DAWGS BBQ MN
Rating
1739
peak 1739
Contests
71
in the data
First seen
2021-10-15
latest 2026-06-13
Best ToY finish
#2
Backyard 2026
Grand champs
7
1 reserve
Category wins
8
24 podiums
Overall top-10s
34
of 71 contests
Avg finish
top 32%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
6 🔥
Current form
346.15 ▼
last 5 vs career avg 357.31 (-11.16)
Walk rate
66%
contests with a top-10 call
Top-10 streak
15
and counting
Consistency
±78.49
std dev of overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Pork
avg 172.13 · weakest Pork Ribs (167.63)
Road miles
7829
mi across 71 mapped stops · furthest 374 mi
Storylines
🎯 The one to beat
Sensuous BBQ has finished one call ahead of DAWGS BBQ 4 times — their closest competition in the data.
👀 Looking over their shoulder
Big Ten Bones has landed one call behind them 4 times.
⚔️ A tough matchup
Wrecking Crew BBQ has come out ahead in 22 of their 25 shared contests.
⚔️ A strong matchup
They've finished ahead of Big Bear BBQ in 18 of their 21 shared contests.
🏕️ Happy hunting ground
Smoke & Fire (BACKYARD ONLY) is their spot: 2 Grand Championships in 3 visits.
💔 The heartbreaker
Came within 2.2856 points of the Grand Championship at Minnesota in May (2025-05-09).
🗡️ Giant slayer
Took the Grand Championship over a 42-team field at Iowa State BBQ Championship.
📅 A April team
Something about April: average finish in the top 18% across 4 contests, versus top 32% the rest of the year.
🃏 Against the odds
Their Grand Championship at Smoke & Fire (BACKYARD ONLY) (2024-07-05) came as the ratings underdog — roughly a 29-in-100 shot against the field's top-rated team, Furlongs Smoke & Seafood.
📈 Riding a hot streak
Currently on a 15-contest overall top-10 run.
Teams like this (closest power rating, MN first)
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 56 | 34 | 6 | 16 | 180.0000 🔥 | 153.6800 | 171.40 | top 31% |
| Pork Ribs | 68 | 35 | 2 | 7 | 180.0000 🔥 | 155.3600 | 167.63 | top 42% |
| Pork | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 176.5716 | 166.2628 | 172.13 | top 43% |
| Brisket | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 170.2628 | 166.8228 | 168.16 | top 73% |
“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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| WI | 18 | 3 | top 34% |
| MN | 18 | 1 | top 32% |
| IA | 10 | 2 | top 30% |
| MO | 7 | 1 | top 18% |
| KS | 2 | 0 | top 53% |
By contest size
| Field | Contests | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small (<20 teams) | 12 | 1 | top 37% |
| Medium (20–39) | 26 | 5 | top 33% |
| Large (40+) | 17 | 1 | top 25% |
The story so far
- Busiest season: 2023 (18 contests)
- Cooks mostly in MN (25 of 71 contests)
- Most-entered category: Pork Ribs (68 entries)
- First Grand Championship in the data: Art of the Que (2023-07-07)
- Wins it all in 10% of contests
- All-time average overall score: 357.31
- 6 perfect 180s on the books 🔥
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
Category scores over time
Overall finish over time (top-% of field, lower is better)
Where they finish (overall)
Best vs average (by meat)
Team of the Year rank by season
Season by season
| Season | Contests | GCs | Category wins | Best overall | Avg overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 11 | 4 | 5 | 678.1944 | 386.01 |
| 2025 | 14 | 1 | 1 | 353.7144 | 341.17 |
| 2024 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 679.3140 | 384.03 |
| 2023 | 18 | 1 | 0 | 687.9316 | 362.08 |
| 2022 | 16 | 0 | 2 | 349.1200 | 333.67 |
| 2021 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 325.1428 | 320.83 |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-13 | Bring'n Home the Bacon Day 2 (MASTER & BACKYARD) West Salem, WI | 5 / 37 (342.8116) | 9 (170.8344) | 5 (171.9772) | — | — |
| 2026-06-12 | Bring'n Home the Bacon Day 1 (MASTER & BACKYARD) West Salem, WI | 6 / 40 (345.7144) | 14 (171.4172) | 5 (174.2972) | — | — |
| 2026-06-12 | Bring'n Home the Bacon Day 1 (ONE MEAT RIBS) West Salem, WI | — | — | 10 (173.1316) | — | — |
| 2026-05-29 | Spring into Summer Backyard BBQ Competition (BACKYARD ONLY) Owatonna, MN | 1 / 25 (356.5600) | 1 (180.0000) | 1 (176.5600) | — | — |
| 2026-05-15 | BBQ Fest - Chippewa Falls, WI (BACKYARD ONLY) Chippewa Falls, WI | 6 / 21 (339.9772) | 10 (166.2628) | 3 (173.7144) | — | — |
| 2026-05-08 | Minnesota in May St. Peter, MN | 4 / 77 (345.6800) | 7 (170.8228) | 5 (174.8572) | — | — |
| 2026-05-08 | Minnesota in May (ONE MEAT RIBS) St. Peter, MN | — | — | 14 (170.2628) | — | — |
| 2026-05-01 | SmokeHouse Barbeque Showdown (OPEN FORMAT) (REGISTRATION FULL) Cambridge, IA | 7 / 17 (678.1944) | 14 (171.9772) | 18 (168.5600) | 15 (170.2744) | 18 (167.3828) |
| 2026-04-24 | Smoke & Fire (BACKYARD ONLY) Stanley, WI | 1 / 24 (352.0000) | 1 (180.0000) | 6 (172.0000) | — | — |
| 2026-04-03 | Iowa State BBQ Championship Altoona, IA | 1 / 42 (360.0000) | 1 (180.0000) | 1 (180.0000) | — | — |
| 2026-03-20 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue Backyard Contest Kansas City, MO | 1 / 33 (353.1084) | 2 (180.0000) | 7 (173.1084) | — | — |
| 2025-08-16 | Boomer Backyard BBQ Cookoff (BACKYARD ONLY) Canton, MN | 7 / 17 (338.2056) | 9 (168.5256) | 6 (169.6800) | — | — |
| 2025-07-12 | Great River Threshers BBQ Contest (BACKYARD ONLY) (Day 2) Miles, IA | 6 / 16 (344.5256) | 1 (179.4400) | 13 (165.0856) | — | — |
| 2025-07-11 | Great River Threshers BBQ Contest (BACKYARD ONLY) (Day 1) Miles, IA | 3 / 18 (347.9772) | 4 (174.2628) | 2 (173.7144) | 2 (175.4056) | — |
| 2025-06-27 | Art of the Que (Backyard 2) Spencer, IA | 6 / 17 (334.2516) | 6 (169.1200) | 7 (165.1316) | — | — |
| 2025-06-27 | Art of the Que (Masters and Backyard 1) Spencer, IA | 8 / 15 (333.6804) | 3 (173.1316) | 14 (160.5488) | — | — |
| 2025-06-27 | Art of the Que (One Meat Ribs) Spencer, IA | — | — | 8 (170.2628) | — | — |
| 2025-06-14 | Bring'n Home the Bacon Day 2 (MASTER & BACKYARD) West Salem, WI | 1 / 36 (353.7144) | 2 (178.8572) | 3 (174.8572) | — | — |
| 2025-06-13 | Bring'n Home the Bacon (ONE MEAT RIBS) West Salem, WI | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2025-06-13 | Bring'n Home the Bacon Day 1 (MASTER & BACKYARD) West Salem, WI | 20 / 36 (335.9888) | 25 (167.4056) | 17 (168.5832) | — | — |
| 2025-05-30 | Smokin' in Steele Owatonna, MN | 9 / 28 (339.4628) | 5 (172.0228) | 13 (167.4400) | — | — |
| 2025-05-09 | Minnesota in May St. Peter, MN | 2 / 58 (348.5716) | 3 (177.1544) | 9 (171.4172) | — | — |
| 2025-05-09 | Minnesota in May (ONE MEAT RIBS) St. Peter, MN | — | — | 12 (172.0116) | — | — |
| 2025-04-25 | Smoke & Fire (BACKYARD ONLY) Stanley, WI | 12 / 24 (330.8000) | 17 (161.6800) | 7 (169.1200) | — | — |
| 2025-04-04 | Iowa State BBQ Championship Altoona, IA | 7 / 49 (345.6800) | 17 (170.8228) | 7 (174.8572) | — | — |
| 2024-10-26 | Boo-B-Que BBQ Championship (Day 2) (MASTERS and BACKYARD) Oak Grove, MO | 5 / 56 (345.6916) | 7 (172.5600) | 3 (173.1316) | — | — |
| 2024-10-25 | Boo-B-Que BBQ Championship (Day 1) (MASTERS and BACKYARD) Oak Grove, MO | 5 / 53 (343.9772) | 2 (177.7144) | 11 (166.2628) | — | — |
| 2024-09-07 | Bent Brewstillery BBQ (BACKYARD ONLY) Roseville, MN | 4 / 18 (337.0856) | 3 (176.5600) | 10 (160.5256) | — | — |
| 2024-08-17 | Boomer Backyard BBQ Cookoff (BACKYARD ONLY) Canton, MN | 3 / 18 (342.8800) | 2 (173.7256) | 4 (169.1544) | — | — |
| 2024-07-12 | KTD Smokin Gobbler Cook-off Worthington, MN | 14 / 34 (679.3140) | 13 (174.2628) | 11 (171.9656) | 21 (166.2628) | 22 (166.8228) |
| 2024-07-12 | KTD Smokin Gobbler Cook-off (ONE MEAT RIBS) Worthington, MN | — | — | 7 (172.0000) | — | — |
| 2024-07-05 | Smoke & Fire (BACKYARD ONLY) Stanley, WI | 1 / 16 (350.8572) | 2 (175.4172) | 2 (175.4400) | — | — |
| 2024-05-10 | Minnesota in May St. Peter, MN | 8 / 58 (343.4172) | 7 (174.2972) | 14 (169.1200) | — | — |
| 2024-05-10 | Minnesota in May (ONE MEAT RIBS) St. Peter, MN | — | — | 5 (174.8800) | — | — |
| 2024-03-29 | Iowa State BBQ Championship Altoona, IA | 33 / 42 (329.0512) | 30 (165.6684) | 33 (163.3828) | — | — |
| 2023-10-28 | Boo-B-Que BBQ Championship (ONE MEAT CHICKEN) Oak Grove, MO | — | 18 (170.2512) | — | — | — |
| 2023-10-28 | Boo-B-Que BBQ Championship (Day 2) (MASTERS and BACKYARD) Oak Grove, MO | 15 / 40 (333.0396) | 16 (163.3712) | 10 (169.6684) | — | — |
| 2023-10-28 | Boo-B-Que BBQ Championship (ONE MEAT RIBS) Oak Grove, MO | — | — | 13 (169.6916) | — | — |
| 2023-10-27 | Boo-B-Que BBQ Championship (Day 1) (MASTERS and BACKYARD) Oak Grove, MO | 12 / 47 (337.0512) | 14 (167.3712) | 8 (169.6800) | — | — |
| 2023-10-15 | Bring'n Home the Bacon II (BACKYARD) West Salem, WI | 14 / 24 (333.6456) | 19 (165.6684) | 13 (167.9772) | — | — |
| 2023-10-13 | Bring'n Home the Bacon II (MASTER & BACKYARD) West Salem, WI | 10 / 21 (335.3716) | 7 (171.9772) | 18 (163.3944) | — | — |
| 2023-10-13 | Bring'n Home the Bacon II (ONE MEAT RIBS) West Salem, WI | — | — | 21 (165.1088) | — | — |
| 2023-09-09 | Bent Brewstillery BBQ (BACKYARD ONLY) Roseville, MN | 12 / 30 (338.2172) | 4 (175.4056) | 19 (162.8116) | — | — |
| 2023-08-12 | 5th Annual KCBS World Invitational - BACKYARD SERIES INVITATIONAL Mayetta, KS | 19 / 29 (342.8228) | 15 (173.1428) | 21 (169.6800) | — | — |
| 2023-08-11 | 5th Annual KCBS World Invitational - OPEN Mayetta, KS | 37 / 90 (687.9316) | 43 (172.5484) | 64 (168.5488) | 11 (176.5716) | 44 (170.2628) |
| 2023-07-21 | Fillmore County Fair BBQ Cookoff (BACKYARD ONLY) Preston, MN | 11 / 15 (327.3484) | 6 (171.9884) | 14 (155.3600) | — | — |
| 2023-07-07 | Art of the Que Spencer, IA | 1 / 28 (343.9656) | 2 (174.8456) | 5 (169.1200) | — | — |
| 2023-06-10 | Bring'n Home the Bacon Day 2 (MASTER & BACKYARD) West Salem, WI | 19 / 40 (324.4684) | 11 (167.3828) | 22 (157.0856) | — | — |
| 2023-06-09 | Bring'n Home the Bacon Day 1 (MASTER & BACKYARD) West Salem, WI | 14 / 43 (327.3372) | 13 (167.3828) | 19 (159.9544) | — | — |
| 2023-06-09 | Bring'n Home the Bacon (ONE MEAT RIBS) West Salem, WI | — | — | 17 (166.2632) | — | — |
| 2023-06-02 | Smokin in Steele Owatonna, MN | 7 / 29 (339.9428) | 4 (174.2628) | 9 (165.6800) | — | — |
| 2023-05-12 | Minnesota in May St. Peter, MN | 13 / 59 (335.9084) | 16 (166.2284) | 11 (169.6800) | — | — |
| 2023-05-12 | Minnesota in May (One Meat Ribs) St. Peter, MN | — | — | 43 (157.7144) | — | — |
| 2022-10-29 | Boo-B-Que BBQ Championship Day 2 Oak Grove, MO | 6 / 32 (338.2284) | 1 (180.0000) | 8 (158.2284) | — | — |
| 2022-10-28 | Boo-B-Que BBQ Championship Oak Grove, MO | 9 / 40 (338.2284) | 6 (172.5484) | 12 (165.6800) | — | — |
| 2022-10-28 | Boo-B-Que BBQ Championship (One Meat Ribs) Oak Grove, MO | — | — | 11 (173.1200) | — | — |
| 2022-10-15 | Bring'n Home the Bacon II Day 2 (BACKYARD ONLY) West Salem, WI | 4 / 20 (340.5600) | 1 (177.1428) | 17 (163.4172) | — | — |
| 2022-10-15 | Bring'n Home the Bacon II (One Meat Ribs) West Salem, WI | — | — | 5 (165.7144) | — | — |
| 2022-10-14 | Bring'n Home the Bacon II Day 1 (BACKYARD ONLY) West Salem, WI | 3 / 22 (341.6456) | 5 (170.8228) | 4 (170.8228) | — | — |
| 2022-09-10 | Bent Brewstillery BBQ (BACKYARD ONLY) Roseville, MN | 12 / 30 (336.5372) | 5 (173.7028) | 18 (162.8344) | — | — |
| 2022-08-05 | B-Dale BBQ Contest (BACKYARD ONLY) Roseville, MN | 14 / 21 (327.9428) | 7 (171.4056) | 16 (156.5372) | — | — |
| 2022-07-22 | Fillmore County Fair BBQ Cookoff (BACKYARD ONLY) Preston, MN | 10 / 13 (333.6800) | 6 (171.4400) | 8 (162.2400) | — | — |
| 2022-07-15 | Bourbon, Brews & BBQ (BACKYARD) Bancroft, IA | 3 / 14 (349.1200) | 2 (178.8572) | 7 (170.2628) | — | — |
| 2022-06-11 | Bring'n Home the Bacon Day 2 (MASTER & BACKYARD) West Salem, WI | 18 / 37 (325.6228) | 11 (170.2628) | 23 (155.3600) | — | — |
| 2022-06-10 | Bring'n Home the Bacon Day 1 (MASTER & BACKYARD) West Salem, WI | 15 / 39 (321.6460) | 15 (163.9772) | 17 (157.6688) | — | — |
| 2022-06-03 | Smokin in Steele (Master & Backyard Contest) Owatonna, MN | 9 / 33 (319.3944) | 14 (153.6800) | 4 (165.7144) | — | — |
| 2022-05-13 | Minnesota in May (Backyard) Cambridge, MN | 13 / 38 (331.3944) | 22 (164.5372) | 10 (166.8572) | — | — |
| 2022-05-13 | Minnesota in May (One Meat Ribs) Cambridge, MN | — | — | 22 (162.2400) | — | — |
| 2022-05-13 | Minnesota in May (Masters) Cambridge, MN | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2021-10-16 | Bring'n Home the Bacon II Day 2 (BACKYARD) West Salem, WI | 32 / 36 (316.5140) | 34 (154.8228) | 23 (161.6912) | — | — |
| 2021-10-15 | Bring'n Home the Bacon II Day 1 (BACKYARD) West Salem, WI | 19 / 40 (325.1428) | 24 (159.4400) | 10 (165.7028) | — | — |
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 | #2 (1327 pts) | #4 (1257 pts) | #7 (1151 pts) | — | — |
| 2026 ↗ | Master | — | — | #504 (245 pts) | — | — |
| 2025 ↗ | Backyard | #31 (1081 pts) | #25 (1166 pts) | #48 (950 pts) | — | — |
| 2025 ↗ | Master | — | — | #712 (257 pts) | — | — |
| 2024 ↗ | Backyard | #33 (1006 pts) | #23 (1108 pts) | #43 (950 pts) | — | — |
| 2024 ↗ | Master | #959 (114 pts) | #1021 (119 pts) | #517 (457 pts) | #1155 (79 pts) | #1151 (74 pts) |
| 2023 ↗ | Backyard | — | #54 (954 pts) | #98 (683 pts) | — | — |
| 2023 ↗ | Master | #1255 (60 pts) | #932 (148 pts) | #558 (397 pts) | #950 (130 pts) | #1296 (60 pts) |
| 2022 ↗ | Backyard | — | #23 (1121 pts) | #59 (775 pts) | — | — |
| 2021 ↗ | Backyard | — | #185 (125 pts) | #126 (205 pts) | — | — |