Bluedog BBQ

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

Power ranking

#6211

of 6,413 rated · rankings

Rating

1415

peak 1510 · rated over 41 contests ⓘ

Contests

in the data

First seen

2013-05-17

latest 2025-08-15

Best ToY finish

#668

Master 2015

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

3 podiums

Overall top-10s

of 43 contests

Avg finish

top 69%

overall standings

Best overall

687.4172 / 720

Master · The River Grill before the Big Chill

Perfect 180s

Current form

643.13 ▼

last 5 Master vs avg 650.27 (-7.14)

Walk rate

37%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

178.8800

Pork Ribs · The River Grill before the Big Chill

Consistency

±13.72

std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 166.56 · weakest Brisket (160.17)

Road miles

22,120

mi across 43 mapped stops · furthest 9320 mi

Schedule strength

51%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1565)

Purse competed for

$69K

listed at 7 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

GCs in 11 state-championship entries

Master avg

650.27 / 720

41 Master contests · 0 GCs

⚔ Compare with another team

Storylines (13 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.

High-water mark

687.4172 career-best overall

95.5% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 687.4172 at The River Grill before the Big Chill — 95.5% of a perfect 720.

Master
2014-10-10

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

ACME BBQ has finished one call ahead of Bluedog BBQ 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2014 their best year

2014 was the year it came together: 5 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 0 category wins, at an average finish in the top 45%.

5 contests
2 overall top-10s
0 category wins
average top 45%

A tough matchup

31–1 behind in the head-to-head

WeQ4U ahead in 97% of their meetings

WeQ4U has come out ahead in 31 of their 32 shared contests.

The weak link

−6.4 points behind their best meat

Brisket is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 6.40 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 10% of the time against 21%.

Brisket avg 160.17
Chicken avg 166.56
4 calls in 41 entries

A strong matchup

12–1 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 92% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of D'Vine Swine in 12 of their 13 shared contests.

The comeback

2 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 2 years, then back at Madison Ribberfest BBQ & Blues Festival (2021-08-20).

last seen 2019-08-16
back 2021-08-20

Chicken nemesis

25 of 32 shared chicken entries lost

WeQ4U ahead 78% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, WeQ4U has out-cooked them in 25 of 32 shared chicken entries.

Looking over their shoulder

3× one call behind them

House of Swine has landed one call behind them 3 times.

A June team

Top 49% average finish in June

Something about June: average finish in the top 49% across 3 contests, versus top 69% the rest of the year.

3 June contests
top 69% the rest of the year

The long haul

22,120 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 22,120 miles across 43 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 9,320 miles to Sydney Barbeque Festival.

43 mapped stops
furthest 9,320 mi

The metronome

±1.91% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±1.91% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 90.3% of a perfect score
43 contests

A standing appointment

6 years running at one contest

They've cooked Jim Beam BBQ Classic every year from 2013 to 2018 — the contest they never miss.

6 visits in all
best finish 31st

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.

PARADISE QUE

#6209 of the rated field

1415 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 34
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 3%
Peak: 1415

No shared contest yet.

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 34 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 34 contests
last seen 2019-07-26

⚔ Head-to-head

Brew-N-Que

#6214 of the rated field

1414 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 17
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1414

No shared contest yet.

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

rated over 17 contests

⚔ Head-to-head

BULLS SMOKIN BBQ

#6213 of the rated field

1414 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 15
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 7%
Peak: 1414

No shared contest yet.

Fewer contests behind them than Bluedog BBQ has cooked, 15 to 43, which makes theirs the less settled rating of the two.

rated over 15 contests
last seen 2026-03-27

⚔ Head-to-head

ATTITUDES OF SMOKE

#6210 of the rated field

1415 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 10
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1415

No shared contest yet.

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

rated over 10 contests
last seen 2025-11-05

⚔ Head-to-head

JUST Q IT

#6212 of the rated field

1415 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 10
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1415

No shared contest yet.

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 9 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 9 contests
last seen 2019-10-18

⚔ Head-to-head

PORK ASSASSINS

#6208 of the rated field

1415 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 8
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1415

No shared contest yet.

Both teams' first contest in the data came in 2013.

rated over 8 contests
last seen 2015-04-17

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
WeQ4U	32	1	31	3%	⚔ compare
ACME BBQ	28	12	16	43%	⚔ compare
GREY STREET BBQ	28	0	28	0%	⚔ compare
BLUE CHIP BBQ	26	0	26	0%	⚔ compare
Extra Mile BBQ	25	3	22	12%	⚔ compare
SMOKE-N-PEPPERS	20	2	18	10%	⚔ compare
HUG HOGS	20	1	19	5%	⚔ compare
FARMER'S RETREAT SMOKIN BARBEQUE	18	3	15	17%	⚔ compare
SLIPPERY PETE'S BBQ	18	0	18	0%	⚔ compare
HISTORIC BBQ	17	4	13	24%	⚔ compare
RETIRED AND RUBBIN' IT	17	3	14	18%	⚔ compare
THUNDER HOG BBQ	17	0	17	0%	⚔ compare
SMOKIN' 4-PLAY BBQ	16	5	11	31%	⚔ compare
CHARCOAL & MORE	16	1	15	6%	⚔ compare
Pappy Q	16	0	16	0%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	43	9	0	1	176.5600	156.5028	166.56	top 56%
Pork Ribs	42	5	0	1	178.8800	150.2516	163.28	top 61%
Pork	43	4	0	0	171.9772	141.0628	160.95	top 69%
Brisket	41	4	1	1	176.5716	146.7888	160.17	top 66%

“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
IN	20	top 73%
OH	10	top 57%
KY	10	top 75%

By contest size

Field	Contests	Avg finish
Small (<20 teams)	1	top 47%
Medium (20–39)	14	top 66%
Large (40+)	26	top 71%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Madison Ribberfest BBQ & Blues Festival	6	32	top 72%	2022-08-19
Jim Beam BBQ Classic	6	31	top 85%	2018-10-05
Bands & BBQ at the Point	3	14	top 70%	2017-09-15
Buckeye State BBQ Championship	3	16	top 64%	2015-05-15
Madison Ribberfest BBQ & Blues	2	34	top 82%	2024-08-16
Smoke on the Water	2	19	top 78%	2019-05-04
PigMania Lebanon State Championship BBQ & Music Festival	2	25	top 67%	2018-08-31
The River Grill before the Big Chill	2	10	top 35%	2015-10-09

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

On the trail 12.2 yrs 2013-05-17 → 2025-08-15

Busiest season 2018 9 contests

Contests a season 3.6 across 12 seasons in the data

Cooks most in IN 20 of 43 contests · 4 states/provinces in all

Contests visited 23 8 of them cooked more than once

Most-entered meat Chicken 43 entries · 0 wins · 9 calls

Strongest meat Chicken averages 166.56 · weakest Brisket (160.17)

Walk rate 37% a top-10 call in 16 of 43 contests

Overall top-10 rate 7% 3 of 43 contests

Master average 650.27 out of 720 · 41 contests · 0 GCs

Opponents faced 558 551–1,149 across every shared overall standing

Road miles 22,120 43 mapped stops · furthest 9,320 mi

Schedule strength 1565 average field rating faced — tougher than 51% of rated contests

Purse competed for $68,500 listed at 7 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships 0 from 11 state-championship entries

Longest layoff 2 yrs 2019-08-16 → 2021-08-20

Power rating 1415 peak 1510 · #6211 of 6,413 rated

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

2013
May 17 First tracked contest Buckeye State BBQ Championship
Aug 16 First call Madison Ribberfest: Barbeque & Blues
Aug 16 First overall past 90% of a perfect score657.0856 Madison Ribberfest: Barbeque & Blues
2014
Jun 20 First overall top-10 Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
Oct 10 Career-best overall score687.4172 The River Grill before the Big Chill
Oct 10 Career-best single call (Pork Ribs)178.8800 The River Grill before the Big Chill
Oct 10 Peak power rating (1510) The River Grill before the Big Chill
2015
May 2 10th tracked contest Smokin' on the Water
2016
May 27 First category win (Brisket) PigMaina Lima
2017
Sep 15 25th tracked contest Bands & BBQ at the Point
2025
Aug 15 Most recent contest Madison Ribberfest

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+10.1	PigMania Hilliard State Championship BBQ & Music Festival	2018-06-29
+8.9	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	2014-06-20
+8.6	The River Grill before the Big Chill	2014-10-10
+6.2	Madison Ribberfest BBQ & Blues Festival	2017-08-18
+5.9	Madison Ribberfest: Barbeque & Blues	2013-08-16

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-9.6	Jim Beam BBQ Classic	2016-09-30
-8.6	Smokin on the Water 2	2015-05-01
-8.2	Jim Beam BBQ Classic	2017-10-06
-8.2	CCS Fest: CCS Spring Festival & BBQ Competition	2016-04-22
-8.2	Buckeye State BBQ Championship	2015-05-15

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	Category wins	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2025	1	0	0	0%	top 89%	89.3%	89.3%
2024	1	0	0	0%	top 82%	90.2%	90.2%
2023	2	0	0	0%	top 78%	89.1%	89.1%
2022	1	0	0	0%	top 84%	88.9%	88.9%
2021	1	0	0	0%	top 74%	91.1%	91.1%
2019	2	0	0	0%	top 83%	89.3%	88.6%
2018	9	1	0	56%	top 70%	93.6%	90.4%
2017	4	0	0	25%	top 70%	92.9%	90.3%
2016	6	0	1	17%	top 79%	91.1%	89.8%
2015	8	0	0	50%	top 65%	93.1%	91.1%
2014	5	2	0	80%	top 45%	95.5%	91.9%
2013	3	0	0	33%	top 60%	91.3%	89.1%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2025-08-15	Madison Ribberfest 🏅 Madison, IN	40 / 45 (642.6400)	28 (170.2628)	22 (169.6800)	45 (144.4800)	38 (158.2172)
2024-08-16	Madison Ribberfest BBQ & Blues 🏅 Madison, IN	40 / 49 (649.5772)	43 (162.8344)	39 (162.2400)	42 (161.6800)	35 (162.8228)
2023-08-18	Madison Ribberfest BBQ Blues 🏅 Madison, IN	34 / 41 (641.5544)	23 (170.8228)	22 (168.5600)	36 (154.8344)	37 (147.3372)
2023-04-28	Marietta River City BBQ 🏅 Marietta, OH	31 / 42 (641.5888)	27 (163.9772)	38 (153.6344)	21 (164.5944)	28 (159.3828)
2022-08-19	Madison Ribberfest BBQ & Blues Festival 🏅 Madison, IN	38 / 45 (640.3084)	33 (165.6800)	32 (162.8000)	39 (154.7656)	36 (157.0628)
2021-08-20	Madison Ribberfest BBQ & Blues Festival 🏅 Madison, IN	32 / 43 (655.7944)	28 (167.4060)	21 (167.3828)	31 (160.5028)	33 (160.5028)
2019-08-16	Madison Ribberfest BBQ & Blues Festival 🏅 Madsion, IN	36 / 47 (642.6400)	41 (157.0512)	24 (163.9888)	39 (157.0744)	27 (164.5256)
2019-05-04	Smoke on the Water 🏅 Liberty, IN	23 / 26 (632.9256)	14 (168.5256)	23 (157.6572)	21 (153.0856)	24 (153.6572)
2018-10-05	Jim Beam BBQ Classic Springfield, KY	39 / 42 (637.0172)	38 (157.7256)	29 (163.9544)	35 (159.9544)	38 (155.3828)
2018-09-21	*First Tennessee Bank Bluegrass & BBQ (COMPETITOR'S SERIES)(JUDGES FULL) Columbia, TN	—	6 (166.8344)	6 (170.8800)	4 (171.9772)	—
2018-08-31	PigMania Lebanon State Championship BBQ & Music Festival 🏅 Lebanon, OH	33 / 46 (666.7200)	7 (176.5600)	32 (163.9312)	35 (164.5372)	40 (161.6916)
2018-08-17	Madison Ribberfest BBQ & Blues Festival Madison, IN	47 / 54 (635.2348)	51 (157.0744)	18 (169.1316)	40 (162.2400)	52 (146.7888)
2018-06-29	PigMania Hilliard State Championship BBQ & Music Festival 🏅 Hilliard, OH	12 / 33 (673.6000)	3 (173.1200)	21 (163.9544)	12 (169.1428)	18 (167.3828)
2018-06-01	*Friends Of OBR Pitmaster Challenge(COMPETITOR'S SERIES) Louisville, KY	—	4 (172.5600)	—	13 (164.0228)	—
2018-05-05	Smoke on the Water Liberty, IN	19 / 28 (660.4228)	11 (171.4056)	12 (166.8344)	26 (159.9428)	18 (162.2400)
2018-04-06	*CCS Fest Indianapolis, IN	44 / 49 (628.9028)	35 (163.9428)	44 (153.6572)	43 (157.0628)	43 (154.2400)
2018-02-10	Sydney Barbeque Festival Sydney, 8008	9 / 19 (653.1084)	6 (166.9028)	11 (162.2400)	6 (166.8456)	15 (157.1200)
2017-10-06	Jim Beam BBQ Classic Springfield, KY	41 / 44 (633.4976)	30 (166.2400)	32 (162.2516)	43 (150.7772)	41 (154.2288)
2017-09-15	Bands & BBQ at the Point Carrollton, KY	26 / 33 (641.4972)	15 (168.5488)	28 (156.5144)	27 (159.9312)	21 (156.5028)
2017-09-01	PigMania Lebanon State Championship BBQ & Music Festival( TEAMS AND JUDGES FULL) 🏅 Lebanon, OH	25 / 40 (657.6116)	16 (169.1200)	26 (164.5716)	28 (162.8228)	26 (161.0972)
2017-08-18	Madison Ribberfest BBQ & Blues Festival Madison, IN	25 / 55 (669.0056)	7 (175.4172)	27 (165.6800)	42 (153.0628)	7 (174.8456)
2016-09-30	Jim Beam BBQ Classic Springfield, KY	42 / 43 (634.6632)	29 (166.8228)	40 (155.3716)	35 (162.2516)	42 (150.2172)
2016-09-16	Bands & BBQ at the Point Carrollton, KY	26 / 31 (655.2688)	20 (169.6916)	25 (162.2744)	25 (161.6572)	22 (161.6456)
2016-08-19	Madison Ribberfest BBQ & Blues Festisval Madison, IN	38 / 63 (655.7940)	41 (163.3828)	26 (167.3828)	29 (167.3828)	48 (157.6456)
2016-06-24	Smoke on the Square: In memory of David Harness Franklin, IN	24 / 31 (643.8056)	26 (159.3944)	22 (163.3828)	20 (165.0856)	25 (155.9428)
2016-05-27	PigMaina Lima Lima, OH	20 / 29 (652.3772)	25 (156.5028)	23 (158.8000)	20 (160.5028)	1 (176.5716)
2016-04-22	CCS Fest: CCS Spring Festival & BBQ Competition Indianapolis, IN	42 / 49 (636.2968)	43 (159.9312)	38 (155.3600)	39 (159.3600)	29 (161.6456)
2015-10-09	The River Grill before the Big Chill Cincinnati, OH	22 / 45 (658.6852)	35 (163.9312)	32 (159.9656)	9 (171.4056)	27 (163.3828)
2015-10-02	Jim Beam BBQ Classic Springfield, KY	34 / 45 (656.4000)	34 (163.9428)	39 (159.3944)	33 (164.5372)	18 (168.5256)
2015-09-11	Bands & BBQ at the Point Carrollton, KY	14 / 29 (669.0516)	18 (166.2516)	21 (162.8228)	14 (169.1544)	8 (170.8228)
2015-08-21	Madison Ribberfest BBQ & Blues Festival Madison, IN	34 / 64 (659.8744)	31 (166.2744)	43 (161.6800)	23 (169.6684)	36 (162.2516)
2015-07-17	Wine, Brew & Bar-B-Que Too! New Palestine, IN	27 / 44 (670.2056)	6 (176.0000)	10 (173.1428)	41 (159.9428)	34 (161.1200)
2015-05-15	Buckeye State BBQ Championship West Chester, OH	29 / 36 (643.8284)	18 (169.6912)	21 (165.6800)	31 (159.3600)	33 (149.0972)
2015-05-02	Smokin' on the Water Liberty, IN	26 / 36 (657.6572)	8 (173.1200)	15 (167.4400)	35 (147.9772)	17 (169.1200)
2015-05-01	Smokin on the Water 2 Liberty, IN	31 / 37 (632.4000)	14 (169.7028)	20 (167.4172)	37 (141.0628)	31 (154.2172)
2014-10-10	The River Grill before the Big Chill Cincinnati, OH	10 / 49 (687.4172)	11 (174.2628)	2 (178.8800)	26 (167.9772)	17 (166.2972)
2014-10-03	Jim Beam BBQ Classic Springfield, KY	33 / 44 (654.1944)	35 (165.1200)	42 (152.5716)	10 (171.9656)	22 (164.5372)
2014-08-15	Madison Ribberfest BBQ & Blues Festival Madison, IN	34 / 60 (650.6740)	41 (163.9312)	31 (161.1200)	31 (163.3828)	28 (162.2400)
2014-06-20	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Lexington, KY	9 / 28 (669.6112)	5 (173.1200)	15 (165.6800)	16 (163.4056)	10 (167.4056)
2014-05-16	Buckeye State BBQ Championship West Chester, OH	16 / 38 (644.9596)	21 (159.3712)	7 (168.5256)	27 (158.2516)	25 (158.8112)
2013-10-04	Jim Beam BBQ Classic Springfield, KY	31 / 41 (642.7544)	14 (172.5600)	40 (150.2516)	24 (162.2400)	34 (157.7028)
2013-08-16	Madison Ribberfest: Barbeque & Blues Madison, IN	21 / 60 (657.0856)	40 (158.8112)	6 (170.2972)	15 (167.4172)	28 (160.5600)
2013-05-17	Buckeye State BBQ Championship West Chester, OH	24 / 35 (624.5710)	22 (158.2852)	19 (160.5714)	29 (153.7144)	24 (152.0000)

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
2018 ↗	Master	#746 (446 pts)	#525 (701 pts)	#761 (471 pts)	#822 (416 pts)	#805 (421 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#1215 (238 pts)	#888 (438 pts)	#1299 (238 pts)	#1291 (238 pts)	#979 (363 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#1768 (121 pts)	#2020 (116 pts)	#1812 (131 pts)	#1768 (141 pts)	#2004 (116 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#668 (544 pts)	#481 (809 pts)	#583 (664 pts)	#620 (624 pts)	#586 (644 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#1054 (293 pts)	#1138 (288 pts)	#874 (418 pts)	#1117 (293 pts)	#1154 (273 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#1420 (160 pts)	#1551 (150 pts)	#1086 (280 pts)	#1392 (185 pts)	#1625 (140 pts)