High-water mark
667.9888
career-best overall
92.8% of a perfect 720
Their best day on record: 667.9888 at Up In smoke on the Square — 92.8% of a perfect 720.
- Master
- 2017-06-02
SAUCED N SMOKED
At a glance (everything the results say about this team, in numbers)
Rating
1375
peak 1510 · rated over 23 contests ⓘ
Contests
25
in the data
First seen
2014-07-25
latest 2025-06-27
Best ToY finish
#751
Master 2020
Grand champs
0
0 reserve
Category wins
0
0 podiums
Overall top-10s
0
of 25 contests
Avg finish
top 79%
overall standings
Perfect 180s
0
Current form
624.37 ▼
last 5 Master vs avg 630.71 (-6.34)
Walk rate
24%
contests with a top-10 call
Consistency
±17.21
std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Chicken
avg 161.11 · weakest Pork Ribs (155.52)
Road miles
769
mi across 24 mapped stops · furthest 74 mi
Schedule strength
52%
of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1567)
Purse competed for
$52K
listed at 8 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
0 🏅
GCs in 10 state-championship entries
Master avg
630.71 / 720
23 Master contests · 0 GCs
Storylines (10 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.
The one to beat
2×
one call ahead of them
IlliDueQue has finished one call ahead of SAUCED N SMOKED 2 times — their closest competition in the data.
Their season
2017
their best year
2017 was the year it came together: 3 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 0 category wins, at an average finish in the top 64%.
- 3 contests
- 0 overall top-10s
- 0 category wins
- average top 64%
A tough matchup
13–3
behind in the head-to-head
SmokinGhost BBQ ahead in 81% of their meetings
SmokinGhost BBQ has come out ahead in 13 of their 16 shared contests.
The weak link
−5.6
points behind their best meat
Pork Ribs is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 5.59 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 4% of the time against 13%.
- Pork Ribs avg 155.52
- Chicken avg 161.11
- 1 calls in 25 entries
A strong matchup
4–0
ahead in the head-to-head
Ahead in 100% of their meetings
They've finished ahead of Skeleton Crew BBQ in 4 of their 4 shared contests.
The comeback
2 yrs
off the trail, then back
Off the trail for 2 years, then back at Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown (2025-06-27).
- last seen 2023-07-14
- back 2025-06-27
Chicken nemesis
13 of 16
shared chicken entries lost
SmokinGhost BBQ ahead 81% of the time
Even in their strongest meat, SmokinGhost BBQ has out-cooked them in 13 of 16 shared chicken entries.
The metronome
±2.39%
swing around their own average
Their overall lands within ±2.39% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.
- averages 87.6% of a perfect score
- 25 contests
A standing appointment
5
years running at one contest
They've cooked Up In Smoke on the Square every year from 2015 to 2019 — the contest they never miss.
- 5 visits in all
- best finish 15th
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.
#6369 of the rated field
- Contests
- 27
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1375
No shared contest yet.
This is the highest they've ever been rated, 27 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.
⚔ Head-to-head#6371 of the rated field
- Contests
- 19
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1375
No shared contest yet.
Careers of much the same size, 19 contests to 25, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.
⚔ Head-to-head#6373 of the rated field
- Contests
- 33
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 3%
- Peak
- 1374
No shared contest yet.
Their last contest in the data was back in 2019, 6 years before SAUCED N SMOKED's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.
⚔ Head-to-head#6368 of the rated field
- Contests
- 44
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 2%
- Peak
- 1501
No shared contest yet.
44 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 2% top-10 finishes rather than wins.
⚔ Head-to-head#6372 of the rated field
- Contests
- 45
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1374
No shared contest yet.
Level with SAUCED N SMOKED on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.
⚔ Head-to-head#6374 of the rated field
- Contests
- 31
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 0%
- Peak
- 1373
No shared contest yet.
Both teams' first contest in the data came in 2014.
⚔ Head-to-headFamiliar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)
| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SmokinGhost BBQ | 16 | 3 | 13 | 19% | ⚔ compare |
| Rusty Pig BBQ | 13 | 1 | 12 | 8% | ⚔ compare |
| Monsters of the Ribway | 13 | 1 | 12 | 8% | ⚔ compare |
| CHANNABILLY BBQ | 13 | 1 | 12 | 8% | ⚔ compare |
| Carrol Lou's Smokehouse | 12 | 2 | 10 | 17% | ⚔ compare |
| One2BBQ | 12 | 1 | 11 | 8% | ⚔ compare |
| Outsiders BBQ | 12 | 1 | 11 | 8% | ⚔ compare |
| HEFTY LEFTY BBQ | 12 | 0 | 12 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| MOON KING BBQ | 11 | 5 | 6 | 45% | ⚔ compare |
| SMOKY LINCS | 11 | 3 | 8 | 27% | ⚔ compare |
| FIDDLIN' FATBACK | 11 | 2 | 9 | 18% | ⚔ compare |
| QUAU | 11 | 1 | 10 | 9% | ⚔ compare |
| LOADED-N-ROLLIN BBQ | 10 | 4 | 6 | 40% | ⚔ compare |
| CLUCK , OINK & MOO BARBECUE | 10 | 2 | 8 | 20% | ⚔ compare |
| Its 5 Oclock Somewhere | 10 | 1 | 9 | 10% | ⚔ compare |
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 24 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 174.8800 | 149.0284 | 161.11 | top 68% |
| Pork Ribs | 25 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 170.2856 | 136.4344 | 155.52 | top 76% |
| Pork | 23 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 171.4172 | 145.0856 | 157.75 | top 74% |
| Brisket | 23 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 167.4744 | 139.3488 | 155.74 | top 76% |
“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 contest size
| Field | Contests | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small (<20 teams) | 3 | 0 | top 84% |
| Medium (20–39) | 12 | 0 | top 80% |
| Large (40+) | 9 | 0 | top 76% |
Contest-by-contest record (recurring contests they've cooked twice or more)
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Up In Smoke on the Square | 5 | 15 | 0 | top 75% | 2019-05-31 |
| Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown | 3 | 23 | 0 | top 92% | 2025-06-27 |
| Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown | 3 | 29 | 0 | top 80% | 2019-07-19 |
| *Beardstown Blues,Brews & Barbecue | 2 | 14 | 0 | top 83% | 2018-06-08 |
The story so far (17 numbers that describe this team)
On the trail
10.9 yrs
2014-07-25 → 2025-06-27
Busiest season
2018
4 contests
Contests a season
2.1
across 12 seasons in the data
Cooks most in
IL
25 of 25 contests
Contests visited
15
4 of them cooked more than once
Most-entered meat
Pork Ribs
25 entries · 0 wins · 1 calls
Strongest meat
Chicken
averages 161.11 · weakest Pork Ribs (155.52)
Walk rate
24%
a top-10 call in 6 of 25 contests
Overall top-10 rate
0%
0 of 25 contests
Master average
630.71
out of 720 · 23 contests · 0 GCs
Opponents faced
348
184–704 across every shared overall standing
Road miles
769
24 mapped stops · furthest 74 mi
Schedule strength
1567
average field rating faced — tougher than 52% of rated contests
Purse competed for
$51,575
listed at 8 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
0
from 10 state-championship entries
Longest layoff
2 yrs
2023-07-14 → 2025-06-27
Power rating
1375
peak 1510 · #6370 of 6,413 rated
Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)
- First tracked contest Saluting With Smoke (COMPETITORS SERIES)
- 2014
- First call Morton BBQ Throwdown
- First overall past 90% of a perfect score659.9884 Morton BBQ Throwdown
- Peak power rating (1510) Morton BBQ Throwdown
- 2017
- Career-best overall score667.9888 Up In smoke on the Square
- Career-best single call (Chicken)174.8800 Up In smoke on the Square
- 10th tracked contest *Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown (JUDGES FULL)
- 2025
- 25th tracked contest Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown
- Most recent contest Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
📈 Biggest rating jumps
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +9.9 | Morton BBQ Throwdown | 2014-07-25 |
| +5.8 | Up In smoke on the Square | 2017-06-02 |
| +1.8 | Blues,Brews & Barbecue | 2019-06-07 |
📉 Toughest weekends
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -10.5 | *Up In smoke on the Square( WAIT LIST ONLY FOR JUDGES) | 2018-06-01 |
| -10.2 | *Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown(JUDGES FULL) | 2018-07-20 |
| -9.5 | Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown Day 1 | 2021-07-16 |
| -9.5 | CIBBQ Red Devil Edition Day 1 | 2020-07-17 |
| -8.6 | CIBR-BBQ Central Illinois Bragging Right BBQ | 2018-10-12 |
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 | GCs | Top-10s | Category wins | Walk rate | Avg finish | Best overall (% of perfect) | Avg overall (% of perfect) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 42% | — | — |
| 2025 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 92% | 90.8% | 90.8% |
| 2023 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 92% | 83.8% | 83.8% |
| 2022 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 92% | 88.6% | 88.6% |
| 2021 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 95% | 85.4% | 85.2% |
| 2020 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 100% | 87.2% | 85.7% |
| 2019 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33% | top 73% | 91% | 88.9% |
| 2018 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 92% | 88% | 85.9% |
| 2017 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100% | top 64% | 92.8% | 89.8% |
| 2016 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 75% | 88.4% | 87.7% |
| 2015 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 78% | 87.7% | 87% |
| 2014 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100% | top 53% | 91.7% | 90.3% |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-06-27 | Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown 🏅 Eureka, IL | 24 / 26 (653.5768) | 23 (164.5372) | 12 (170.2856) | 23 (165.1200) | 25 (153.6340) |
| 2023-07-14 | Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown 🏅 Eureka, IL | 23 / 25 (603.6680) | 24 (157.0740) | 23 (147.8972) | 24 (153.0512) | 24 (145.6456) |
| 2022-07-15 | Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown 🏅 Eureka, IL | 23 / 25 (637.6112) | 18 (167.9772) | 20 (163.9656) | 24 (151.4056) | 25 (154.2628) |
| 2021-07-17 | Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown Day 2 🏅 Eureka, IL | 17 / 19 (614.6516) | 19 (154.2172) | 13 (164.5372) | 17 (149.0972) | 19 (146.8000) |
| 2021-07-16 | Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown Day 1 🏅 Eureka, IL | 25 / 25 (612.3540) | 25 (153.0512) | 24 (153.0972) | 20 (162.8456) | 24 (143.3600) |
| 2021-07-16 | Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown - One Meat Rib Contest Eureka, IL | — | — | 18 (145.0628) | — | — |
| 2020-07-18 | CIBBQ Red Devil Edition Day 2 🏅 Eureka, IL | 25 / 25 (627.8748) | 25 (155.9888) | 25 (156.5372) | 23 (159.9544) | 24 (155.3944) |
| 2020-07-17 | CIBBQ Red Devil Edition Day 1 🏅 Eureka, IL | 30 / 30 (605.5888) | 30 (149.1200) | 30 (151.3716) | 30 (145.0856) | 27 (160.0116) |
| 2019-07-19 | Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown 🏅 Peoria, IL | 34 / 40 (635.8404) | 33 (158.8116) | 17 (165.1316) | 37 (147.8856) | 23 (164.0116) |
| 2019-06-07 | Blues,Brews & Barbecue 🏅 Beardstown, IL | 11 / 25 (655.2684) | 18 (159.9428) | 5 (167.9772) | 13 (163.3828) | 9 (163.9656) |
| 2019-05-31 | Up In Smoke on the Square 🏅 Lincoln, IL | 32 / 36 (630.1488) | 31 (158.2284) | 35 (150.8232) | 13 (167.9772) | 35 (153.1200) |
| 2018-10-12 | CIBR-BBQ Central Illinois Bragging Right BBQ Arthur, IL | 42 / 45 (612.4228) | 33 (160.0228) | 44 (142.7888) | 41 (148.4912) | 28 (161.1200) |
| 2018-07-20 | *Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown(JUDGES FULL) Peoria, IL | 41 / 43 (633.5088) | 27 (165.0856) | 42 (148.4800) | 29 (161.1316) | 35 (158.8116) |
| 2018-06-08 | *Beardstown Blues,Brews & Barbecue Beardstown, IL | 14 / 17 (623.8516) | 16 (149.0284) | 14 (150.8572) | 12 (160.5372) | 11 (163.4288) |
| 2018-06-01 | *Up In smoke on the Square( WAIT LIST ONLY FOR JUDGES) Lincoln, IL | 39 / 40 (604.3776) | 25 (159.9428) | 35 (151.9660) | 32 (153.1200) | 40 (139.3488) |
| 2017-07-21 | *Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown (JUDGES FULL) Peoria, IL | 29 / 48 (632.3428) | 4 (170.8456) | 47 (136.4344) | 20 (161.6800) | 15 (163.3828) |
| 2017-06-09 | *Beardstown Blues,Brews & Barbecue Beardstown, IL | 20 / 24 (639.4060) | 19 (161.1200) | 24 (149.7144) | 5 (171.4172) | 19 (157.1544) |
| 2017-06-02 | Up In smoke on the Square Lincoln, IL | 15 / 32 (667.9888) | 6 (174.8800) | 13 (165.6916) | 28 (159.9428) | 12 (167.4744) |
| 2016-07-22 | Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown (Formerly Morton BBQ Throwdown) Peoria, IL | 29 / 37 (626.7084) | 18 (164.5828) | 29 (153.6572) | 31 (152.5256) | 28 (155.9428) |
| 2016-06-03 | Up In smoke on the Square Lincoln, IL | 37 / 52 (636.4684) | 28 (165.7028) | 33 (157.1316) | 29 (162.2628) | 42 (151.3712) |
| 2015-07-24 | 5th Annual Morton BBQ Throwdown Morton, IL | 39 / 47 (621.0856) | 13 (168.0572) | 39 (152.5372) | 39 (151.9656) | 44 (148.5256) |
| 2015-06-05 | Up In Smoke On The Square Lincoln, IL | 29 / 40 (631.2224) | 23 (162.8228) | 27 (157.0628) | 33 (154.8456) | 27 (156.4912) |
| 2014-09-05 | Heart of Illinois BBQ, Beer & Bluegrass Festival Peoria, IL | 13 / 16 (640.4344) | 4 (169.6800) | 13 (158.8228) | 14 (158.8456) | 15 (153.0860) |
| 2014-07-25 | Morton BBQ Throwdown Morton, IL | 12 / 48 (659.9884) | 17 (166.8228) | 26 (161.7144) | 12 (165.7256) | 8 (165.7256) |
| Saluting With Smoke (COMPETITORS SERIES) unrated Yorkville, IL | 16 / 38 (487.8856) | 37 (149.0628) | 11 (164.5372) | — | — |
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 | #1423 (56 pts) | #1215 (61 pts) | #1077 (116 pts) | #1184 (61 pts) | #1487 (51 pts) |
| 2023 ↗ | Master | #1255 (60 pts) | #1617 (55 pts) | #1432 (60 pts) | #1589 (55 pts) | #1594 (55 pts) |
| 2022 ↗ | Master | #1309 (60 pts) | #1246 (85 pts) | #1346 (75 pts) | #1654 (55 pts) | #1695 (50 pts) |
| 2021 ↗ | Master | #880 (134 pts) | #971 (124 pts) | #698 (237 pts) | #844 (159 pts) | #922 (129 pts) |
| 2020 ↗ | Master | #751 (105 pts) | #782 (105 pts) | #792 (105 pts) | #757 (115 pts) | #762 (110 pts) |
| 2019 ↗ | Master | #1055 (240 pts) | #1208 (205 pts) | #914 (335 pts) | #993 (290 pts) | #1053 (265 pts) |
| 2018 ↗ | Master | #1009 (277 pts) | #1085 (267 pts) | #1077 (277 pts) | #1047 (287 pts) | #1023 (292 pts) |
| 2017 ↗ | Master | #1199 (241 pts) | #851 (461 pts) | #1325 (231 pts) | #1106 (316 pts) | #1088 (311 pts) |
| 2016 ↗ | Master | #1775 (120 pts) | #1693 (155 pts) | #1884 (120 pts) | #1872 (120 pts) | #1839 (120 pts) |
| 2015 ↗ | Master | #1676 (120 pts) | #1440 (190 pts) | #1776 (120 pts) | #1790 (120 pts) | #1763 (120 pts) |
| 2014 ↗ | Master | #1207 (239 pts) | #1090 (304 pts) | #1544 (174 pts) | #1317 (234 pts) | #1194 (259 pts) |