Outta Left Field BBQ

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

Power ranking

#1903

of 6,413 rated · rankings

Rating

1543

peak 1543 · rated over 8 contests ⓘ

Contests

in the data

First seen

2019-08-16

latest 2025-08-22

Best ToY finish

#679

Master 2024

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

3 podiums

Overall top-10s

of 8 contests

Avg finish

top 38%

overall standings

Best overall

694.8572 / 720

Master · Montana Pitmaster Classic

Perfect 180s

1 🔥

Current form

681.77 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 672.06 (+9.71)

Walk rate

75%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

180.0000 🔥

Brisket · Montana Pitmaster Classic

Consistency

±16.25

std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Brisket

avg 170.69 · weakest Pork (164.82)

Road miles

574

mi across 8 mapped stops · furthest 190 mi

Schedule strength

31%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1541)

Purse competed for

$103K

listed at 8 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

GCs in 8 state-championship entries

Master avg

672.06 / 720

8 Master contests · 0 GCs

⚔ Compare with another team

Storylines (11 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.

Perfect scores on the board

1 perfect 180s

1 perfect 180 in the data — every judge at the table handing back a nine, all in brisket.

Brisket ×1

They almost always walk

75% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 6 of 8 contests

A top-10 category call in 75% of their 8 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

694.8572 career-best overall

96.5% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 694.8572 at Montana Pitmaster Classic — 96.5% of a perfect 720.

Master
2025-08-22

A tough matchup

5–0 behind in the head-to-head

SMELLAQUE ahead in 100% of their meetings

SMELLAQUE has come out ahead in 5 of their 5 shared contests.

The weak link

−5.9 points behind their best meat

Pork is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 5.87 points below their brisket, and turns into a call 0% of the time against 50%.

Pork avg 164.82
Brisket avg 170.69
0 calls in 8 entries

A strong matchup

6–0 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 100% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of BIG BOYZ BBQ in 6 of their 6 shared contests.

The comeback

2 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 2 years, then back at Montana Pitmaster Classic (2021-08-27).

last seen 2019-08-23
back 2021-08-27

Brisket nemesis

4 of 6 shared brisket entries lost

MONTANA OUTLAW BBQ ahead 67% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, MONTANA OUTLAW BBQ has out-cooked them in 4 of 6 shared brisket entries.

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

Bearded Boar BBQ has landed one call behind them 2 times.

The metronome

±2.26% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±2.26% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 93.3% of a perfect score
8 contests

A standing appointment

4 years running at one contest

They've cooked Montana Pitmaster Classic every year from 2022 to 2025 — the contest they never miss.

5 visits in all
best finish 7th

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.

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

THESMOKERING.COM

#1901 of the rated field

1543 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 9
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 33%
Peak: 1545

No shared contest yet.

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 2014-07-11

⚔ Head-to-head

Bumpy Pickle BBQ

#1896 of the rated field

1543 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 9
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 11%
Peak: 1543

No shared contest yet.

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

rated over 9 contests
last seen 2026-03-20

⚔ Head-to-head

The Smokin' Bullies

#1907 of the rated field

1542 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 9
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 22%
Peak: 1553

No shared contest yet.

They were already cooking in 2013, 6 years before Outta Left Field BBQ's first contest.

rated over 9 contests
last seen 2023-04-07

⚔ Head-to-head

KGB - KATKA GERGO BARBECUE

#1908 of the rated field

1542 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 8
GCs: 2
Top-10s: 50%
Peak: 1547

No shared contest yet.

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

rated over 7 contests

⚔ Head-to-head

AbiCue

#1904 of the rated field

1542 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 10
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 30%
Peak: 1545

No shared contest yet.

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

rated over 10 contests
last seen 2026-03-20

⚔ Head-to-head

Dummer BBQ

#1899 of the rated field

1543 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 6
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 33%
Peak: 1546

No shared contest yet.

Careers of much the same size, 6 contests to 8, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 6 contests
last seen 2025-08-16

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
BIG BOYZ BBQ	6	6	0	100%	⚔ compare
Random Guys Smoking	6	6	0	100%	⚔ compare
Kick Back BBQ	6	6	0	100%	⚔ compare
Taste of Mitch	6	5	1	83%	⚔ compare
MONTANA OUTLAW BBQ	6	2	4	33%	⚔ compare
Poor Richard's BBQ	5	5	0	100%	⚔ compare
Popping Smoke Barbecue	5	5	0	100%	⚔ compare
YOU NEED A BBQ	5	3	2	60%	⚔ compare
Willy Mo's	5	3	2	60%	⚔ compare
SMELLAQUE	5	0	5	0%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	8	1	0	173.7144	143.3828	166.06	top 49%
Pork Ribs	8	3	0	175.4172	166.8344	170.49	top 36%
Pork	8	0	0	169.7028	153.0856	164.82	top 54%
Brisket	8	4	3	180.0000 🔥	159.9428	170.69	top 28%

“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	GCs	Avg finish
MT	6	0	top 33%
WY	2	0	top 54%

By contest size

Field	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
Medium (20–39)	7	0	top 37%
Large (40+)	1	0	top 45%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	GCs	Avg finish	Last visit
Montana Pitmaster Classic	5	7	0	top 33%	2025-08-22

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

On the trail 6 yrs 2019-08-16 → 2025-08-22

Busiest season 2024 2 contests

Contests a season 1.3 across 6 seasons in the data

Cooks most in MT 6 of 8 contests · 2 states/provinces in all

Contests visited 4 1 of them cooked more than once

Most-entered meat Chicken 8 entries · 0 wins · 1 calls

Strongest meat Brisket averages 170.69 · weakest Pork (164.82)

Walk rate 75% a top-10 call in 6 of 8 contests

Overall top-10 rate 25% 2 of 8 contests

Master average 672.06 out of 720 · 8 contests · 0 GCs

Perfect 180s 1 every judge at the table handing back a nine

Opponents faced 148 172–97 across every shared overall standing

Road miles 574 8 mapped stops · furthest 190 mi

Schedule strength 1541 average field rating faced — tougher than 31% of rated contests

Purse competed for $103,400 listed at 8 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships 0 from 8 state-championship entries

Longest layoff 2 yrs 2019-08-23 → 2021-08-27

Power rating 1543 peak 1543 · #1903 of 6,413 rated

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

2019
Aug 16 First tracked contest Pepsi WY State Championship BBQ & Bluegrass Festival
Aug 16 First call Pepsi WY State Championship BBQ & Bluegrass Festival
Aug 23 First overall top-10 Montana Pitmaster Classic
Aug 23 First overall past 90% of a perfect score653.0056 Montana Pitmaster Classic
2025
Aug 22 First perfect 180 (Brisket) Montana Pitmaster Classic
Aug 22 Career-best overall score694.8572 Montana Pitmaster Classic
Aug 22 Peak power rating (1543) Montana Pitmaster Classic
Aug 22 Most recent contest Montana Pitmaster Classic

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+11.4	Montana Pitmaster Classic	2025-08-22
+7.5	Montana Pitmaster Classic	2024-08-23
+6.9	Montana Pitmaster Classic	2019-08-23
+6.1	Montana Pitmaster Classic	2021-08-27
+5.2	Montana Pitmaster Classic	2022-08-26

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)
2025	1	1	100%	top 18%	96.5%	96.5%
2024	2	0	100%	top 41%	95.4%	95.1%
2023	1	0	0%	top 45%	92.8%	92.8%
2022	1	0	0%	top 38%	94%	94%
2021	1	0	100%	top 35%	93.3%	93.3%
2019	2	1	100%	top 44%	90.7%	90%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2025-08-22	Montana Pitmaster Classic 🏅 Bozeman, MT	7 / 38 (694.8572)	19 (171.4400)	11 (175.4172)	28 (168.0000)	2 (180.0000)
2024-08-23	Montana Pitmaster Classic 🏅 Bozeman, MT	12 / 39 (686.8116)	8 (173.7144)	19 (170.8344)	17 (169.7028)	12 (172.5600)
2024-08-16	Pepsi Wyoming State BBQ Championships and Bluegrass Festival 🏅 Worland, WY	15 / 29 (682.7888)	13 (170.2744)	15 (170.8344)	17 (166.2628)	3 (175.4172)
2023-08-25	Montana Pitmaster Classic 🏅 Bozeman, MT	20 / 44 (667.8976)	16 (171.9888)	17 (167.4288)	19 (168.5372)	33 (159.9428)
2022-08-26	Montana Pitmaster Classic 🏅 Bozeman, MT	14 / 37 (676.5028)	22 (166.8800)	14 (170.8228)	17 (168.5372)	12 (170.2628)
2021-08-27	Montana Pitmaster Classic 🏅 Bozeman, MT	11 / 31 (671.8856)	12 (170.8228)	8 (171.4516)	15 (164.5256)	13 (165.0856)
2019-08-23	Montana Pitmaster Classic 🏅 Bozeman, MT	9 / 29 (653.0056)	15 (159.9772)	8 (166.8344)	11 (159.9312)	7 (166.2628)
2019-08-16	Pepsi WY State Championship BBQ & Bluegrass Festival 🏅 Worland, WY	17 / 30 (642.7428)	28 (143.3828)	9 (170.2744)	23 (153.0856)	2 (176.0000)

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
2024 ↗	Master	#679 (229 pts)	#665 (269 pts)	#828 (194 pts)	#776 (194 pts)	#547 (354 pts)
2023 ↗	Master	#1148 (85 pts)	#1145 (105 pts)	#1276 (100 pts)	#1173 (90 pts)	#1296 (60 pts)
2022 ↗	Master	#1065 (115 pts)	#1286 (75 pts)	#1174 (115 pts)	#1187 (100 pts)	#1001 (125 pts)
2021 ↗	Master	#896 (126 pts)	#975 (121 pts)	#912 (151 pts)	#1086 (106 pts)	#1027 (116 pts)
2019 ↗	Master	#1083 (234 pts)	#1401 (159 pts)	#1004 (289 pts)	#1271 (189 pts)	#781 (414 pts)