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
- Sep 27, 2023
BIG O'S BBQ
BIG O'S BBQ is a competition barbecue team with 24 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2025. Their best overall finish is 3rd of 39 at the Hermann BBQ & Brats Festival (2013). They are ranked #2371 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings. Also listed in KCBS results as “BIG OS BBQ” and “BIG O�S BBQ”.
At a glance (the record in numbers)
Rating
1524
peak 1550 · rated over 16 contests3 invitational or side-series contests not counted
Contests
24
in the data
First seen
Sep 27, 2013
latest Nov 5, 2025 · 12.1 years on the trail
Grand champs
0
0 reserve
Category wins
1
7 podiums
Overall top-10s
5
21% of 24 contests
Best top-10 run
2
straight overall top-10s
Avg finish
top 48%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
0
Current form
662.32 ▲
last 5 Master vs avg 660.21 (+2.11)
Walk rate
42%
contests with a top-10 call
Consistency
±13.49
spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Chicken
avg 168.65 · weakest Brisket (162.59)
Road miles
8,765
across 24 mapped stops · furthest 1,506 mi
Schedule strength
35%
of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1547)
Purse competed for
$248K
listed at 9 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
0 🏅
won from 5 state-championship entries
Master avg
660.21 / 720
19 Master contests · 0 GCs
Team of the Year (rank per category by season — the year links to the full board on kcbs.us)
Teams like this (closest power rating)
The teams rated closest to BIG O'S BBQ, each with one reason worth a look.
95 rated teams sit within a point of this rating, so a place on this list means the numbers match — no more than that.
#2,368 of the rated field
- Contests
- 20
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 20%
- Peak
- 1524
2–0 in 2 shared contests (100% to BIG O'S BBQ)
2 contests 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.
⚔ Head-to-head#2,384 of the rated field
- Contests
- 12
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 17%
- Peak
- 1529
0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to BIG O'S BBQ)
Fewer contests behind them than BIG O'S BBQ has cooked, 12 to 24, which makes theirs the less settled rating of the two.
⚔ Head-to-head#2,377 of the rated field
- Contests
- 10
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 10%
- Peak
- 1535
0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to BIG O'S BBQ)
Level with BIG O'S BBQ on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.
⚔ Head-to-head#2,385 of the rated field
- Contests
- 42
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 21%
- Peak
- 1600
1–1 in 2 shared contests (50% to BIG O'S BBQ)
They've been 1600 at their best, 76 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.
⚔ Head-to-head#2,364 of the rated field
- 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.
⚔ Head-to-head#2,357 of the rated field
- Contests
- 65
- GCs
- 1
- Top-10s
- 17%
- Peak
- 1632
0–2 in 2 shared contests (0% to BIG O'S BBQ)
Their rating is built on 1 Grand Championship in 65 contests, alongside a 17% overall top-10 rate.
⚔ Head-to-headFamiliar 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 |
| Three Brothers Different Mothers | 7 | 1 | 6 | 14% | ⚔ compare |
| PARK AVENUE PORK | 7 | 1 | 6 | 14% | ⚔ 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 | 21 | 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 field size and state
By contest size
| Field | Contests | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small (<20 teams) | 1 | 0 | top 89% |
| Medium (20–39) | 6 | 0 | top 30% |
| Large (40+) | 12 | 0 | top 54% |
Repeat visits (contests they've cooked twice or more)
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Invitational Contest | 2 | 105 | 0 | top 50% | Sep 27, 2023 |
| American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest | 2 | 198 | 0 | top 48% | Sep 27, 2023 |
More numbers
Busiest season
2014
8 contests
Contests a season
3.4
across 7 seasons in the data
Most contests held in
MO
11 of 24 contests · 4 states in all
Contests visited
17
2 of them more than once
Most-entered meat
Pork Ribs
21 entries · 1 win · 2 calls
Opponents faced
1,537
finished ahead 1,373 times, behind 1,673
Longest layoff
7.3 yrs
May 15, 2015 → Aug 27, 2022
Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)
20261 milestone
- Most recent contest Woodland Ribs & Rods Rib Cook Off & Car Show (ONE MEAT RIBS)
20232 milestones
- Career-best overall score683.9084 American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Invitational Contest
- Career-best single call (Pork Ribs)176.5600 American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Invitational Contest
20142 milestones
- 10th tracked contest Holy Smoke BBQ Contest
- Peak power rating (1550) Holy Smoke BBQ Contest
20136 milestones
- First tracked contest Hermann BBQ & Brats Festival
- First call Hermann BBQ & Brats Festival
- First category win (Pork Ribs) Hermann BBQ & Brats Festival
- First overall top-10 Hermann BBQ & Brats Festival
- First overall podium Hermann BBQ & Brats Festival
- First overall past 90% of a perfect score675.9312 Hermann BBQ & Brats Festival
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
📈 Biggest rating jumps
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +14.8 | Hermann BBQ & Brats Festival | Sep 27, 2013 |
| +12.2 | ACF - GKCCA BBQ Competition | Jul 24, 2014 |
| +8.6 | Apple Blossom Barbecue Contest | May 2, 2014 |
| +7.3 | Holy Smoke BBQ Contest | Aug 22, 2014 |
| +5.6 | Smokin n a Rollin | Jun 6, 2014 |
📉 Toughest weekends
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -11.3 | Gold Country Casino Resort BrewFest & State BBQ Championship | May 16, 2025 |
| -11 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest | Nov 5, 2025 |
| -5 | 20th Annual Platte City BBQ Cook-Off | May 15, 2015 |
| -3.4 | Hermann Bar-BQ and Brats Festival | Sep 26, 2014 |
| -2.9 | 34th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open | Oct 3, 2013 |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | — | — | — |
| 2025 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25% | top 77% | 92% | 90.3% |
| 2023 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 45% | 95% | 94.6% |
| 2022 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25% | top 52% | 94.6% | 93.4% |
| 2015 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100% | top 65% | 89.7% | 89.7% |
| 2014 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 75% | top 39% | 92.4% | 91.5% |
| 2013 | 3 | 0 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 12, 2026 | Woodland Ribs & Rods Rib Cook Off & Car Show (ONE MEAT RIBS) Woodland, CA | — | — | 17 (164) | — | — |
| Nov 5, 2025 | 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) |
| Nov 5, 2025 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Sides Kansas City, KS | — | — | — | — | — |
| Sep 12, 2025 | 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) |
| May 16, 2025 | Gold Country Casino Resort BrewFest & State BBQ Championship 🏅 Oroville, CA | 17 / 19 (650.8000) | 15 (166.2628) | 14 (164) | 10 (167.4288) | 17 (153.1084) |
| Sep 27, 2023 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Sides Kansas City, KS | — | — | — | — | — |
| Sep 27, 2023 | 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) |
| Sep 27, 2023 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest 🏅 Kansas City, KS | 198 / 487 (677.6800) | 139 (172.5600) | 79 (174.2744) | 379 (160) | 136 (170.8456) |
| Oct 1, 2022 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - SIDES Kansas City, KS | — | — | — | — | — |
| Sep 29, 2022 | 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) |
| Sep 29, 2022 | 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) |
| Aug 27, 2022 | Holy Smokes (ONE MEAT RIBS) Walnut Creek, CA | — | — | 5 (166.8228) | — | — |
| May 15, 2015 | 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) |
| Sep 26, 2014 | Hermann Bar-BQ and Brats Festival Hermann, MO | 22 / 37 (659.9200) | 12 (168.5716) | 32 (154.8572) | 9 (167.9656) | 12 (168.5256) |
| Aug 22, 2014 | Holy Smoke BBQ Contest Liberty, MO | 8 / 29 (665.0968) | 3 (172.0228) | 13 (163.9884) | 2 (173.7028) | 19 (155.3828) |
| Aug 8, 2014 | 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) |
| Jul 24, 2014 | ACF - GKCCA BBQ Competition Kansas City, MO | 4 / 25 (659.3144) | 3 (174.2628) | 14 (155.3944) | 4 (169.1200) | 11 (160.5372) |
| Jun 6, 2014 | Smokin n a Rollin St. Joseph, MO | 8 / 22 (659.3028) | 3 (172.5600) | 16 (150.7888) | 3 (171.9656) | 10 (163.9884) |
| May 16, 2014 | Platte City BBQ Cook-Off Platte City, MO | 17 / 50 (663.3256) | 10 (169.6800) | 13 (169.1544) | 35 (161.1200) | 21 (163.3712) |
| May 2, 2014 | Apple Blossom Barbecue Contest St. Joseph, MO | 10 / 33 (659.3372) | 18 (161.6800) | 15 (162.2516) | 17 (164) | 3 (171.4056) |
| Apr 11, 2014 | 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) |
| Oct 3, 2013 | 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) |
| Oct 3, 2013 | 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) |
| Sep 27, 2013 | Hermann BBQ & Brats Festival Hermann, MO | 3 / 39 (675.9312) | 12 (169.6800) | 1 (174.8800) | 13 (167.9540) | 11 (163.4172) |
An unrated contest — an invitational, or a Competitor or Kosher Series board — is in the record but doesn’t move the power rating.