Big Blue BBQ

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

Power ranking

#6105

of 6,413 rated · rankings

Rating

1425

peak 1425 · rated over 13 contests ⓘ

Contests

in the data

First seen

2013-09-20

latest 2024-10-30

Best ToY finish

#1309

Master 2022

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

1 podiums

Overall top-10s

of 13 contests

Avg finish

top 80%

overall standings

Best overall

652.0688 / 720

Master · Fire on the Frontier BBQ Classic

Perfect 180s

Current form

627.05 ▼

last 5 Master vs avg 628.06 (-1.01)

Walk rate

15%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

179.4400

Pork · Fire on the Frontier BBQ Classic

Consistency

±15.74

std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork

avg 158.92 · weakest Brisket (154.43)

Road miles

454

mi across 13 mapped stops · furthest 184 mi

Schedule strength

59%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1575)

Purse competed for

$306K

listed at 7 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

GCs in 7 state-championship entries

Master avg

628.06 / 720

13 Master contests · 0 GCs

⚔ Compare with another team

Storylines (6 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.

A tough matchup

10–0 behind in the head-to-head

HIGH i QUE ahead in 100% of their meetings

HIGH i QUE has come out ahead in 10 of their 10 shared contests.

The weak link

−4.5 points behind their best meat

Brisket is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 4.49 points below their pork, and turns into a call 8% of the time against 15%.

Brisket avg 154.43
Pork avg 158.92
1 calls in 13 entries

A strong matchup

6–1 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 86% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of ATTITUDES OF SMOKE in 6 of their 7 shared contests.

The comeback

1.9 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 1.9 years, then back at Smoke on the Bricks (2021-08-20).

last seen 2019-09-12
back 2021-08-20

Pork nemesis

9 of 10 shared pork entries lost

HIGH i QUE ahead 90% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, HIGH i QUE has out-cooked them in 9 of 10 shared pork entries.

The metronome

±2.19% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±2.19% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 87.2% of a perfect score
13 contests

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.

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

Holy Smokes

#6104 of the rated field

1425 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 27
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 7%
Peak: 1425

1–1 in 2 shared contests (50% to Big Blue BBQ)

2 contests in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team Big Blue BBQ has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.

rated over 26 contests
last seen 2026-04-10

⚔ Head-to-head

DU-LITTLE BBQ

#6100 of the rated field

1425 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 15
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1425

No shared contest yet.

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 15 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 15 contests
last seen 2021-04-23

⚔ Head-to-head

HEAVENLY HOGS BBQ COMPANY

#6108 of the rated field

1425 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 15
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 7%
Peak: 1425

No shared contest yet.

Their last contest in the data was back in 2018, 6 years before Big Blue BBQ's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 15 contests

⚔ Head-to-head

Smokin Bros BBQ

#6107 of the rated field

1425 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 11
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1425

No shared contest yet.

Careers of much the same size, 11 contests to 13, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 11 contests
last seen 2017-08-25

⚔ Head-to-head

Parra Q

#6109 of the rated field

1425 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 16
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1425

No shared contest yet.

16 contests and no Grand Championship yet.

rated over 16 contests
last seen 2022-04-08

⚔ Head-to-head

FRICKIN' CHICKIN BBQ

#6110 of the rated field

1425 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 16
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1505

No shared contest yet.

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

rated over 16 contests
last seen 2017-09-01

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
HIGH i QUE	10	0	10	0%	⚔ compare
SLAPS BBQ	9	0	9	0%	⚔ compare
Three Brothers Different Mothers	9	0	9	0%	⚔ compare
DUSTY ROADS BBQ	8	4	4	50%	⚔ compare
Smokesdidier bbq	8	2	6	25%	⚔ compare
Theslabs.com	8	1	7	13%	⚔ compare
913 BBQ	8	0	8	0%	⚔ compare
BREW 'N' BAR-B-QUE	8	0	8	0%	⚔ compare
BURNT FINGER BBQ	8	0	8	0%	⚔ compare
GETTIN' BASTED	8	0	8	0%	⚔ compare
Fat&Dumb BBQ	8	0	8	0%	⚔ compare
Lucky D's BBQ	8	0	8	0%	⚔ compare
Three Hog Night Smokers	8	0	8	0%	⚔ compare
ATTITUDES OF SMOKE	7	6	1	86%	⚔ compare
Smoke & Beer BBQ	7	6	1	86%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	13	1	0	0	166.8572	147.4400	157.54	top 77%
Pork Ribs	13	1	0	0	171.9772	145.0628	157.16	top 73%
Pork	13	2	1	1	179.4400	139.9656	158.92	top 69%
Brisket	13	1	0	0	165.7144	143.3828	154.43	top 75%

“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	Avg finish
Small (<20 teams)	1	top 64%
Medium (20–39)	2	top 70%
Large (40+)	10	top 84%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Smoke on the Bricks	3	37	top 85%	2022-08-26
American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest	2	357	top 81%	2023-09-27
Fire On the Frontier BBQ Classic	2	22	top 70%	2016-06-10

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

On the trail 11.1 yrs 2013-09-20 → 2024-10-30

Busiest season 2021 2 contests

Contests a season 1.3 across 10 seasons in the data

Cooks most in KS 13 of 13 contests

Contests visited 9 3 of them cooked more than once

Most-entered meat Chicken 13 entries · 0 wins · 1 calls

Strongest meat Pork averages 158.92 · weakest Brisket (154.43)

Walk rate 15% a top-10 call in 2 of 13 contests

Overall top-10 rate 8% 1 of 13 contests

Master average 628.06 out of 720 · 13 contests · 0 GCs

Opponents faced 1,622 505–3,000 across every shared overall standing

Road miles 454 13 mapped stops · furthest 184 mi

Schedule strength 1575 average field rating faced — tougher than 59% of rated contests

Purse competed for $306,200 listed at 7 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships 0 from 7 state-championship entries

Longest layoff 1.9 yrs 2019-09-12 → 2021-08-20

Power rating 1425 peak 1425 · #6105 of 6,413 rated

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

2013
Sep 20 First tracked contest Bricks, Brons & BBQ
Sep 20 First call Bricks, Brons & BBQ
Sep 20 First overall top-10 Bricks, Brons & BBQ
Sep 20 Peak power rating (1498) Bricks, Brons & BBQ
2015
Jun 12 First category win (Pork) Fire on the Frontier BBQ Classic
Jun 12 First overall past 90% of a perfect score652.0688 Fire on the Frontier BBQ Classic
Jun 12 Career-best overall score652.0688 Fire on the Frontier BBQ Classic
Jun 12 Career-best single call (Pork)179.4400 Fire on the Frontier BBQ Classic
2021
Sep 16 10th tracked contest American Royal World Series of Barbecue-OPEN CONTEST
2024
Oct 30 Most recent contest American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest

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

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-9.7	37th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue(OPEN)	2016-10-29
-9.5	38th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN)	2017-09-01
-9.2	Smoke on the Bricks	2019-05-31
-8.1	Smoke on the Bricks	2021-08-20
-6.5	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest	2024-10-30

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)
2024	1	0	0	0%	top 89%	87%	87%
2023	1	0	0	0%	top 86%	88.2%	88.2%
2022	1	0	0	0%	top 77%	88.1%	88.1%
2021	2	0	0	0%	top 83%	88.6%	86.1%
2019	2	0	0	0%	top 79%	89.4%	86.7%
2018	1	0	0	0%	top 79%	88.1%	88.1%
2017	1	0	0	0%	top 92%	84.7%	84.7%
2016	2	0	0	0%	top 84%	88.7%	86.7%
2015	1	0	1	100%	top 63%	90.6%	90.6%
2013	1	1	0	100%	top 64%	88.5%	88.5%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2024-10-30	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest 🏅 Kansas City, KS	397 / 444 (626.2060)	410 (153.7372)	434 (145.0972)	310 (163.9772)	298 (163.3944)
2023-09-27	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest 🏅 Kansas City, KS	417 / 487 (635.2684)	282 (166.8572)	396 (159.3828)	437 (155.3828)	432 (153.6456)
2022-08-26	Smoke on the Bricks 🏅 Baldwin City, KS	37 / 48 (634.6400)	27 (165.1088)	42 (154.7772)	33 (161.0740)	39 (153.6800)
2021-09-16	American Royal World Series of Barbecue-OPEN CONTEST 🏅 Kansas City, KS	357 / 467 (637.6000)	387 (155.9772)	324 (161.6800)	125 (169.1428)	397 (150.8000)
2021-08-20	Smoke on the Bricks 🏅 Baldwin City, KS	41 / 46 (601.5316)	46 (148.5488)	43 (145.0628)	30 (164.5372)	41 (143.3828)
2019-09-12	40th American Royal World Series of Barbecue- OPEN CONTEST 🏅 Kansas City, KS	322 / 468 (643.9204)	288 (162.8344)	336 (160.5372)	381 (154.8344)	201 (165.7144)
2019-05-31	Smoke on the Bricks 🏅 Baldwin City, KS	44 / 49 (603.8856)	46 (149.1544)	43 (147.9428)	48 (147.9656)	31 (158.8228)
2018-09-15	39th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) Kansas City, KS	369 / 467 (634.1600)	408 (155.4172)	93 (171.9772)	437 (148.5372)	334 (158.2284)
2017-09-01	38th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) Kansas City, KS	374 / 407 (609.7144)	253 (162.9144)	345 (153.7144)	399 (139.9656)	329 (153.1200)
2016-10-29	37th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue(OPEN) Kansas City, KS	505 / 557 (609.6112)	517 (147.4400)	433 (155.9884)	463 (155.3828)	460 (150.8000)
2016-06-10	Fire On the Frontier BBQ Classic Hays, KS	24 / 31 (638.8688)	26 (157.1544)	21 (162.2972)	14 (168.0228)	26 (151.3944)
2015-06-12	Fire on the Frontier BBQ Classic Hays, KS	22 / 35 (652.0688)	24 (162.8572)	25 (162.3316)	1 (179.4400)	32 (147.4400)
2013-09-20	Bricks, Brons & BBQ Russell, KS	9 / 14 (637.2576)	8 (160.0116)	6 (162.3200)	10 (157.7488)	7 (157.1772)

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
2022 ↗	Master	#1309 (60 pts)	#1341 (60 pts)	#1404 (60 pts)	#1348 (60 pts)	#1333 (60 pts)
2019 ↗	Master	#1955 (60 pts)	#2049 (60 pts)	#2026 (60 pts)	#2029 (60 pts)	#2010 (60 pts)