High-water mark
686.2744
career-best overall
95.3% of a perfect 720
Their best day on record: 686.2744 at Bands & BBQ at the Point — 95.3% of a perfect 720.
- Master
- Sep 8, 2023
McQ Smokers
McQ Smokers is a competition barbecue team with 17 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2015 and 2026. Their best overall finish is 6th of 33 at the Bands & BBQ at the Point (2023). They are ranked #4425 of 6,476 teams in the KCBS power rankings. Also listed in KCBS results as “Mc Q Smokers”.
At a glance (the record in numbers)
Rating
1474
peak 1474 · rated over 17 contests
Contests
17
in the data
First seen
Sep 11, 2015
latest Sep 11, 2026 · 11 years on the trail
Grand champs
0
0 reserve
Category wins
0
3 podiums
Overall top-10s
1
6% of 17 contests
Avg finish
top 64%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
0
Current form
669.36 ▲
last 5 Master vs avg 663.35 (+6.02)
Walk rate
59%
contests with a top-10 call
Consistency
±15.20
spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Pork
avg 168.19 · weakest Chicken (164.44)
Road miles
755
across 17 mapped stops · furthest 182 mi
Schedule strength
63%
of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1579)
Purse competed for
$129K
listed at 14 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
0 🏅
won from 14 state-championship entries
Master avg
663.35 / 720
17 Master contests · 0 GCs
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 ↗ | Master | #1020 (60 pts) | #1093 (60 pts) | #1161 (60 pts) | #1067 (60 pts) | #838 (120 pts) |
| 2025 ↗ | Master | #626 (245 pts) | #778 (195 pts) | #653 (290 pts) | #544 (340 pts) | #511 (375 pts) |
| 2024 ↗ | Master | #556 (316 pts) | #671 (266 pts) | #690 (271 pts) | #396 (551 pts) | #445 (491 pts) |
| 2023 ↗ | Master | #671 (233 pts) | #675 (258 pts) | #660 (318 pts) | #820 (178 pts) | #983 (123 pts) |
Overall rank by season
Teams like this (closest power rating)
The teams rated closest to McQ Smokers, each with one reason worth a look.
151 rated teams sit within a point of this rating, so a place on this list means the numbers match — no more than that.
#4,413 of the rated field
- Contests
- 17
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1511
They've been 1511 at their best, 37 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.
⚔ Compare careers#4,444 of the rated field
- Contests
- 20
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 5%
- Peak
- 1503
Careers of much the same size, 20 contests to 17, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.
⚔ Compare careers#4,446 of the rated field
- Contests
- 14
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 43%
- Peak
- 1474
14 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 43% top-10 finishes rather than wins.
⚔ Compare careers#4,439 of the rated field
- Contests
- 14
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 7%
- Peak
- 1518
Their last contest in the data was back in 2018, 8 years before McQ Smokers's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.
⚔ Compare careers#4,443 of the rated field
- Contests
- 22
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 5%
- Peak
- 1502
Level with McQ Smokers on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.
⚔ Compare careers#4,440 of the rated field
- Contests
- 13
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1474
This is the highest they've ever been rated, 13 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.
⚔ Compare careersFamiliar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)
| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WeQ4U | 16 | 0 | 16 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| BLUE CHIP BBQ | 15 | 1 | 14 | 7% | ⚔ compare |
| ACME BBQ | 12 | 10 | 2 | 83% | ⚔ compare |
| BBQ Maestros | 12 | 3 | 9 | 25% | ⚔ compare |
| HIGH ON THE HAWG | 12 | 2 | 10 | 17% | ⚔ compare |
| HOGGY BOTTOM BOYS, KY | 11 | 2 | 9 | 18% | ⚔ compare |
| ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN | 11 | 0 | 11 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| BIG DOGG BBQ - CINCINNATI, OH | 10 | 3 | 7 | 30% | ⚔ compare |
| Butts-N-Racks BBQ | 10 | 2 | 8 | 20% | ⚔ compare |
| UNCLE TOAD'S COMPETITION BBQ | 10 | 2 | 8 | 20% | ⚔ compare |
| Shiggin aint easy | 10 | 1 | 9 | 10% | ⚔ compare |
| BooyaQ | 9 | 1 | 8 | 11% | ⚔ compare |
| CONTINENTAL BARBEQUE CO. | 9 | 0 | 9 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| Bluedog BBQ | 8 | 6 | 2 | 75% | ⚔ compare |
| WHISKEY WHISKERS BBQ COMPANY | 8 | 4 | 4 | 50% | ⚔ compare |
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 17 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 174.2972 | 154.2288 | 164.44 | top 75% |
| Pork Ribs | 17 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 178.8572 | 155.3828 | 166.19 | top 61% |
| Pork | 17 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 177.7028 | 155.9656 | 168.19 | top 49% |
| Brisket | 17 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 178.8572 | 145.6688 | 164.53 | top 60% |
“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) | 9 | 0 | top 61% |
| Large (40+) | 8 | 0 | top 68% |
Repeat visits (contests they've cooked twice or more)
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bands & BBQ at the Point | 7 | 6 | 0 | top 63% | Sep 11, 2026 |
| Madison Ribberfest BBQ & Blues Festival | 3 | 30 | 0 | top 74% | Aug 19, 2022 |
| Madison Ribberfest BBQ & Blues | 2 | 21 | 0 | top 56% | Aug 16, 2024 |
More numbers
Busiest season
2024
4 contests
Contests a season
1.9
across 9 seasons in the data
Most contests held in
KY
8 of 17 contests · 4 states in all
Contests visited
8
3 of them more than once
Opponents faced
392
finished ahead 262 times, behind 582
Longest layoff
3 yrs
Aug 17, 2018 → Aug 20, 2021
Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)
20261 milestone
- Most recent contest Bands & BBQ at the Point
20251 milestone
- Career-best single call (Brisket)178.8572 Bands and BBQ at the Point
20241 milestone
- 10th tracked contest Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship
20232 milestones
- First overall top-10 Bands & BBQ at the Point
- Career-best overall score686.2744 Bands & BBQ at the Point
20161 milestone
- Peak power rating (1500) Bands & BBQ at the Point
20153 milestones
- First tracked contest Bands & BBQ at the Point
- First call Bands & BBQ at the Point
- First overall past 90% of a perfect score659.3376 Bands & BBQ at the Point
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
📈 Biggest rating jumps
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +14.3 | Bands & BBQ at the Point | Sep 8, 2023 |
| +6.8 | Madison Ribberfest BBQ & Blues | Aug 16, 2024 |
| +4.2 | Buckeye BBQ Classic | Jul 18, 2025 |
| +2.8 | Hoosier BBQ Classic | Jun 7, 2024 |
| +1.8 | Bands and BBQ at the Point | Sep 12, 2025 |
📉 Toughest weekends
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -11.8 | Bands & BBQ at the Point | Sep 11, 2026 |
| -8.9 | Bands & BBQ at the Point | Sep 9, 2022 |
| -8.4 | Madison Ribberfest BBQ & Blues Festival | Aug 20, 2021 |
| -8.2 | Bands & BBQ at the Point | Sep 10, 2021 |
| -6.8 | Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship | Mar 15, 2024 |
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% | top 95% | 90.2% | 90.2% |
| 2025 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 67% | top 60% | 94.1% | 93.6% |
| 2024 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100% | top 58% | 94.5% | 93.7% |
| 2023 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 50% | top 43% | 95.3% | 93.7% |
| 2022 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50% | top 74% | 91.8% | 90.8% |
| 2021 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 81% | 88.9% | 88.1% |
| 2018 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 70% | 90.9% | 90.9% |
| 2016 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100% | top 61% | 92.8% | 92.8% |
| 2015 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100% | top 59% | 91.6% | 91.6% |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 11, 2026 | Bands & BBQ at the Point 🏅 Carrollton, KY | 36 / 38 (649.5316) | 38 (154.2288) | 32 (163.9544) | 37 (161.0856) | 13 (170.2628) |
| Sep 12, 2025 | Bands and BBQ at the Point 🏅 Carrollton, KY | 15 / 29 (677.6456) | 24 (167.3828) | 12 (172) | 26 (159.4056) | 2 (178.8572) |
| Aug 15, 2025 | Madison Ribberfest 🏅 Madison, IN | 34 / 45 (667.2684) | 40 (163.9428) | 35 (165.0972) | 11 (175.4400) | 36 (162.7884) |
| Jul 18, 2025 | Buckeye BBQ Classic 🏅 Hillsboro, OH | 21 / 40 (677.6116) | 22 (169.1316) | 15 (171.9772) | 8 (174.8456) | 33 (161.6572) |
| Sep 13, 2024 | Bands & BBQ at the Point 🏅 Carrollton, KY | 16 / 31 (674.7660) | 20 (169.6800) | 22 (163.9772) | 10 (173.7144) | 16 (167.3944) |
| Aug 16, 2024 | Madison Ribberfest BBQ & Blues 🏅 Madison, IN | 21 / 49 (680.4572) | 24 (169.6800) | 38 (164.5372) | 5 (177.7028) | 27 (168.5372) |
| Jun 7, 2024 | Hoosier BBQ Classic 🏅 Franklin, IN | 22 / 38 (675.8972) | 30 (167.3828) | 21 (167.4172) | 6 (174.8572) | 23 (166.2400) |
| Mar 15, 2024 | Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship 🏅 Lebanon, TN | 74 / 93 (666.7200) | 85 (163.3828) | 69 (165.1088) | 83 (160.5256) | 2 (177.7028) |
| Sep 8, 2023 | Bands & BBQ at the Point 🏅 Carrollton, KY | 6 / 33 (686.2744) | 6 (174.2972) | 2 (178.8572) | 13 (171.4744) | 27 (161.6456) |
| Aug 18, 2023 | Madison Ribberfest BBQ Blues 🏅 Madison, IN | 28 / 41 (663.3028) | 20 (171.9656) | 30 (163.3944) | 31 (161.6684) | 24 (166.2744) |
| Sep 9, 2022 | Bands & BBQ at the Point 🏅 Carrollton, KY | 26 / 32 (646.1484) | 21 (166.2400) | 19 (166.8228) | 27 (155.9656) | 26 (157.1200) |
| Aug 19, 2022 | Madison Ribberfest BBQ & Blues Festival 🏅 Madison, IN | 30 / 45 (661.0400) | 43 (155.3944) | 26 (167.3828) | 8 (174.8800) | 31 (163.3828) |
| Sep 10, 2021 | Bands & BBQ at the Point 🏅 Carrollton, KY | 21 / 28 (628.4460) | 22 (158.8344) | 24 (155.3828) | 12 (168.5600) | 27 (145.6688) |
| Aug 20, 2021 | Madison Ribberfest BBQ & Blues Festival 🏅 Madison, IN | 37 / 43 (639.8856) | 41 (157.6916) | 34 (157.7028) | 30 (160.5484) | 24 (163.9428) |
| Aug 17, 2018 | Madison Ribberfest BBQ & Blues Festival Madison, IN | 38 / 54 (654.1368) | 50 (158.8112) | 46 (159.9428) | 22 (168) | 28 (167.3828) |
| Sep 16, 2016 | Bands & BBQ at the Point Carrollton, KY | 19 / 31 (668.4340) | 22 (167.3828) | 17 (167.9656) | 7 (172) | 23 (161.0856) |
| Sep 11, 2015 | Bands & BBQ at the Point Carrollton, KY | 17 / 29 (659.3376) | 27 (159.9888) | 4 (173.7144) | 17 (168.5372) | 25 (157.0972) |