Puff Puff BBQ

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

Power ranking

#3092

of 6,413 rated · rankings

Rating

1503

peak 1505 · rated over 10 contests ⓘ

Contests

in the data

First seen

2023-05-05

latest 2026-07-11

Best ToY finish

#226

Backyard 2026

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

0 podiums

Overall top-10s

of 12 contests

Avg finish

top 53%

overall standings

Best overall

330.8460 / 360

Backyard · Red White & Que - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (Day 2)

Perfect 180s

Current form

322.32 ▲

last 5 Backyard vs avg 319.01 (+3.30)

Walk rate

67%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

166.8572

Chicken · New Jersey KnoQ-out - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (DAY 1)

Consistency

±13.20

std dev of Backyard overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork Ribs

avg 160.54 · weakest Chicken (159.30)

Road miles

519

mi across 12 mapped stops · furthest 115 mi

Schedule strength

60%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1576)

Purse competed for

$31K

listed at 11 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

GCs in 7 state-championship entries

Backyard avg

319.01 / 360

10 Backyard contests · 0 GCs

This team cooks the Backyard series — its own boards, records and Team of the Year are here.

⚔ Compare with another team

Storylines (6 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.

They almost always walk

67% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 8 of 12 contests

A top-10 category call in 67% of their 12 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

PHILLY BLIND PIG BBQ has finished one call ahead of Puff Puff BBQ 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

A tough matchup

8–0 behind in the head-to-head

Capt. Blue BBQ ahead in 100% of their meetings

Capt. Blue BBQ has come out ahead in 8 of their 8 shared contests.

A strong matchup

6–0 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 100% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of Let It Smoke Barbecue in 6 of their 6 shared contests.

Pork Ribs nemesis

7 of 8 shared pork ribs entries lost

Capt. Blue BBQ ahead 88% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, Capt. Blue BBQ has out-cooked them in 7 of 8 shared pork ribs entries.

An October team

Top 43% average finish in October

Something about October: average finish in the top 43% across 5 contests, versus top 53% the rest of the year.

5 October contests
top 53% the rest of the year

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.

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

Hog Heaven

#3086 of the rated field

1503 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 15
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 27%
Peak: 1505

1–3 in 4 shared contests (25% to Puff Puff BBQ)

These two have cooked 4 of the same contests — Hog Heaven ahead 3–1 — so there's a record behind this pairing and not just a matching number.

rated over 15 contests
last seen 2025-10-25

⚔ Head-to-head

Smokin' Goat

#3103 of the rated field

1503 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 5
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 20%
Peak: 1505

1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to Puff Puff BBQ)

Fewer contests behind them than Puff Puff BBQ has cooked, 5 to 12, which makes theirs the less settled rating of the two.

rated over 5 contests
last seen 2026-04-18

⚔ Head-to-head

LIVYQ

#3075 of the rated field

1503 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 10
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 20%
Peak: 1525

No shared contest yet.

Their last contest in the data was back in 2021, 5 years before Puff Puff BBQ's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 10 contests

⚔ Head-to-head

MANTUCKY MAYHEM

#3108 of the rated field

1503 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 10
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 20%
Peak: 1518

No shared contest yet.

They were already cooking in 2016, 7 years before Puff Puff BBQ's first contest.

rated over 10 contests
last seen 2021-05-01

⚔ Head-to-head

BSA

#3109 of the rated field

1503 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 13
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 62%
Peak: 1504

No shared contest yet.

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 11 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 11 contests
last seen 2020-10-30
on a 5-contest top-10 run

⚔ Head-to-head

WHAT WOOD JESUS QUE?

#3099 of the rated field

1503 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 11
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 9%
Peak: 1503

No shared contest yet.

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

rated over 11 contests
last seen 2016-11-11

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
Capt. Blue BBQ	8	0	8	0%	⚔ compare
Big Butts BBQ	7	3	4	43%	⚔ compare
All About the Wood	7	1	6	14%	⚔ compare
Sauce Em & Toss Em BBQ	7	1	6	14%	⚔ compare
Rough Cut Q	7	0	7	0%	⚔ compare
Let It Smoke Barbecue	6	6	0	100%	⚔ compare
TRUCKERS CHOICE BBQ	6	6	0	100%	⚔ compare
SMOAKWOOD	6	3	3	50%	⚔ compare
DIG'N N PIG'N	6	2	3	33%	⚔ compare
Grandpa Val's BBQ	6	2	4	33%	⚔ compare
Uncle Pig's Barbeque Pit	6	2	4	33%	⚔ compare
Yardogs BBQ	6	1	5	17%	⚔ compare
Leaning Jowler BBQ	6	0	6	0%	⚔ compare
POPPA Q-BBQ	5	5	0	100%	⚔ compare
BBQBrewCrew	5	5	0	100%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	12	4	166.8572	137.6800	159.30	top 59%
Pork Ribs	10	5	166.8228	146.2172	160.54	top 48%
Pork	0	0	—	—	—	—
Brisket	0	0	—	—	—	—

“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
NJ	6	top 40%
PA	3	top 74%
DE	1	top 65%

By contest size

Field	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
Small (<20 teams)	3	0	top 74%
Medium (20–39)	7	0	top 44%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
K.S. Que (BACKYARD ONLY)	3	9	top 74%	2026-07-11
Red White & Que - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (Day 2)	3	12	top 46%	2025-10-25
Red White & Que - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (Day 2)	2	8	top 39%	2024-10-19

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

On the trail 3.2 yrs 2023-05-05 → 2026-07-11

Busiest season 2023 5 contests

Contests a season 3 across 4 seasons in the data

Cooks most in NJ 7 of 12 contests · 3 states/provinces in all

Contests visited 5 3 of them cooked more than once

Most-entered meat Chicken 12 entries · 0 wins · 4 calls

Strongest meat Pork Ribs averages 160.54 · weakest Chicken (159.30)

Walk rate 67% a top-10 call in 8 of 12 contests

Overall top-10 rate 33% 4 of 12 contests

Backyard average 319.01 out of 360 · 10 contests · 0 GCs

Opponents faced 140 161–185 across every shared overall standing

Road miles 519 12 mapped stops · furthest 115 mi

Schedule strength 1576 average field rating faced — tougher than 60% of rated contests

Purse competed for $30,520 listed at 11 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships 0 from 7 state-championship entries

Longest layoff 1 yrs 2024-10-19 → 2025-10-24

Power rating 1503 peak 1505 · #3092 of 6,413 rated

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

2023
May 5 First tracked contest Delaware Bay-B-Que - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (Day 1)
May 5 First call Delaware Bay-B-Que - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (ONE MEAT CHICKEN)
Jun 30 First overall top-10 K.S. Que (BACKYARD ONLY)
Oct 20 First overall past 90% of a perfect score325.0856 Red White & Que - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (Day 1)
2024
Apr 19 Career-best single call (Chicken)166.8572 New Jersey KnoQ-out - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (DAY 1)
Oct 19 Career-best overall score330.8460 Red White & Que - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (Day 2)
2025
Oct 24 10th tracked contest Red White & Que - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (Day 1)
Oct 24 Peak power rating (1505) Red White & Que - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (Day 1)
2026
Jul 11 Most recent contest K.S. Que (BACKYARD ONLY)

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+9.1	Red White & Que - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (Day 1)	2024-10-18
+8	New Jersey KnoQ-out - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (DAY 1)	2024-04-19
+5.5	Red White & Que - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (Day 1)	2023-10-20
+1.5	Red White & Que - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (Day 1)	2025-10-24
+0.5	K.S. Que (BACKYARD ONLY)	2026-07-11

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-8.1	K.S. Que (BACKYARD ONLY)	2023-06-30
-5.8	Delaware Bay-B-Que - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (Day 1)	2023-05-05
-5	K.S. Que (BACKYARD ONLY)	2024-07-06
-2.1	Red White & Que - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (Day 2)	2025-10-25
-0.6	Red White & Que - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (Day 2)	2024-10-19

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	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2026	1	1	100%	top 60%	88.2%	88.2%
2025	2	0	0%	top 51%	87.9%	87.9%
2024	4	2	100%	top 46%	91.9%	91.4%
2023	5	1	60%	top 61%	90.3%	85.5%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2026-07-11	K.S. Que (BACKYARD ONLY) Kennett Square, PA	9 / 15 (317.6572)	10 (157.1200)	11 (160.5372)	—	—
2025-10-25	Red White & Que - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (Day 2) 🏅 Jackson, NJ	18 / 32 (316.4112)	19 (150.7084)	13 (165.7028)	—	—
2025-10-24	Red White & Que - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (Day 1) 🏅 Jackson, NJ	14 / 31 (316.4684)	14 (157.0740)	14 (159.3944)	—	—
2024-10-19	Red White & Que - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (Day 2) 🏅 Columbia, NJ	13 / 26 (330.8460)	14 (166.2972)	10 (164.5488)	—	—
2024-10-18	Red White & Que - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (Day 1) 🏅 Columbia, NJ	8 / 28 (330.2056)	13 (163.3828)	4 (166.8228)	—	—
2024-07-06	K.S. Que (BACKYARD ONLY) Kennett Square, PA	11 / 14 (324.4916)	12 (164.5372)	9 (159.9544)	—	—
2024-04-19	New Jersey KnoQ-out - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (DAY 1) 🏅 Blairstown, NJ	8 / 29 (330.8116)	9 (166.8572)	9 (163.9544)	—	—
2023-10-20	Red White & Que - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (ONE MEAT CHICKEN) Jackson, NJ	—	14 (164.5828)	—	—	—
2023-10-20	Red White & Que - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (Day 1) 🏅 Jackson, NJ	12 / 34 (325.0856)	16 (158.2628)	8 (166.8228)	—	—
2023-06-30	K.S. Que (BACKYARD ONLY) Kennett Square, PA	10 / 12 (314.2632)	8 (162.8460)	11 (151.4172)	—	—
2023-05-05	Delaware Bay-B-Que - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (ONE MEAT CHICKEN) Lincoln, DE	—	6 (162.2856)	—	—	—
2023-05-05	Delaware Bay-B-Que - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (Day 1) 🏅 Lincoln, DE	13 / 20 (283.8972)	13 (137.6800)	12 (146.2172)	—	—

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 ↗	Backyard	#226 (125 pts)	#245 (115 pts)	#265 (110 pts)	—	—
2025 ↗	Backyard	#235 (177 pts)	#242 (172 pts)	#234 (202 pts)	—	—
2024 ↗	Backyard	#309 (109 pts)	#328 (104 pts)	#307 (124 pts)	—	—