | 33% | ⚔ compare |
| SMOKE N HOGS BBQ KS | 6 | 1 | 5 | 17% | ⚔ compare |
| GREAT PLAINS BBQ | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| ALWAYS SAUCED | 5 | 3 | 2 | 60% | ⚔ compare |
| POK N DA RIBS | 5 | 2 | 3 | 40% | ⚔ compare |
| BARREL BOYS BBQ | 5 | 2 | 3 | 40% | ⚔ compare |
| ROUGHNECKS BBQ | 5 | 1 | 4 | 20% | ⚔ compare |
| JP CUSTOM SMOKE | 5 | 1 | 4 | 20% | ⚔ compare |
| NAUGHTY NURSES BBQ | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| IRON WHEEL COOKERS | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| WHISKEY PIT BBQ COMPANY | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 15 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 175.4288 | 155.4284 | 164.67 | top 50% |
| Pork Ribs | 16 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 173.1428 | 148.5716 | 163.99 | top 55% |
| Pork | 14 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 174.2972 | 153.6228 | 165.89 | top 46% |
| Brisket | 14 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 170.8570 | 144.5712 | 160.71 | top 57% |
“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 | 12 | 0 | top 59% |
| OK | 2 | 0 | top 38% |
| CO | 1 | 0 | top 31% |
By contest size
| Field | Contests | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small (<20 teams) | 1 | 0 | top 56% |
| Medium (20–39) | 12 | 0 | top 57% |
| Large (40+) | 2 | 0 | top 38% |
Contest-by-contest record (recurring contests they've cooked twice or more)
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke on the Plains Derby BBQ & Music Fest | 3 | 4 | 0 | top 42% | 2023-06-09 |
The story so far (19 numbers that describe this team)
On the trail
13.2 yrs
2013-04-05 → 2026-06-12
Busiest season
2013
8 contests
Contests a season
2.3
across 7 seasons in the data
Cooks most in
KS
13 of 16 contests · 3 states/provinces in all
Contests visited
13
1 of them cooked more than once
Most-entered meat
Pork Ribs
16 entries · 0 wins · 4 calls
Strongest meat
Pork
averages 165.89 · weakest Brisket (160.71)
Walk rate
81%
a top-10 call in 13 of 16 contests
Overall top-10 rate
25%
4 of 16 contests
Best top-10 run
2
straight contests
Master average
654.50
out of 720 · 14 contests · 0 GCs
Backyard average
335.94
out of 360 · 1 contest · 0 GCs
Opponents faced
373
265–295 across every shared overall standing
Road miles
1,536
16 mapped stops · furthest 412 mi
Schedule strength
1539
average field rating faced — tougher than 29% of rated contests
Purse competed for
$61,355
listed at 6 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
0
from 6 state-championship entries
Longest layoff
4.7 yrs
2014-09-12 → 2019-06-07
Power rating
1499
peak 1526 · #3256 of 6,413 rated
Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)
- 2013
- First tracked contest Stillwater Elks 25th Annual Blazathon
- First call Stillwater Elks 25th Annual Blazathon
- First overall past 90% of a perfect score652.5716 8th Annual Smokin' Red Dirt BBQ
- First overall top-10 Taste of Wheatstock
- 2019
- 10th tracked contest Smoke on the Plains Derby BBQ & Music Fest
- 2021
- Career-best overall score691.3832 Smoke on the Plains Derby BBQ & Music Fest
- Career-best single call (Chicken)175.4288 Smoke on the Plains Derby BBQ & Music Fest
- Peak power rating (1526) Smoke on the Plains Derby BBQ & Music Fest
- 2026
- Most recent contest Smoke on the Plains BBQ & Music Fest
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
📈 Biggest rating jumps
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +13.6 | Smoke on the Plains Derby BBQ & Music Fest | 2019-06-07 |
| +8.5 | Smoke on the Plains Derby BBQ & Music Fest | 2021-06-11 |
| +7.2 | Boats, Bands and BBQ | 2013-06-07 |
| +4.8 | Stillwater Elks 25th Annual Blazathon | 2013-04-05 |
| +4.1 | Taste of Wheatstock | 2013-05-17 |
📉 Toughest weekends
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -13.6 | Smoke on the Plains Derby BBQ & Music Fest | 2023-06-09 |
| -11.3 | Smoke on the Plains BBQ & Music Fest | 2026-06-12 |
| -4.9 | R'Kansas City State BBQ Championship | 2013-04-26 |
| -4.7 | Sam's Club National BBQ Tour | 2013-09-27 |
| -4.5 | Sand Creek Summer Daze Saucy & Glazed BBQ Competition | 2021-07-09 |
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 | GCs | Top-10s | Category wins | Walk rate | Avg finish | Best overall (% of perfect) | Avg overall (% of perfect) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 97% | 89.9% | 89.9% |
| 2023 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 91% | 88.9% | 88.9% |
| 2022 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 100% | top 56% | 94.3% | 94.3% |
| 2021 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 100% | top 48% | 96% | 93.4% |
| 2019 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 100% | top 10% | 93.3% | 93.3% |
| 2014 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100% | top 63% | 91.3% | 91.3% |
| 2013 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 88% | top 50% | 92% | 90.2% |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-12 | Smoke on the Plains BBQ & Music Fest 🏅 Derby, KS | 35 / 36 (647.2000) | 31 (166.2400) | 30 (165.0972) | 28 (165.0856) | 35 (150.7772) |
| 2023-06-09 | Smoke on the Plains Derby BBQ & Music Fest 🏅 Derby, KS | 29 / 32 (639.7828) | 21 (167.3828) | 27 (157.6800) | 29 (158.2172) | 28 (156.5028) |
| 2022-04-29 | Rod Trowbridge Memorial Cook Flyin 🏅 Derby, KS | 9 / 16 (678.8228) | 5 (172.5600) | 7 (172.5828) | 9 (170.2628) | 10 (163.4172) |
| 2022-04-29 | Rod Trowbridge Memorial Cook Flyin - One Meat Ribs Derby, KS | — | — | 9 (167.4172) | — | — |
| 2021-07-09 | Sand Creek Summer Daze Saucy & Glazed BBQ Competition 🏅 Newton, KS | 15 / 21 (654.1600) | 19 (157.1200) | 11 (165.6800) | 8 (170.8228) | 14 (160.5372) |
| 2021-06-11 | Smoke on the Plains Derby BBQ & Music Fest 🏅 Derby, KS | 7 / 28 (691.3832) | 10 (175.4288) | 9 (173.1200) | 6 (174.2972) | 18 (168.5372) |
| 2019-06-07 | Smoke on the Plains Derby BBQ & Music Fest 🏅 Derby, KS | 4 / 39 (335.9428) | 7 (162.8000) | 3 (173.1428) | — | — |
| 2014-09-12 | Derby BBQ Festival Derby, KS | 24 / 38 (657.5656) | 10 (170.2628) | 24 (161.1200) | 35 (157.0512) | 12 (169.1316) |
| 2013-09-27 | Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Overland Park, KS | 21 / 29 (662.1716) | 7 (171.9772) | 16 (166.8572) | 4 (173.1200) | 28 (150.2172) |
| 2013-09-06 | National Bar-B-Que Derby Derby, KS | 20 / 35 (642.7316) | 17 (162.8572) | 25 (156.5372) | 28 (153.6228) | 3 (169.7144) |
| 2013-06-07 | Boats, Bands and BBQ Pueblo, CO | 12 / 39 (658.8566) | 18 (163.9996) | 24 (158.8572) | 15 (165.1428) | 5 (170.8570) |
| 2013-05-31 | Valley Center Spring Fling Valley Center, KS | 20 / 34 (657.1424) | 29 (155.4284) | 19 (163.9998) | 5 (172.0000) | 12 (165.7142) |
| 2013-05-17 | Taste of Wheatstock Abilene, KS | 10 / 25 (661.1430) | 14 (161.1428) | 14 (164.0000) | 4 (171.4284) | 10 (164.5718) |
| 2013-04-26 | R'Kansas City State BBQ Championship Arkansas City, KS | 17 / 25 (652.5714) | 22 (161.1424) | 13 (166.2858) | 17 (161.1430) | 12 (164.0002) |
| 2013-04-19 | 8th Annual Smokin' Red Dirt BBQ Enid, OK | 25 / 63 (652.5716) | 21 (165.1428) | 26 (162.8572) | 9 (173.1430) | 45 (151.4286) |
| 2013-04-05 | Stillwater Elks 25th Annual Blazathon Stillwater, OK | 19 / 52 (606.8572) | 8 (156.5714) | 27 (148.5716) | 15 (157.1430) | 36 (144.5712) |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 ↗ | Master | #2542 (68 pts) | #1807 (138 pts) | #2580 (68 pts) | #2675 (63 pts) | #1863 (128 pts) |
| 2013 ↗ | Master | #398 (767 pts) | #358 (852 pts) | #477 (682 pts) | #245 (1137 pts) | #308 (992 pts) |