Southern Tailgates

Southern Tailgates is a competition barbecue team with 12 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2014 and 2024. Their best overall finish is 2nd of 32 at the Pigs and Peaches BBQ Festival (2019), and they have finished Reserve Grand Champion once. They are ranked #3296 of 6,477 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#3,296

of 6,477 rated · rankings

Rating

1498

peak 1504 · rated over 10 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Mar 28, 2014

latest Aug 16, 2024 · 10.4 years on the trail

Grand champs

1 reserve

Category wins

2 podiums

Overall top-10s

25% of 12 contests

Best top-10 run

straight overall top-10s

Avg finish

top 55%

overall standings

Best overall

666.7200 / 720

Master · Atlanta BarB-Que Festival

Perfect 180s

Walk rate

42%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

173.1200

Pork · Pigs and Peaches BBQ Festival

Consistency

±126.67

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork

avg 164.07 · weakest Brisket (159.39)

Road miles

551

across 12 mapped stops · furthest 139 mi

Schedule strength

31%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1542)

Purse competed for

$46K

listed at 5 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 5 state-championship entries

Master avg

579.86 / 720

5 Master contests · 0 GCs

Backyard avg

313.04 / 360

1 Backyard contest · 0 GCs

Backyard (3-meat) avg

495.63 / 540

4 Backyard (3-meat) contests · 0 GCs

These overall scores sit on different scales (Master out of 720, Backyard out of 360, Backyard (3-meat) out of 540), so they're kept separate — averaging them together would be misleading.

This team cooks the Backyard series — its own boards, records and Team of the Year are here.

Storylines (8 found in their record)

Each card leads with the number behind the story, straight from their results.

High-water mark

666.7200 career-best overall

92.6% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 666.7200 at Atlanta BarB-Que Festival — 92.6% of a perfect 720.

Master
Aug 14, 2015

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

Quenut BBQ has finished one call ahead of Southern Tailgates 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

A tough matchup

4–0 behind in the head-to-head

RUNNING STYLE BBQ - GA ahead in 100% of their meetings

RUNNING STYLE BBQ - GA has come out ahead in 4 of their 4 shared contests.

A strong matchup

5–1 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 83% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of HICKORY FLAT BBQ CO. in 5 of their 6 shared contests.

The comeback

2 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 2 years, then back at Pigs and Peaches BBQ Festival (Aug 24, 2018).

last seen Aug 12, 2016
back Aug 24, 2018

Pork nemesis

4 of 4 shared pork entries lost

RUNNING STYLE BBQ - GA ahead 100% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, RUNNING STYLE BBQ - GA has out-cooked them in 4 of 4 shared pork entries.

Boom or bust

±13.54% swing around their own average

Their overall swings ±13.54% of a perfect score around its own average — when it lands they're dangerous, and when it doesn't the weekend is gone by lunch.

averages 85.7% of a perfect score
best 93.0%

Show 1 more storyline

A standing appointment

4 years running at one contest

They've cooked Pigs & Peaches BBQ Festival every year from 2021 to 2024 — the contest they never miss.

4 visits in all
best finish 6th

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to Southern Tailgates, each with one reason worth a look.

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

THE REAL SMOKING BUTTS

#3,307 of the rated field

1498 power rating

Contests: 10
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 10%
Peak: 1516

Their last contest in the data was back in 2017, 7 years before Southern Tailgates's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 10 contests

⚔ Compare careers

CIRCLE W BARBECUE

#3,286 of the rated field

1498 power rating

Contests: 10
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 10%
Peak: 1498

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 10 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 10 contests
last seen Jul 17, 2015

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BEAN CAN BBQ

#3,311 of the rated field

1498 power rating

Contests: 11
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1507

Careers of much the same size, 11 contests to 12, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 11 contests
last seen Jun 22, 2018

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NIBBLE ME THIS

#3,288 of the rated field

1498 power rating

Contests: 12
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1511

12 contests and no Grand Championship yet.

rated over 12 contests
last seen Aug 10, 2018

⚔ Compare careers

Psycho Dog BBQ Team

#3,306 of the rated field

1498 power rating

Contests: 8
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 38%
Peak: 1498

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

rated over 8 contests
last seen Sep 14, 2019

⚔ Compare careers

BRANDIN' IRON BBQ

#3,297 of the rated field

1498 power rating

Contests: 8
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1505

Their last contest in the data was back in 2015, 9 years before Southern Tailgates's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 8 contests

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
HICKORY FLAT BBQ CO.	6	5	1	83%	⚔ compare
Quenut BBQ	6	2	4	33%	⚔ compare
CHOO CHOO TRAIN BBQ	5	4	1	80%	⚔ compare
SMOKE SLINGERS - GA	5	4	1	80%	⚔ compare
HOLD YOUR HORSES BBQ	5	3	2	60%	⚔ compare
MAYA JANE BBQ CO.	5	3	2	60%	⚔ compare
Willingham's	5	3	2	60%	⚔ compare
NATIVE SMOKERS BBQ	5	3	2	60%	⚔ compare
ROLLIN KOLBZ	5	2	2	40%	⚔ compare
I.B.O.K. HOLY SMOKERS	5	2	3	40%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	9	2	0	167.9772	153.1200	160.78	top 59%
Pork Ribs	10	4	1	172.5600	155.3828	163.75	top 47%
Pork	10	3	1	173.1200	157.0856	164.07	top 49%
Brisket	4	0	0	168.5256	155.3712	159.39	top 69%

“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)	9	0	top 57%
Large (40+)	1	0	top 38%

Repeat visits (contests they've cooked twice or more)

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Pigs & Peaches BBQ Festival	4	6	top 40%	Aug 16, 2024
Pigs and Peaches BBQ Festival	2	2	top 43%	Aug 23, 2019
Fire Ant Festival BBQ Bash	2	24	top 86%	Mar 27, 2015

More numbers

Busiest season 2014 3 contests

Contests a season 1.3 across 9 seasons in the data

Most contests held in GA 12 of 12 contests

Contests visited 5 3 of them more than once

Opponents faced 232 finished ahead 186 times, behind 202

Longest layoff 2 yrs Aug 12, 2016 → Aug 24, 2018

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

20241 milestone

Aug 16 Most recent contest Pigs & Peaches BBQ Festival

20231 milestone

Aug 18 Peak power rating (1504) Pigs & Peaches BBQ Festival

20221 milestone

Aug 19 10th tracked contest Pigs & Peaches BBQ Festival

20195 milestones

Aug 23 First call Pigs and Peaches BBQ Festival
Aug 23 First overall top-10 Pigs and Peaches BBQ Festival
Aug 23 First overall podium Pigs and Peaches BBQ Festival
Aug 23 First Reserve Championship Pigs and Peaches BBQ Festival
Aug 23 Career-best single call (Pork)173.1200 Pigs and Peaches BBQ Festival

20152 milestones

Aug 14 First overall past 90% of a perfect score666.7200 Atlanta BarB-Que Festival
Aug 14 Career-best overall score666.7200 Atlanta BarB-Que Festival

20141 milestone

Mar 28 First tracked contest Fire Ant Festival BBQ Bash (SBBQA)

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+17.5	Pigs and Peaches BBQ Festival	Aug 23, 2019
+10.5	Pigs & Peaches BBQ Festival	Aug 20, 2021
+8.4	Pigs & Peaches BBQ Festival	Aug 19, 2022
+5.5	Atlanta BarB-Que Festival	Aug 14, 2015
+1.2	Pigs & Peaches BBQ Festival	Aug 18, 2023

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-15.4	Atlanta Bar B Q Festival	Aug 12, 2016
-9.3	Fire Ant Festival BBQ Bash (SBBQA)	Mar 28, 2014
-9.1	Fire Ant Festival BBQ Bash	Mar 27, 2015
-5.8	Pigs & Peaches BBQ Festival	Aug 16, 2024
-5.5	Pigs and Peaches BBQ Festival	Aug 24, 2018

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	Top-10s	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2024	1	0	100%	top 65%	87%	87%
2023	1	0	100%	top 44%	90.7%	90.7%
2022	1	1	100%	top 27%	91.8%	91.8%
2021	1	1	100%	top 23%	91.6%	91.6%
2019	1	1	100%	top 6%	93%	93%
2018	1	0	0%	top 79%	88.9%	88.9%
2016	1	0	0%	top 100%	45.5%	45.5%
2015	2	0	0%	top 62%	92.6%	89.8%
2014	3	0	0%	top 86%	88.6%	88.6%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Aug 16, 2024	Pigs & Peaches BBQ Festival 🏅 Kennesaw, GA	17 / 26 (313.0400)	18 (157.0972)	16 (155.9428)	7 (167.9656)	—
Aug 18, 2023	Pigs & Peaches BBQ Festival 🏅 Kennesaw, GA	12 / 27 (489.5772)	14 (158.8000)	6 (172.5600)	14 (158.2172)	—
Aug 19, 2022	Pigs & Peaches BBQ Festival 🏅 Kennesaw, GA	8 / 30 (495.9548)	10 (161.6572)	3 (166.2860)	5 (168.0116)	—
Aug 20, 2021	Pigs & Peaches BBQ Festival 🏅 Kennesaw, GA	6 / 26 (494.7772)	6 (166.2628)	6 (167.9772)	12 (160.5372)	—
Aug 23, 2019	Pigs and Peaches BBQ Festival 🏅 Kennesaw, GA	2 / 32 (502.1944)	12 (163.3944)	5 (165.6800)	2 (173.1200)	—
Aug 24, 2018	Pigs and Peaches BBQ Festival Kennesaw, GA	27 / 34 (639.7828)	28 (160.5028)	30 (155.3828)	18 (166.2400)	26 (157.6572)
Aug 12, 2016	Atlanta Bar B Q Festival Atlanta, GA	28 / 28 (327.8856)	—	16 (167.3944)	26 (160.4912)	—
Aug 14, 2015	Atlanta BarB-Que Festival Atlanta, GA	18 / 48 (666.7200)	21 (167.9772)	18 (166.2744)	27 (163.9428)	14 (168.5256)
Mar 27, 2015	Fire Ant Festival BBQ Bash Ashburn, GA	24 / 28 (626.7772)	27 (153.1200)	20 (160.5828)	22 (157.0856)	24 (155.9888)
Nov 21, 2014	The National BBQ Cup (SBBQA) Cumming, GA	—	—	—	—	—
Aug 22, 2014	Pigs and Peaches BBQ Festival (GBC Qualifier) Kennesaw, GA	—	—	—	—	—
Mar 28, 2014	Fire Ant Festival BBQ Bash (SBBQA) Ashburn, GA	30 / 35 (638.1140)	32 (158.2400)	30 (159.3828)	22 (165.1200)	29 (155.3712)

Southern Tailgates

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

Rating

Contests

First seen

Grand champs

Category wins

Overall top-10s

Best top-10 run

Avg finish

Best overall

Perfect 180s

Walk rate

Best single call

Consistency

Strongest meat

Road miles

Schedule strength

Purse competed for

State championships

Master avg

Backyard avg

Backyard (3-meat) avg

Storylines (8 found in their record)

High-water mark

The one to beat

A tough matchup

A strong matchup

The comeback

Pork nemesis

Boom or bust

A standing appointment

Teams like this (closest power rating)

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

By meat

By field size and state

By contest size

Repeat visits (contests they've cooked twice or more)

More numbers

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

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

📉 Toughest weekends

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

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

Career map (orange GC · green top-10 · grey the rest — tap a pin)