BAD WOLF BBQ

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

Power ranking

#1286

of 6,413 rated · rankings

Rating

1579

peak 1585 · rated over 44 contests ⓘ

Best runs

straight top-10s

Contests

in the data

First seen

2013-07-19

latest 2025-08-01

Best ToY finish

#317

Master 2021

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

11 podiums

Overall top-10s

of 45 contests

Avg finish

top 51%

overall standings

Best overall

686.8000 / 720

Master · GLBBQA Spring Fling

Perfect 180s

Current form

676.58 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 655.46 (+21.12)

Walk rate

78%

contests with a top-10 call

Top-10 streak

best run (overall)

Best single call

178.8572

Brisket · 8th Annual Rockin' BBQ (Day 2)

Consistency

±29.46

std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 166.97 · weakest Pork Ribs (163.50)

Road miles

6,792

mi across 45 mapped stops · furthest 386 mi

Schedule strength

61%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1576)

Purse competed for

$127K

listed at 19 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

GCs in 21 state-championship entries

Master avg

655.46 / 720

44 Master contests · 0 GCs

⚔ Compare with another team

Storylines (9 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.

They almost always walk

78% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 35 of 45 contests

A top-10 category call in 78% of their 45 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

686.8000 career-best overall

95.4% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 686.8000 at GLBBQA Spring Fling — 95.4% of a perfect 720.

Master
2024-04-19

The one to beat

4× one call ahead of them

iBQ'n has finished one call ahead of BAD WOLF BBQ 4 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2018 their best year

2018 was the year it came together: 6 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 0 category wins, at an average finish in the top 29%.

6 contests
4 overall top-10s
0 category wins
average top 29%

A strong matchup

16–4 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 80% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of BROTHERHOOD OF SWINE in 16 of their 20 shared contests.

Chicken nemesis

33 of 39 shared chicken entries lost

iBQ'n ahead 85% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, iBQ'n has out-cooked them in 33 of 39 shared chicken entries.

Looking over their shoulder

4× one call behind them

BAD HABIT BBQ has landed one call behind them 4 times.

The long haul

6,792 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 6,792 miles across 45 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 386 miles to Jim Beam BBQ Classic.

45 mapped stops
furthest 386 mi

A standing appointment

4 years running at one contest

They've cooked All American BBQ Throwdown every year from 2020 to 2023 — the contest they never miss.

5 visits in all
best finish 6th

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.

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

REBEL FIRE QUE'N COMPANY

#1288 of the rated field

1579 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 44
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 18%
Peak: 1590

No shared contest yet.

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

rated over 44 contests

⚔ Head-to-head

SMOKE INFUSION

#1283 of the rated field

1580 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 43
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 14%
Peak: 1581

No shared contest yet.

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 43 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 43 contests
last seen 2025-09-05

⚔ Head-to-head

HIGH DESERT HOLY SMOKE BBQ

#1285 of the rated field

1579 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 47
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 21%
Peak: 1579

No shared contest yet.

Careers of much the same size, 47 contests to 45, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 46 contests
last seen 2026-08-21

⚔ Head-to-head

POLITICAL PORK

#1284 of the rated field

1579 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 65
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 15%
Peak: 1629

No shared contest yet.

Their rating is built on 1 Grand Championship in 65 contests, alongside a 15% overall top-10 rate.

rated over 64 contests
last seen 2021-05-01

⚔ Head-to-head

5 Alarm BBQ

#1281 of the rated field

1580 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 30
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 17%
Peak: 1610

No shared contest yet.

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

rated over 30 contests
last seen 2026-06-19

⚔ Head-to-head

BIG DADDY QUE

#1287 of the rated field

1579 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 20
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 30%
Peak: 1579

No shared contest yet.

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

rated over 20 contests
last seen 2017-08-25

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
THE REAL SMOKIN ACES	41	6	35	15%	⚔ compare
iBQ'n	39	2	37	5%	⚔ compare
Mac Attack BBQ	38	14	24	37%	⚔ compare
FIREHOUSE SMOKE	31	12	19	39%	⚔ compare
KEVLAR BBQ	29	11	18	38%	⚔ compare
BO B Q BBQ	27	14	13	52%	⚔ compare
BAD HABIT BBQ	27	11	16	41%	⚔ compare
AWW HELL	26	3	23	12%	⚔ compare
PapaDads BBQ	25	12	13	48%	⚔ compare
S & G BBQ	21	15	6	71%	⚔ compare
BROTHERHOOD OF SWINE	20	16	4	80%	⚔ compare
Q-JITSU	20	9	11	45%	⚔ compare
BAVARIAN SMOKE BBQ	20	7	13	35%	⚔ compare
SLIPPERY PETE'S BBQ	20	1	19	5%	⚔ compare
TIRE SMOKE BBQ	19	4	15	21%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	44	12	1	2	176.5600	155.9656	166.97	top 48%
Pork Ribs	44	17	1	4	174.2860	131.3828	163.50	top 49%
Pork	44	9	2	2	176.5828	145.7028	164.75	top 51%
Brisket	44	16	3	3	178.8572	135.9088	163.86	top 48%

“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
MI	36	top 50%
IN	5	top 57%
KY	3	top 55%

By contest size

Field	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
Medium (20–39)	31	0	top 51%
Large (40+)	13	0	top 50%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
All American BBQ Throwdown	5	6	top 47%	2025-08-01
Bordertown BBQ Brawl	4	5	top 43%	2022-07-15
Jim Beam BBQ Classic	3	17	top 55%	2019-10-04
Blues.Brews & Barbecue	3	19	top 62%	2016-07-29
GLBBQA Spring Fling	2	18	top 32%	2025-04-18
8th Annual Rockin' BBQ (Day 2)	2	13	top 54%	2022-05-14
Rumble on the River Presented by TheBBQSuperStore.com	2	12	top 71%	2020-09-25
*The Rumble on the River presented by TheBBQSuperStore.com	2	7	top 48%	2018-09-21
*Silver Lake Apple BBQ Festival	2	8	top 44%	2018-09-14

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

On the trail 12 yrs 2013-07-19 → 2025-08-01

Busiest season 2018 6 contests

Contests a season 3.5 across 13 seasons in the data

Cooks most in MI 37 of 45 contests · 3 states/provinces in all

Contests visited 28 9 of them cooked more than once

Most-entered meat Chicken 44 entries · 1 win · 12 calls

Strongest meat Chicken averages 166.97 · weakest Pork Ribs (163.50)

Walk rate 78% a top-10 call in 35 of 45 contests

Overall top-10 rate 22% 10 of 45 contests

Best top-10 run 4 straight contests

Master average 655.46 out of 720 · 44 contests · 0 GCs

Opponents faced 441 791–773 across every shared overall standing

Road miles 6,792 45 mapped stops · furthest 386 mi

Schedule strength 1576 average field rating faced — tougher than 61% of rated contests

Purse competed for $126,960 listed at 19 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships 0 from 21 state-championship entries

Power rating 1579 peak 1585 · #1286 of 6,413 rated

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

2013
Jul 19 First tracked contest Taste of Grand Rapids
Jul 19 First call Taste of Grand Rapids
Jul 19 First overall past 90% of a perfect score655.3028 Taste of Grand Rapids
2014
Jul 25 First category win (Pork) Taste of Grand Rapids 2014
2016
Jun 24 First overall top-10 8th Annual Auburn Hills Barbecue Cookoff
Jun 24 10th tracked contest 8th Annual Auburn Hills Barbecue Cookoff
2019
Jul 19 25th tracked contest Bordertown BBQ Brawl
2021
Aug 6 Peak power rating (1585) All American BBQ Throwdown
2022
May 14 Career-best single call (Brisket)178.8572 8th Annual Rockin' BBQ (Day 2)
2024
Apr 19 Career-best overall score686.8000 GLBBQA Spring Fling
2025
Aug 1 Most recent contest All American BBQ Throwdown

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+15.7	Ribstock	2016-08-26
+13.4	Westland Area Jaycee's All American BBQ Throwdown	2018-08-03
+13	*The Rumble on the River presented by TheBBQSuperStore.com	2018-09-21
+12	Bordertown BBQ Brawl	2019-07-19
+11.6	*Silver Lake Apple BBQ Festival	2018-09-14

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-15	Rumble on the River Presented by TheBBQSuperStore.com	2021-09-24
-13.9	Rumble on the River Presented by TheBBQSuperStore.com	2019-09-20
-13	Rockin BBQ	2020-05-29
-10.4	Blues, Brews & Barbecues	2013-08-23
-5.7	7th Annual Auburn Hills Barbecue Cook-off	2015-06-19

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	2	0	0	50%	top 42%	95.1%	94.6%
2024	1	0	0	0%	top 32%	95.4%	95.4%
2023	1	0	0	100%	top 52%	93.1%	93.1%
2022	5	0	1	60%	top 57%	94.2%	93%
2021	5	2	3	100%	top 43%	94.5%	89.5%
2020	4	0	0	50%	top 66%	93.4%	90.5%
2019	4	2	1	75%	top 52%	94%	92.1%
2018	6	4	0	100%	top 29%	94.3%	93.1%
2017	5	0	0	80%	top 66%	93.2%	90.4%
2016	5	2	0	100%	top 43%	92.3%	90.3%
2015	3	0	1	67%	top 70%	88.7%	87.1%
2014	2	0	1	100%	top 56%	89.6%	89.4%
2013	2	0	0	50%	top 62%	91%	87.7%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2025-08-01	All American BBQ Throwdown 🏅 Westland, MI	22 / 43 (677.0284)	29 (168.5256)	21 (169.1200)	8 (176.0000)	34 (163.3828)
2025-04-18	GLBBQA Spring Fling 🏅 Charlotte, MI	18 / 56 (685.0628)	47 (166.2284)	12 (172.5600)	16 (173.1428)	13 (173.1316)
2024-04-19	GLBBQA Spring Fling 🏅 Charlotte, MI	20 / 62 (686.8000)	15 (175.4056)	35 (167.4056)	17 (173.7144)	30 (170.2744)
2023-08-04	All American BBQ Throwdown 🏅 Westland, MI	23 / 44 (670.1716)	5 (176.5600)	41 (157.1088)	28 (163.9428)	6 (172.5600)
2022-08-05	All American BBQ Throwdown 🏅 Westland, MI	26 / 50 (663.8168)	34 (165.0740)	16 (169.7028)	28 (166.2284)	34 (162.8116)
2022-08-05	All American BBQ Throwdown - One Meat Ribs Westland, MI	—	—	31 (159.3944)	—	—
2022-07-15	Bordertown BBQ Brawl 🏅 Sault Ste Marie, MI	21 / 30 (661.5772)	18 (168.5600)	7 (172.5600)	26 (158.2288)	18 (162.2284)
2022-05-14	8th Annual Rockin' BBQ (Day 2) 🏅 Warsaw, IN	13 / 25 (675.3028)	24 (158.7884)	12 (170.8344)	18 (166.8228)	1 (178.8572)
2022-05-13	8th Annual Rockin' BBQ (Day 1) 🏅 Warsaw, IN	20 / 36 (678.1944)	8 (175.4288)	30 (161.6800)	13 (170.8344)	18 (170.2512)
2021-09-24	Rumble on the River Presented by TheBBQSuperStore.com 🏅 Grand Haven, MI	28 / 28 (509.6112)	17 (168.5256)	—	1 (175.4056)	15 (165.6800)
2021-08-06	All American BBQ Throwdown 🏅 Westland, MI	6 / 32 (680.5256)	21 (166.8344)	5 (171.4056)	9 (167.9884)	1 (174.2972)
2021-07-16	Bordertown BBQ Brawl 🏅 Sault Ste Marie, MI	5 / 27 (680.5600)	18 (166.8228)	2 (173.7144)	16 (165.6800)	1 (174.3428)
2021-05-15	Rockin' BBQ - Day 2 🏅 Warsaw, IN	13 / 39 (677.6920)	15 (171.4288)	2 (174.2860)	25 (166.8572)	22 (165.1200)
2021-05-14	Rockin' BBQ - Day 1 🏅 Warsaw, IN	19 / 41 (674.2060)	24 (167.3944)	38 (158.2400)	5 (174.3088)	9 (174.2628)
2020-09-25	Rumble on the River Presented by TheBBQSuperStore.com 🏅 Grand Haven, MI	12 / 28 (672.4916)	2 (174.8572)	5 (172.0000)	21 (162.2516)	22 (163.3828)
2020-08-07	All American BBQ Throwdown 🏅 Westland, MI	25 / 42 (656.0232)	12 (168.0116)	15 (166.3316)	25 (164.5600)	34 (157.1200)
2020-07-17	Bordertown BBQ Brawl 🏅 Sault Ste Marie, MI	20 / 31 (654.8576)	14 (168.5600)	29 (153.1088)	17 (164.0460)	6 (169.1428)
2020-05-29	Rockin BBQ 🏅 Warsaw, IN	64 / 66 (622.6632)	56 (155.9656)	65 (146.7888)	61 (154.2172)	34 (165.6916)
2019-10-04	Jim Beam BBQ Classic 🏅 Springfield, KY	28 / 42 (658.1032)	35 (162.8000)	27 (163.9544)	33 (160.5144)	8 (170.8344)
2019-09-20	Rumble on the River Presented by TheBBQSuperStore.com 🏅 Grand Haven, MI	28 / 28 (647.8400)	22 (165.6684)	27 (158.8344)	21 (163.3828)	27 (159.9544)
2019-07-19	Bordertown BBQ Brawl 🏅 Sault Ste Marie, MI	5 / 28 (676.5372)	12 (166.8688)	1 (174.2856)	20 (166.2628)	8 (169.1200)
2019-06-21	11th Annual Auburn Hills Barbecue Cook-Off 🏅 Auburn Hills, MI	7 / 30 (670.7996)	16 (165.0856)	11 (167.9656)	6 (168.0228)	8 (169.7256)
2018-10-12	*Smoke & Ale Fall Festival Chelsea, MI	17 / 38 (659.3372)	21 (164.5372)	7 (168.5140)	25 (157.1204)	6 (169.1656)
2018-10-05	Jim Beam BBQ Classic Springfield, KY	17 / 42 (671.2916)	8 (173.1200)	28 (163.9544)	20 (167.9772)	24 (166.2400)
2018-09-21	*The Rumble on the River presented by TheBBQSuperStore.com Grand Haven, MI	7 / 28 (671.3712)	10 (170.2856)	16 (167.4172)	15 (163.9428)	6 (169.7256)
2018-09-14	*Silver Lake Apple BBQ Festival Mears, MI	8 / 48 (678.8228)	4 (174.8456)	9 (171.4744)	20 (162.2400)	9 (170.2628)
2018-08-03	Westland Area Jaycee's All American BBQ Throwdown Westland, MI	6 / 39 (676.5372)	27 (161.7144)	8 (169.1544)	7 (171.4056)	4 (174.2628)
2018-06-22	10th Annual Auburn Hills Barbecue Cook-Off Auburn Hills, MI	9 / 30 (663.4288)	7 (170.2972)	3 (170.8572)	14 (161.6800)	16 (160.5944)
2017-10-06	Jim Beam BBQ Classic Springfield, KY	26 / 44 (670.8000)	24 (168.5600)	34 (161.6800)	26 (168.5600)	12 (172.0000)
2017-09-22	*The Rumble on the River presented by TheBBQSuperStore.com Grand Haven, MI	17 / 24 (670.2060)	13 (170.2744)	8 (173.1432)	15 (169.1200)	20 (157.6684)
2017-09-08	*Silver Lake Apple BBQ Festival Silver Lake, MI	20 / 28 (645.0516)	18 (162.8572)	9 (166.8572)	18 (163.4056)	26 (151.9316)
2017-07-21	*BBQ & BREWS Birch Run, MI	27 / 37 (624.4232)	8 (169.1772)	25 (157.0628)	19 (162.2744)	34 (135.9088)
2017-06-23	9th Annual Auburn Hills Barbecue Cook-off Auburn Hills, MI	18 / 32 (645.0288)	17 (164.5372)	5 (166.8344)	16 (161.6916)	27 (151.9656)
2016-08-26	Ribstock Marne, MI	4 / 32 (664.5260)	5 (169.7144)	12 (161.6916)	8 (166.8228)	10 (166.2972)
2016-07-29	Blues.Brews & Barbecue Birch Run, MI	19 / 39 (647.9428)	6 (170.8572)	16 (163.9772)	23 (159.3828)	27 (153.7256)
2016-06-24	8th Annual Auburn Hills Barbecue Cookoff Auburn Hills, MI	10 / 30 (659.8972)	14 (165.1428)	10 (163.4060)	13 (162.2284)	4 (169.1200)
2016-06-10	ELF Khurafeh Shrine BBQ Competition and Music Festival Clio, MI	13 / 20 (633.0400)	12 (163.9772)	7 (164.0000)	19 (151.9656)	15 (153.0972)
2016-05-20	*2nd Annual Pork in the Park Wyandotte, MI	15 / 28 (646.8228)	15 (158.2628)	7 (167.9884)	14 (161.1088)	18 (159.4628)
2015-08-28	Ribstock II: Ribs & Racing Marne, MI	20 / 32 (619.8632)	18 (158.2744)	24 (149.6572)	28 (146.8116)	6 (165.1200)
2015-08-21	Blues, Brews & Barbecue Birch Run, MI	24 / 33 (622.1828)	1 (176.0344)	32 (131.3828)	17 (161.6684)	24 (153.0972)
2015-06-19	7th Annual Auburn Hills Barbecue Cook-off Auburn Hills, MI	24 / 32 (638.6168)	16 (162.8000)	28 (149.6456)	13 (165.6684)	21 (160.5028)
2014-08-22	Blues, Brews & Barbecue Birch Run, MI	25 / 39 (645.0744)	27 (159.4056)	36 (151.3716)	5 (174.8688)	24 (159.4284)
2014-07-25	Taste of Grand Rapids 2014 Grand Rapids, MI	26 / 55 (642.8000)	35 (156.5484)	41 (150.2400)	1 (176.5828)	27 (159.4288)
2013-08-23	Blues, Brews & Barbecues Birch Run, MI	26 / 31 (607.8856)	14 (162.2856)	27 (150.2172)	30 (145.7028)	22 (149.6800)
2013-07-19	Taste of Grand Rapids Comstock Park, MI	16 / 39 (655.3028)	8 (169.7028)	6 (171.9772)	19 (164.5372)	33 (149.0856)

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
2025 ↗	Master	#762 (170 pts)	#960 (120 pts)	#804 (205 pts)	#638 (260 pts)	#774 (180 pts)
2024 ↗	Master	#1080 (85 pts)	#1065 (110 pts)	#1317 (60 pts)	#1064 (100 pts)	#1204 (60 pts)
2023 ↗	Master	#1209 (70 pts)	#820 (185 pts)	#1432 (60 pts)	#1287 (60 pts)	#840 (175 pts)
2022 ↗	Master	#683 (255 pts)	#688 (270 pts)	#633 (340 pts)	#695 (265 pts)	#510 (430 pts)
2021 ↗	Master	#317 (612 pts)	#453 (432 pts)	#280 (754 pts)	#265 (762 pts)	#228 (882 pts)
2020 ↗	Master	#346 (319 pts)	#226 (549 pts)	#312 (404 pts)	#396 (289 pts)	#342 (359 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#426 (828 pts)	#459 (793 pts)	#428 (853 pts)	#614 (608 pts)	#410 (863 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#1091 (290 pts)	#946 (405 pts)	#886 (440 pts)	#1051 (340 pts)	#1122 (295 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#1293 (207 pts)	#774 (477 pts)	#1503 (177 pts)	#1191 (272 pts)	#1035 (312 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#1726 (139 pts)	#1801 (139 pts)	#1781 (139 pts)	#760 (489 pts)	#1747 (144 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#2640 (56 pts)	#1856 (111 pts)	#2646 (56 pts)	#2645 (56 pts)	#2440 (71 pts)