BIG O'S BBQ

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

Power ranking

#2352

of 6,413 rated · rankings

Rating

1524

peak 1550 · rated over 16 contests ⓘ

Contests

in the data

First seen

2013-09-27

latest 2025-11-05

Best ToY finish

#508

Master 2014

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

7 podiums

Overall top-10s

of 23 contests

Avg finish

top 48%

overall standings

Best overall

683.9084 / 720

Master · American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Invitational Contest

Perfect 180s

Current form

662.32 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 660.21 (+2.11)

Walk rate

43%

contests with a top-10 call

Top-10 streak

best run (overall)

Best single call

176.5600

Pork Ribs · American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Invitational Contest

Consistency

±13.49

std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 168.65 · weakest Brisket (162.59)

Road miles

7,310

mi across 23 mapped stops · furthest 1506 mi

Schedule strength

35%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1547)

Purse competed for

$245K

listed at 8 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

GCs in 5 state-championship entries

Master avg

660.21 / 720

19 Master contests · 0 GCs

⚔ Compare with another team

Storylines (10 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

683.9084 career-best overall

95.0% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 683.9084 at American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Invitational Contest — 95.0% of a perfect 720.

Master
2023-09-27

Their season

2013 their best year

2013 was the year it came together: 3 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 1 category win, at an average finish in the top 37%.

3 contests
1 overall top-10s
1 category wins
average top 37%

A tough matchup

10–1 behind in the head-to-head

DIRT ROAD BBQ ahead in 91% of their meetings

DIRT ROAD BBQ has come out ahead in 10 of their 11 shared contests.

The weak link

−6.1 points behind their best meat

Brisket is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 6.06 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 11% of the time against 21%.

Brisket avg 162.59
Chicken avg 168.65
2 calls in 19 entries

A strong matchup

5–1 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 83% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of Kanned Heat in 5 of their 6 shared contests.

The comeback

7.3 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 7.3 years, then back at Holy Smokes (ONE MEAT RIBS) (2022-08-27).

last seen 2015-05-15
back 2022-08-27

Chicken nemesis

10 of 11 shared chicken entries lost

DIRT ROAD BBQ ahead 91% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, DIRT ROAD BBQ has out-cooked them in 10 of 11 shared chicken entries.

Announced themselves early

3rd at their very first contest

Finished 3 of 39 at their very first tracked contest, Hermann BBQ & Brats Festival (2013-09-27).

2013-09-27
39-team field

The long haul

7,310 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 7,310 miles across 23 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 1,506 miles to Holy Smokes (ONE MEAT RIBS).

23 mapped stops
furthest 1,506 mi

The metronome

±1.87% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±1.87% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 91.7% of a perfect score
23 contests

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.

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

SWINE ENTHUSIAST BBQ

#2351 of the rated field

1524 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 14
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 14%
Peak: 1538

1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to BIG O'S BBQ)

One contest in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team BIG O'S BBQ has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.

rated over 14 contests
last seen 2019-05-31

⚔ Head-to-head

Meat Sweats BBQ

#2356 of the rated field

1524 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 10
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 10%
Peak: 1535

0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to BIG O'S BBQ)

Fewer contests behind them than BIG O'S BBQ has cooked, 10 to 23, which makes theirs the less settled rating of the two.

rated over 9 contests
last seen 2025-11-05

⚔ Head-to-head

2 BROTHERS BBQ

#2344 of the rated field

1525 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 8
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 13%
Peak: 1525

0–2 in 2 shared contests (0% to BIG O'S BBQ)

Their last contest in the data was back in 2022, 3 years before BIG O'S BBQ's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 5 contests

⚔ Head-to-head

Slam Dunk BBQ

#2357 of the rated field

1524 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 17
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 47%
Peak: 1527

No shared contest yet.

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 17 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 17 contests
last seen 2026-08-14

⚔ Head-to-head

TOO BAD YOU'RE MY COUSIN

#2349 of the rated field

1524 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 17
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 6%
Peak: 1535

No shared contest yet.

17 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 6% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 17 contests
last seen 2018-05-25

⚔ Head-to-head

Smokey and the Brisket

#2342 of the rated field

1525 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 15
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 7%
Peak: 1529

No shared contest yet.

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

rated over 15 contests
last seen 2025-08-22

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
DIRT ROAD BBQ	11	1	10	9%	⚔ compare
GETTIN' BASTED	9	1	8	11%	⚔ compare
SHAKE 'N BAKE BBQ	9	1	8	11%	⚔ compare
Sons of a Brisket	8	3	5	38%	⚔ compare
GETTIN' SAUCED	8	1	7	13%	⚔ compare
BURNT FINGER BBQ	8	0	8	0%	⚔ compare
Theslabs.com	7	3	4	43%	⚔ compare
LA PASADITA	7	2	5	29%	⚔ compare
BUNCH OF SWINES	7	2	5	29%	⚔ compare
MEAT RUSHMORE BBQ	7	2	5	29%	⚔ compare
S&S BBQ	7	2	5	29%	⚔ compare
4 LEGS UP BBQ	7	2	5	29%	⚔ compare
SHIGGIN & GRINNIN	7	1	6	14%	⚔ compare
PARK AVENUE PORK	7	1	6	14%	⚔ compare
IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ	7	0	7	0%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	19	4	0	3	174.2628	161.6800	168.65	top 40%
Pork Ribs	20	2	1	1	176.5600	150.7888	163.90	top 51%
Pork	19	6	0	2	173.7028	149.6112	165.24	top 49%
Brisket	19	2	0	1	174.2628	146.8116	162.59	top 49%

“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	Avg finish
MO	11	top 39%
KS	6	top 58%
TX	1	top 52%
CA	1	top 89%

By contest size

Field	Contests	Avg finish
Small (<20 teams)	1	top 89%
Medium (20–39)	6	top 30%
Large (40+)	12	top 54%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	GCs	Avg finish	Last visit
American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest	2	198	0	top 48%	2023-09-27
American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Invitational Contest	2	105	0	top 50%	2023-09-27

The story so far (18 numbers that describe this team)

On the trail 12.1 yrs 2013-09-27 → 2025-11-05

Busiest season 2014 8 contests

Contests a season 3.8 across 6 seasons in the data

Cooks most in MO 11 of 23 contests · 4 states/provinces in all

Contests visited 17 2 of them cooked more than once

Most-entered meat Pork Ribs 20 entries · 1 win · 2 calls

Strongest meat Chicken averages 168.65 · weakest Brisket (162.59)

Walk rate 43% a top-10 call in 10 of 23 contests

Overall top-10 rate 22% 5 of 23 contests

Best top-10 run 2 straight contests

Master average 660.21 out of 720 · 19 contests · 0 GCs

Opponents faced 1,542 1,373–1,673 across every shared overall standing

Road miles 7,310 23 mapped stops · furthest 1,506 mi

Schedule strength 1547 average field rating faced — tougher than 35% of rated contests

Purse competed for $245,425 listed at 8 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships 0 from 5 state-championship entries

Longest layoff 7.3 yrs 2015-05-15 → 2022-08-27

Power rating 1524 peak 1550 · #2352 of 6,413 rated

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

2013
Sep 27 First tracked contest Hermann BBQ & Brats Festival
Sep 27 First call Hermann BBQ & Brats Festival
Sep 27 First category win (Pork Ribs) Hermann BBQ & Brats Festival
Sep 27 First overall top-10 Hermann BBQ & Brats Festival
Sep 27 First overall podium Hermann BBQ & Brats Festival
Sep 27 First overall past 90% of a perfect score675.9312 Hermann BBQ & Brats Festival
2014
Aug 22 10th tracked contest Holy Smoke BBQ Contest
Aug 22 Peak power rating (1550) Holy Smoke BBQ Contest
2023
Sep 27 Career-best overall score683.9084 American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Invitational Contest
Sep 27 Career-best single call (Pork Ribs)176.5600 American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Invitational Contest
2025
Nov 5 Most recent contest American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+14.8	Hermann BBQ & Brats Festival	2013-09-27
+12.2	ACF - GKCCA BBQ Competition	2014-07-24
+8.6	Apple Blossom Barbecue Contest	2014-05-02
+7.3	Holy Smoke BBQ Contest	2014-08-22
+5.6	Smokin n a Rollin	2014-06-06

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-11.3	Gold Country Casino Resort BrewFest & State BBQ Championship	2025-05-16
-10.9	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest	2025-11-05
-5	20th Annual Platte City BBQ Cook-Off	2015-05-15
-3.4	Hermann Bar-BQ and Brats Festival	2014-09-26
-3	34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open	2013-10-03

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	Top-10s	Category wins	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2025	4	0	0	25%	top 77%	92%	90.3%
2023	3	0	0	0%	top 45%	95%	94.6%
2022	4	0	0	25%	top 52%	94.6%	93.4%
2015	1	0	0	100%	top 65%	89.7%	89.7%
2014	8	4	0	75%	top 39%	92.4%	91.5%
2013	3	1	1	33%	top 37%	93.9%	91.4%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2025-11-05	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest 🏅 Kansas City, KS	362 / 401 (636.9828)	225 (169.1200)	149 (171.4400)	390 (149.6112)	389 (146.8116)
2025-11-05	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Sides Kansas City, KS	—	—	—	—	—
2025-09-12	Navy SEAL Danny Dietz Memorial Classic Cookoff 🏅 Waller, TX	48 / 92 (662.2288)	42 (167.4400)	39 (168.5716)	29 (170.8572)	71 (155.3600)
2025-05-16	Gold Country Casino Resort BrewFest & State BBQ Championship 🏅 Oroville, CA	17 / 19 (650.8000)	15 (166.2628)	14 (164.0000)	10 (167.4288)	17 (153.1084)
2023-09-27	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Sides Kansas City, KS	—	—	—	—	—
2023-09-27	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest 🏅 Kansas City, KS	198 / 487 (677.6800)	139 (172.5600)	79 (174.2744)	379 (160.0000)	136 (170.8456)
2023-09-27	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Invitational Contest unrated Kansas City, KS	105 / 211 (683.9084)	128 (169.6800)	24 (176.5600)	167 (166.2284)	81 (171.4400)
2022-10-01	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - SIDES Kansas City, KS	—	—	—	—	—
2022-09-29	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - INVITATIONAL CONTEST unrated Kansas City, KS	125 / 249 (681.0512)	205 (166.2400)	164 (169.1084)	101 (171.4400)	51 (174.2628)
2022-09-29	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - OPEN CONTEST 🏅 Kansas City, KS	276 / 505 (664.4572)	239 (167.9772)	390 (161.0972)	364 (162.2400)	67 (173.1428)
2022-08-27	Holy Smokes (ONE MEAT RIBS) Walnut Creek, CA	—	—	5 (166.8228)	—	—
2015-05-15	20th Annual Platte City BBQ Cook-Off Platte City, MO	33 / 51 (645.6116)	24 (166.2972)	48 (151.9544)	6 (173.1200)	39 (154.2400)
2014-09-26	Hermann Bar-BQ and Brats Festival Hermann, MO	22 / 37 (659.9200)	12 (168.5716)	32 (154.8572)	9 (167.9656)	12 (168.5256)
2014-08-22	Holy Smoke BBQ Contest Liberty, MO	8 / 29 (665.0968)	3 (172.0228)	13 (163.9884)	2 (173.7028)	19 (155.3828)
2014-08-08	Balloons & BBQ Festival at Kansas Speedway Kansas City, KS	32 / 53 (652.4228)	16 (171.9656)	50 (152.5488)	27 (165.1084)	32 (162.8000)
2014-07-24	ACF - GKCCA BBQ Competition Kansas City, MO	4 / 25 (659.3144)	3 (174.2628)	14 (155.3944)	4 (169.1200)	11 (160.5372)
2014-06-06	Smokin n a Rollin St. Joseph, MO	8 / 22 (659.3028)	3 (172.5600)	16 (150.7888)	3 (171.9656)	10 (163.9884)
2014-05-16	Platte City BBQ Cook-Off Platte City, MO	17 / 50 (663.3256)	10 (169.6800)	13 (169.1544)	35 (161.1200)	21 (163.3712)
2014-05-02	Apple Blossom Barbecue Contest St. Joseph, MO	10 / 33 (659.3372)	18 (161.6800)	15 (162.2516)	17 (164.0000)	3 (171.4056)
2014-04-11	The Best Dam BBQ Contest at Smithville Lake Smithville, MO	25 / 54 (649.0632)	25 (164.0116)	13 (168.5716)	38 (159.9772)	36 (156.5028)
2013-10-03	34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open Kansas City, MO	323 / 535 (631.9656)	177 (165.1544)	246 (159.9884)	419 (152.5256)	326 (154.2972)
2013-10-03	34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Invitational unrated Kansas City, MO	76 / 174 (665.6456)	55 (169.1200)	106 (161.7028)	86 (165.1200)	47 (169.7028)
2013-09-27	Hermann BBQ & Brats Festival Hermann, MO	3 / 39 (675.9312)	12 (169.6800)	1 (174.8800)	13 (167.9540)	11 (163.4172)

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
2025 ↗	Master	#1148 (60 pts)	#1221 (60 pts)	#1293 (60 pts)	#1190 (60 pts)	#1190 (60 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#508 (749 pts)	#397 (944 pts)	#639 (599 pts)	#449 (849 pts)	#511 (734 pts)