Morning Wood

Morning Wood is a competition barbecue team with 9 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2025. Their best overall finish is 7th of 73 at the 5th Annual VFW Post 846 BBQ Challenge (FULL) (2013). They are ranked #3680 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#3,680

of 6,491 rated · rankings

Rating

1490

peak 1517 · rated over 8 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Apr 19, 2013

latest Sep 26, 2025 · 12.4 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#1335

Master 2013 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

1 podium

Overall top-10s

11% of 9 contests

Avg finish

top 61%

overall standings

Best overall

668.5716 / 720

Master · 5th Annual VFW Post 846 BBQ Challenge (FULL)

Perfect 180s

Current form

626.10 ▼

last 5 Master vs avg 637.65 (-11.55)

Walk rate

56%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

176.0228

Pork Ribs · 10th Annual VFW Post 846 BBQ Challenge

Consistency

±26.02

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 163.21 · weakest Pork (155.62)

Road miles

1,535

across 9 mapped stops · furthest 1,275 mi

Schedule strength

47%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1561)

Purse competed for

$4,625

listed at 2 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 2 state-championship entries

Master avg

637.65 / 720

8 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (7 found in their record)

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

High-water mark

668.5716 career-best overall

92.9% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 668.5716 at 5th Annual VFW Post 846 BBQ Challenge (FULL) — 92.9% of a perfect 720.

Master
Apr 19, 2013

A tough matchup

6–1 behind in the head-to-head

SKUNK RIVER BBQ ahead in 86% of their meetings

SKUNK RIVER BBQ has come out ahead in 6 of their 7 shared contests.

The weak link

−7.6 points behind their best meat

Pork is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 7.59 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 13% of the time against 13%.

Pork avg 155.62
Chicken avg 163.21
1 call in 8 entries

A strong matchup

5–1 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 83% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of GLAZED & CONFUSED in 5 of their 6 shared contests.

The comeback

6.5 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 6.5 years, then back at Fire in the Foothills (Sep 26, 2025).

last seen Apr 5, 2019
back Sep 26, 2025

Chicken nemesis

6 of 6 shared chicken entries lost

B & C SMOKERS ahead 100% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, B & C SMOKERS has out-cooked them in 6 of 6 shared chicken entries.

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

LOVE 2 Q has landed one call behind them 2 times.

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
2019 ↗	Master	#1955 (60 pts)	#1508 (135 pts)	#2026 (60 pts)	#2029 (60 pts)	#2010 (60 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#1870 (75 pts)	#2012 (60 pts)	#1205 (235 pts)	#2030 (60 pts)	#1873 (85 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#2212 (60 pts)	#2286 (60 pts)	#2304 (60 pts)	#2260 (60 pts)	#2266 (60 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#2274 (60 pts)	#2353 (60 pts)	#2349 (60 pts)	#2326 (60 pts)	#2345 (60 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#2055 (75 pts)	#1988 (100 pts)	#1977 (100 pts)	#2139 (75 pts)	#2214 (60 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#2084 (75 pts)	#2167 (75 pts)	#2161 (75 pts)	#1535 (180 pts)	#2013 (100 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#1335 (180 pts)	#2000 (85 pts)	#1406 (190 pts)	#1974 (95 pts)	#1436 (170 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to Morning Wood, each with one reason worth a look.

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

Smokey Bros Barbecue

#3,663 of the rated field

1490 power rating

Contests: 8
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 38%
Peak: 1505

Careers of much the same size, 8 contests to 9, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 8 contests
last seen Jul 18, 2026

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Music City Smokers

#3,689 of the rated field

1489 power rating

Contests: 10
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 20%
Peak: 1489

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 8 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 8 contests
last seen Jun 12, 2026

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PORK FLOYD

#3,668 of the rated field

1490 power rating

Contests: 8
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 13%
Peak: 1502

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

rated over 8 contests
last seen Nov 5, 2025

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Barking Gecko BBQ

#3,676 of the rated field

1490 power rating

Contests: 8
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 63%
Peak: 1515

They turned up 8 years after Morning Wood did, first appearing in 2021.

rated over 8 contests
last seen Nov 1, 2025
on a 4-contest top-10 run

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BEWILDERED BBQ

#3,692 of the rated field

1489 power rating

Contests: 8
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1514

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

rated over 8 contests

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BIG AWESOME BBQ

#3,707 of the rated field

1489 power rating

Contests: 8
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 25%
Peak: 1507

Their last contest in the data was back in 2019, 6 years before Morning Wood's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 8 contests

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
WANNA B'S	7	3	4	43%	⚔ compare
SKUNK RIVER BBQ	7	1	6	14%	⚔ compare
GLAZED & CONFUSED	6	5	1	83%	⚔ compare
HIGH i QUE	6	2	4	33%	⚔ compare
913 BBQ	6	0	6	0%	⚔ compare
B & C SMOKERS	6	0	6	0%	⚔ compare
MEAT MITCH	5	2	3	40%	⚔ compare
MAXIMUM LOIN	5	2	3	40%	⚔ compare
SOCIAL SMOKERS BBQ SQUAD	5	1	4	20%	⚔ compare
SLAPS BBQ	5	0	5	0%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	8	1	0	173.1428	151.9772	163.21	top 54%
Pork Ribs	9	3	1	176.0228	144	162.84	top 49%
Pork	8	1	0	172	132.5368	155.62	top 67%
Brisket	8	1	0	171.4284	137.7260	157.26	top 63%

“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
Medium (20–39)	1	0	top 100%
Large (40+)	7	0	top 56%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
KS	7	0	top 56%
NC	1	0	top 100%

More numbers

Contests a season 1 across 9 seasons in the data

Most contests held in KS 7 of 9 contests · 3 states in all

Contests visited 8 a different one every time

Most-entered meat Pork Ribs 9 entries · 0 wins · 3 calls

Opponents faced 253 finished ahead 186 times, behind 250

Longest layoff 6.5 yrs Apr 5, 2019 → Sep 26, 2025

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

20261 milestone

Aug 15 Most recent contest Kora Kares for Kids (ONE MEAT RIBS)

20181 milestone

Apr 20 Career-best single call (Pork Ribs)176.0228 10th Annual VFW Post 846 BBQ Challenge

20151 milestone

Apr 17 Peak power rating (1517) VFW Post 846 7th Annual BBQ Challenge

20135 milestones

Apr 19 First tracked contest 5th Annual VFW Post 846 BBQ Challenge (FULL)
Apr 19 First call 5th Annual VFW Post 846 BBQ Challenge (FULL)
Apr 19 First overall top-10 5th Annual VFW Post 846 BBQ Challenge (FULL)
Apr 19 First overall past 90% of a perfect score668.5716 5th Annual VFW Post 846 BBQ Challenge (FULL)
Apr 19 Career-best overall score668.5716 5th Annual VFW Post 846 BBQ Challenge (FULL)

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+13.5	5th Annual VFW Post 846 BBQ Challenge (FULL)	Apr 19, 2013
+4.3	10th Annual VFW Post 846 BBQ Challenge	Apr 20, 2018
+2.7	VFW Post 846 7th Annual BBQ Challenge	Apr 17, 2015
+0.9	VFW Post 846 6th Annual BBQ Challenge (10 TEAM SPOTS STILL AVAILABLE)	Apr 25, 2014

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-11.5	Fire in the Foothills	Sep 26, 2025
-9.7	VFW Post 846 Battle of the Pits	Apr 5, 2019
-5.9	8th Annual VFW Post 846 BBQ Challenge	Apr 22, 2016
-4.6	9th Annual VFW Post 846 BBQ Challenge	Apr 21, 2017

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	Top-10s	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2026	1	0	100%	—	—	—
2025	1	0	0%	top 100%	80.5%	80.5%
2019	1	0	100%	top 89%	86.1%	86.1%
2018	1	0	100%	top 48%	91.2%	91.2%
2017	1	0	0%	top 73%	88.1%	88.1%
2016	1	0	0%	top 75%	89%	89%
2015	1	0	0%	top 47%	90.8%	90.8%
2014	1	0	100%	top 49%	90.1%	90.1%
2013	1	1	100%	top 10%	92.9%	92.9%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Aug 15, 2026	Kora Kares for Kids (ONE MEAT RIBS) Hiram, ME	—	—	10 (173.1200)	—	—
Sep 26, 2025	Fire in the Foothills 🏅 King, NC	25 / 25 (579.3716)	25 (151.9772)	24 (144)	25 (145.6684)	25 (137.7260)
Apr 5, 2019	VFW Post 846 Battle of the Pits 🏅 Overland Park, KS	47 / 53 (619.8624)	10 (173.1428)	28 (164.5256)	52 (132.5368)	48 (149.6572)
Apr 20, 2018	10th Annual VFW Post 846 BBQ Challenge Overland Park, KS	22 / 46 (656.4916)	30 (162.8228)	3 (176.0228)	44 (150.2516)	20 (167.3944)
Apr 21, 2017	9th Annual VFW Post 846 BBQ Challenge Overland Park, KS	47 / 64 (634.2176)	31 (165.7144)	60 (148.5144)	50 (158.8688)	39 (161.1200)
Apr 22, 2016	8th Annual VFW Post 846 BBQ Challenge Overland Park, KS	45 / 60 (640.5712)	29 (166.9144)	38 (164)	46 (158.2512)	47 (151.4056)
Apr 17, 2015	VFW Post 846 7th Annual BBQ Challenge Overland Park, KS	22 / 47 (653.6112)	17 (166.8228)	17 (168)	22 (163.9656)	41 (154.8228)
Apr 25, 2014	VFW Post 846 6th Annual BBQ Challenge (10 TEAM SPOTS STILL AVAILABLE) Overland Park, KS	32 / 65 (648.5028)	55 (153.7028)	40 (158.2628)	7 (172)	20 (164.5372)
Apr 19, 2013	5th Annual VFW Post 846 BBQ Challenge (FULL) Overland Park, KS	7 / 73 (668.5716)	23 (164.5716)	6 (169.1428)	21 (163.4288)	8 (171.4284)

Morning Wood

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

Rating

Contests

First seen

Best ToY finish

Grand champs

Category wins

Overall top-10s

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 (7 found in their record)

High-water mark

A tough matchup

The weak link

A strong matchup

The comeback

Chicken nemesis

Looking over their shoulder

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)

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 — 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)