Perfect scores on the board
1
perfect 180
1 perfect 180 in the data — every judge at the table handing back a nine, all in brisket.
- Brisket ×1
GO BIG OR GO BBQ
GO BIG OR GO BBQ is a competition barbecue team with 19 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2016 and 2026. Their best overall finish is 4th of 23 at the Big Knob BBQ & Brew Fest (2024). They are ranked #2337 of 6,476 teams in the KCBS power rankings.
At a glance (the record in numbers)
Rating
1525
peak 1527 · rated over 14 contests1 invitational or side-series contest not counted
Contests
19
in the data
First seen
Aug 5, 2016
latest Jun 26, 2026 · 9.9 years on the trail
Grand champs
0
0 reserve
Category wins
2
3 podiums
Overall top-10s
4
21% of 19 contests
Best top-10 run
2
straight overall top-10s
Avg finish
top 50%
overall standings
Best overall
701.1204 / 720
Competitor Series · Royal Oak Invitational (COMPETITOR SERIES) (PRIVATE EVENT BY INVITATION)
Perfect 180s
1 🔥
Current form
681.38 ▲
last 5 Master vs avg 669.92 (+11.46)
Walk rate
68%
contests with a top-10 call
Best single call
180 🔥
Consistency
±18.97
spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)
Strongest meat
Brisket
avg 169.11 · weakest Pork (166.22)
Road miles
2,495
across 19 mapped stops · furthest 426 mi
Schedule strength
51%
of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1566)
Purse competed for
$95K
listed at 16 contests — purses, not winnings
State championships
0 🏅
won from 12 state-championship entries
Master avg
669.92 / 720
14 Master contests · 0 GCs
Team of the Year (rank per category by season — the year links to the full board on kcbs.us)
| Year | Series | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 ↗ | Master | #607 (235 pts) | #449 (450 pts) | #524 (389 pts) | #664 (215 pts) | #543 (305 pts) |
| 2025 ↗ | Master | #649 (230 pts) | #757 (205 pts) | #786 (215 pts) | #693 (225 pts) | #604 (275 pts) |
| 2024 ↗ | Master | #435 (468 pts) | #525 (388 pts) | #389 (618 pts) | #563 (343 pts) | #540 (363 pts) |
| 2023 ↗ | Master | #856 (150 pts) | #984 (130 pts) | #649 (323 pts) | #770 (195 pts) | #746 (220 pts) |
| 2022 ↗ | Master | #1145 (100 pts) | #1214 (95 pts) | #940 (175 pts) | #1288 (75 pts) | #1103 (115 pts) |
| 2021 ↗ | Master | #1066 (104 pts) | #1143 (99 pts) | #1240 (79 pts) | #904 (139 pts) | #1044 (114 pts) |
| 2018 ↗ | Master | #1836 (83 pts) | #1443 (158 pts) | #2552 (53 pts) | #1963 (73 pts) | #1739 (113 pts) |
Overall rank by season
Teams like this (closest power rating)
The teams rated closest to GO BIG OR GO BBQ, each with one reason worth a look.
74 rated teams sit within a point of this rating, so a place on this list means the numbers match — no more than that.
#2,345 of the rated field
- Contests
- 16
- GCs
- 1
- Top-10s
- 25%
- Peak
- 1525
3–0 in 3 shared contests (100% to GO BIG OR GO BBQ)
These two have cooked 3 of the same contests — GO BIG OR GO BBQ ahead 3–0 — so there's a record behind this pairing and not just a matching number.
⚔ Head-to-head#2,333 of the rated field
- Contests
- 14
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 21%
- Peak
- 1535
Their last contest in the data was back in 2015, 11 years before GO BIG OR GO BBQ's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.
⚔ Compare careers#2,340 of the rated field
- Contests
- 17
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 12%
- Peak
- 1525
This is the highest they've ever been rated, 15 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.
⚔ Compare careers#2,336 of the rated field
- Contests
- 20
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 30%
- Peak
- 1535
Careers of much the same size, 20 contests to 19, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.
⚔ Compare careers#2,338 of the rated field
- Contests
- 16
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 6%
- Peak
- 1525
16 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 6% top-10 finishes rather than wins.
⚔ Compare careers#2,346 of the rated field
- Contests
- 17
- GCs
- 0
- Top-10s
- 24%
- Peak
- 1525
Level with GO BIG OR GO BBQ on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.
⚔ Compare careersFamiliar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)
| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sailor Nicks BBQ | 10 | 4 | 6 | 40% | ⚔ compare |
| TIRE SMOKE BBQ | 10 | 3 | 7 | 30% | ⚔ compare |
| BooyaQ | 10 | 1 | 9 | 10% | ⚔ compare |
| CIRCLE L BBQ | 9 | 7 | 2 | 78% | ⚔ compare |
| BEER TIME BBQ | 9 | 1 | 8 | 11% | ⚔ compare |
| KEVLAR BBQ | 8 | 3 | 5 | 38% | ⚔ compare |
| Salted Anchor | 8 | 3 | 5 | 38% | ⚔ compare |
| Shiggin aint easy | 8 | 2 | 6 | 25% | ⚔ compare |
| BO B Q BBQ | 7 | 5 | 2 | 71% | ⚔ compare |
| Bleacher Bums BBQ | 7 | 3 | 4 | 43% | ⚔ compare |
| THE BBQ BUS | 7 | 2 | 5 | 29% | ⚔ compare |
| HIGH ON THE HOG OHIO | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0% | ⚔ compare |
| SUCKA BONE BBQ TEAM | 6 | 5 | 1 | 83% | ⚔ compare |
| Q-JITSU | 6 | 3 | 3 | 50% | ⚔ compare |
| iBQ'n | 6 | 2 | 4 | 33% | ⚔ compare |
By meat
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 16 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 176.5828 | 155.3712 | 168.01 | top 51% |
| Pork Ribs | 17 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 178.8572 | 157.0856 | 168.41 | top 48% |
| Pork | 15 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 177.7144 | 154.2056 | 166.22 | top 58% |
| Brisket | 15 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 180 🔥 | 153.0744 | 169.11 | top 44% |
“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 field size and state
By contest size
| Field | Contests | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medium (20–39) | 10 | 0 | top 55% |
| Large (40+) | 5 | 0 | top 39% |
Repeat visits (contests they've cooked twice or more)
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marietta River City BBQ | 3 | 15 | 0 | top 55% | Apr 28, 2023 |
| Grizzly BBQ Brawl | 2 | 18 | 0 | top 47% | Jun 26, 2026 |
| GLBBQA Spring Fling | 2 | 6 | 0 | top 13% | Apr 18, 2025 |
More numbers
Busiest season
2026
5 contests
Contests a season
2.1
across 9 seasons in the data
Most contests held in
OH
11 of 19 contests · 5 states in all
Contests visited
11
3 of them more than once
Most-entered meat
Pork Ribs
17 entries · 1 win · 5 calls
Opponents faced
284
finished ahead 299 times, behind 248
Longest layoff
2.5 yrs
Oct 19, 2018 → Apr 23, 2021
Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)
20261 milestone
- Most recent contest Grizzly BBQ Brawl
20251 milestone
- Peak power rating (1527) Grizzly BBQ Brawl
20245 milestones
- First category win (Pork Ribs) GLBBQA Spring Fling
- First overall top-10 GLBBQA Spring Fling
- 10th tracked contest Big Knob BBQ & Brew Fest
- First perfect 180 (Brisket) Royal Oak Invitational (COMPETITOR SERIES) (PRIVATE EVENT BY INVITATION)
- Career-best overall score701.1204 Royal Oak Invitational (COMPETITOR SERIES) (PRIVATE EVENT BY INVITATION)
20182 milestones
- First call Ohio Smoked Meat & BBQ Festival
- First overall past 90% of a perfect score662.7204 Ohio Smoked Meat & BBQ Festival
20151 milestone
- First tracked contest The River Grill before the Big Chill
Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)
📈 Biggest rating jumps
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +17.3 | GLBBQA Spring Fling | Apr 19, 2024 |
| +14 | GLBBQA Spring Fling | Apr 18, 2025 |
| +11.3 | Big Knob BBQ & Brew Fest | May 24, 2024 |
| +3.7 | Grizzly BBQ Brawl | Jun 26, 2026 |
| +2.9 | Grizzly BBQ Brawl | Sep 5, 2025 |
📉 Toughest weekends
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -11 | Holy Smokes BBQ Competition | Aug 5, 2016 |
| -9 | BLACK BOX BBQ @ Wadsworth Municipal Airport | Oct 13, 2023 |
| -3.1 | Rockin' BBQ Warsaw, Indiana | May 15, 2026 |
| -2.4 | Ohio Smoked Meat & BBQ Festival | Oct 19, 2018 |
| -2.3 | GLBBQA Spring Fling | Apr 17, 2026 |
Scores over time (% of a perfect score — tap a meat to add it)
Overall finish over time (top-% of field, lower is better)
Where they finish (overall)
Best vs average (by meat)
How entries end (by meat)
Season by season
| Season | Contests | GCs | Top-10s | Category wins | Walk rate | Avg finish | Best overall (% of perfect) | Avg overall (% of perfect) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40% | top 57% | 94.3% | 94% |
| 2025 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 100% | top 32% | 96.7% | 95.6% |
| 2024 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 100% | top 25% | 97.4% | 95.7% |
| 2023 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 67% | top 72% | 91% | 90.5% |
| 2022 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100% | top 60% | 91.8% | 91.8% |
| 2021 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100% | top 52% | 92.5% | 92.5% |
| 2018 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100% | top 68% | 92% | 92% |
| 2016 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 87% | 86.6% | 86.6% |
| 2015 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | — | — | — |
Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 26, 2026 | Grizzly BBQ Brawl 🏅 Wellington, OH | 18 / 39 (678.7428) | 20 (170.2628) | 27 (165.0972) | 18 (167.9656) | 6 (175.4172) |
| May 15, 2026 | Rockin' BBQ Warsaw, Indiana 🏅 Warsaw, IN | 21 / 35 (674.7540) | 4 (176.5828) | 12 (173.1200) | 34 (155.9428) | 23 (169.1084) |
| May 15, 2026 | Rockin' BBQ Warsaw, Indiana (ONE MEAT CHICKEN) Warsaw, IN | — | 23 (158.8228) | — | — | — |
| May 15, 2026 | Rockin' BBQ Warsaw, Indiana (ONE MEAT RIBS) Warsaw, IN | — | — | 15 (172.5600) | — | — |
| Apr 17, 2026 | GLBBQA Spring Fling 🏅 Coldwater, MI | 31 / 48 (676.4456) | 18 (174.2628) | 18 (171.9772) | 40 (163.9772) | 33 (166.2284) |
| Sep 5, 2025 | Grizzly BBQ Brawl 🏅 Wellington, OH | 20 / 42 (680.4456) | 36 (165.0856) | 21 (169.6800) | 7 (176.5600) | 15 (169.1200) |
| Apr 18, 2025 | GLBBQA Spring Fling 🏅 Charlotte, MI | 9 / 56 (696.5028) | 9 (176) | 10 (173.1200) | 28 (171.9772) | 7 (175.4056) |
| Oct 17, 2024 | Royal Oak Invitational (COMPETITOR SERIES) (PRIVATE EVENT BY INVITATION) unrated Roswell, GA | 5 / 33 (701.1204) | 9 (176.5716) | 24 (169.1316) | 8 (175.4172) | 1 (180) |
| Sep 6, 2024 | Grizzly BBQ Brawl 🏅 Wadsworth, OH | 17 / 30 (668.9940) | 11 (172.5600) | 19 (165.0856) | 28 (159.9428) | 9 (171.4056) |
| May 24, 2024 | Big Knob BBQ & Brew Fest 🏅 Rochester, PA | 4 / 23 (691.9084) | 5 (174.2628) | 2 (176.5600) | 10 (170.2628) | 6 (170.8228) |
| Apr 19, 2024 | GLBBQA Spring Fling 🏅 Charlotte, MI | 6 / 62 (694.2172) | 19 (174.2628) | 1 (178.8572) | 7 (177.7144) | 46 (163.3828) |
| Oct 13, 2023 | BLACK BOX BBQ @ Wadsworth Municipal Airport 🏅 Wadsworth, OH | 18 / 20 (648.4112) | 20 (155.9656) | 11 (166.8344) | 18 (158.7884) | 17 (166.8228) |
| Apr 28, 2023 | Marietta River City BBQ 🏅 Marietta, OH | 23 / 42 (655.2452) | 34 (159.3712) | 35 (157.0856) | 14 (167.9772) | 10 (170.8112) |
| Apr 28, 2023 | Marietta River City BBQ (ONE MEAT RIBS) Marietta, OH | — | — | 7 (169.6684) | — | — |
| Apr 29, 2022 | Marietta River City BBQ 🏅 Marietta, OH | 15 / 25 (660.9940) | 16 (163.9312) | 5 (173.1200) | 20 (157.7028) | 12 (166.2400) |
| Apr 23, 2021 | Marietta River City BBQ 🏅 Marietta, OH | 15 / 29 (666.2512) | 16 (163.9772) | 20 (162.8112) | 9 (169.1544) | 13 (170.3084) |
| Oct 19, 2018 | Ohio Smoked Meat & BBQ Festival Nelsonville, OH | 19 / 28 (662.7204) | 7 (170.8344) | 26 (157.6572) | 21 (165.6800) | 13 (168.5488) |
| Aug 5, 2016 | Holy Smokes BBQ Competition Cincinnati, OH | 20 / 23 (623.2112) | 18 (155.3712) | 13 (160.5600) | 22 (154.2056) | 18 (153.0744) |
| Oct 9, 2015 | The River Grill before the Big Chill Cincinnati, OH | — | — | — | — | — |
An unrated contest — an invitational, or a Competitor or Kosher Series board — is in the record but doesn’t move the power rating.