IT'S BBQ TIME

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

Power ranking

#973

of 6,413 rated · rankings

Rating

1608

peak 1624 · rated over 43 contests ⓘ

Best runs

straight top-10s

Contests

in the data

First seen

2015-08-07

latest 2026-06-13

Best ToY finish

#305

Master 2022

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

12 podiums

Overall top-10s

of 45 contests

Avg finish

top 44%

overall standings

Best overall

690.7884 / 720

Master · Minnesota in May

Perfect 180s

Current form

675.55 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 669.37 (+6.18)

Walk rate

69%

contests with a top-10 call

Top-10 streak

best run (overall)

Best single call

178.8572

Chicken · Bring'n Home the Bacon Day 2 (MASTER & BACKYARD)

Consistency

±14.32

std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 168.50 · weakest Pork Ribs (166.61)

Road miles

4,909

mi across 45 mapped stops · furthest 345 mi

Schedule strength

71%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1590)

Purse competed for

$245K

listed at 28 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

GCs in 30 state-championship entries

Master avg

669.37 / 720

43 Master contests · 0 GCs

⚔ Compare with another team

Storylines (11 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

69% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 31 of 45 contests

A top-10 category call in 69% of their 45 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

690.7884 career-best overall

95.9% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 690.7884 at Minnesota in May — 95.9% of a perfect 720.

Master
2024-05-10

The one to beat

3× one call ahead of them

LUCKY 19 SAUCE COMPANY has finished one call ahead of IT'S BBQ TIME 3 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2022 their best year

2022 was the year it came together: 5 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 2 category wins, at an average finish in the top 24%.

5 contests
3 overall top-10s
2 category wins
average top 24%

A tough matchup

31–2 behind in the head-to-head

SHIGGIN & GRINNIN ahead in 94% of their meetings

SHIGGIN & GRINNIN has come out ahead in 31 of their 33 shared contests.

A strong matchup

20–6 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 77% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of SIX BUTT BBQ in 20 of their 26 shared contests.

Chicken nemesis

26 of 33 shared chicken entries lost

SHIGGIN & GRINNIN ahead 79% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, SHIGGIN & GRINNIN has out-cooked them in 26 of 33 shared chicken entries.

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

T-Rex BBQ has landed one call behind them 2 times.

The long haul

4,909 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 4,909 miles across 45 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 345 miles to ND BBQ Championship.

45 mapped stops
furthest 345 mi

The metronome

±1.99% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±1.99% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 93.0% of a perfect score
45 contests

A standing appointment

7 years running at one contest

They've cooked Bring'n Home the Bacon Day 2 (MASTER & BACKYARD) every year from 2020 to 2026 — the contest they never miss.

7 visits in all
best finish 5th

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.

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

Salted Anchor

#972 of the rated field

1608 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 37
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 27%
Peak: 1610

No shared contest yet.

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 37 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 37 contests
last seen 2026-08-21

⚔ Head-to-head

RUB'N WOOD

#976 of the rated field

1607 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 30
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 17%
Peak: 1607

No shared contest yet.

Their last contest in the data was back in 2022, 4 years before IT'S BBQ TIME's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 30 contests

⚔ Head-to-head

PORK ME PURPLE

#969 of the rated field

1608 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 28
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 11%
Peak: 1608

No shared contest yet.

Fewer contests behind them than IT'S BBQ TIME has cooked, 28 to 45, which makes theirs the less settled rating of the two.

rated over 28 contests
last seen 2018-09-28

⚔ Head-to-head

Ribs n Pigs BBQ

#970 of the rated field

1608 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 26
GCs: 5
Top-10s: 85%
Peak: 1617

No shared contest yet.

Their rating is built on 5 Grand Championships in 26 contests, alongside a 85% overall top-10 rate.

rated over 25 contests
last seen 2026-08-01
on a 10-contest top-10 run

⚔ Head-to-head

GEORGIA BOYS BBQ TEAM

#971 of the rated field

1608 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 21
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 52%
Peak: 1608

No shared contest yet.

Level with IT'S BBQ TIME on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 21 contests
last seen 2015-02-06

⚔ Head-to-head

COOL BLUE Q

#968 of the rated field

1608 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 18
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 33%
Peak: 1618

No shared contest yet.

Both teams' first contest in the data came in 2015.

rated over 16 contests
last seen 2019-07-26

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
SHIGGIN & GRINNIN	33	2	31	6%	⚔ compare
LUCKY 19 SAUCE COMPANY	31	6	25	19%	⚔ compare
HOT DADDY'S BBQ	31	4	27	13%	⚔ compare
NECTAR OF THE HOGS	29	11	18	38%	⚔ compare
Phoenix BBQ	27	16	11	59%	⚔ compare
SIX BUTT BBQ	26	20	6	77%	⚔ compare
Son of a Boar BBQ	24	6	18	25%	⚔ compare
MACHETE BOYS BBQ	23	17	6	74%	⚔ compare
ACES HIGH BBQ	23	10	13	43%	⚔ compare
SPITFIRE	23	9	14	39%	⚔ compare
WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ	21	10	11	48%	⚔ compare
UGLY BABY BBQ	20	14	6	70%	⚔ compare
WHEN PIGS DIE	20	10	10	50%	⚔ compare
DRY 2 DA BONE	20	8	12	40%	⚔ compare
RUB MY RACK	20	5	15	25%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	43	6	1	3	178.8572	159.3600	168.50	top 50%
Pork Ribs	44	14	1	2	178.8572	152.5144	166.61	top 47%
Pork	43	12	1	4	178.2972	145.6228	167.49	top 48%
Brisket	43	17	0	3	175.4400	145.0744	166.61	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 state / province

Where	Contests	Avg finish
WI	23	top 42%
MN	19	top 46%
ND	1	top 65%

By contest size

Field	Contests	Avg finish
Small (<20 teams)	1	top 50%
Medium (20–39)	23	top 46%
Large (40+)	19	top 42%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Bring'n Home the Bacon Day 2 (MASTER & BACKYARD)	7	5	top 44%	2026-06-13
Bring'n Home the Bacon Day 1 (MASTER & BACKYARD)	6	6	top 31%	2026-06-12
Smokin in the Bogs	5	5	top 48%	2023-09-01
Minnesota in May	4	9	top 38%	2026-05-08
*Big Muddy Brew N Que	3	3	top 31%	2018-09-01
Smokin in Steele	2	15	top 62%	2024-05-31

The story so far (18 numbers that describe this team)

On the trail 10.9 yrs 2015-08-07 → 2026-06-13

Busiest season 2026 5 contests

Contests a season 3.8 across 12 seasons in the data

Cooks most in WI 23 of 45 contests · 3 states/provinces in all

Contests visited 22 6 of them cooked more than once

Most-entered meat Pork Ribs 44 entries · 1 win · 14 calls

Strongest meat Chicken averages 168.50 · weakest Pork Ribs (166.61)

Walk rate 69% a top-10 call in 31 of 45 contests

Overall top-10 rate 24% 11 of 45 contests

Best top-10 run 3 straight contests

Master average 669.37 out of 720 · 43 contests · 0 GCs

Opponents faced 611 1,211–1,025 across every shared overall standing

Road miles 4,909 45 mapped stops · furthest 345 mi

Schedule strength 1590 average field rating faced — tougher than 71% of rated contests

Purse competed for $245,350 listed at 28 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships 0 from 30 state-championship entries

Longest layoff 1 yrs 2019-08-30 → 2020-09-04

Power rating 1608 peak 1624 · #973 of 6,413 rated

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

2015
Aug 7 First tracked contest Med City BBQ & Musicfest
Aug 7 First call Med City BBQ & Musicfest
Aug 7 First overall past 90% of a perfect score651.3028 Med City BBQ & Musicfest
2017
Sep 2 First overall top-10 Big Muddy Brew N Que
Sep 2 First overall podium Big Muddy Brew N Que
2018
Jun 22 10th tracked contest *Rotary Rockn Ribs
2022
Jun 10 First category win (Pork) Bring'n Home the Bacon Day 1 (MASTER & BACKYARD)
Jun 10 25th tracked contest Bring'n Home the Bacon Day 1 (MASTER & BACKYARD)
2024
May 10 Career-best overall score690.7884 Minnesota in May
2025
Jun 14 Career-best single call (Chicken)178.8572 Bring'n Home the Bacon Day 2 (MASTER & BACKYARD)
Jun 14 Peak power rating (1624) Bring'n Home the Bacon Day 2 (MASTER & BACKYARD)
2026
Jun 13 Most recent contest Bring'n Home the Bacon Day 2 (MASTER & BACKYARD)

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+15.7	*Rotary Rockn Ribs	2018-06-22
+15.2	Big Muddy Brew N Que	2017-09-02
+13.9	Smokin' in the Bogs	2022-09-02
+12.1	Bring'n Home the Bacon Day 2 (MASTER & BACKYARD)	2022-06-11
+11.8	Bring'n Home the Bacon Day 1 (MASTER & BACKYARD)	2024-06-07

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-12.9	Bring'n Home the Bacon Day 2 (MASTER & BACKYARD)	2026-06-13
-11.3	Smokin in Steele	2024-05-31
-9.9	SMSU Smokefest	2019-08-16
-6.6	Smokin in the Bogs	2019-08-30
-6.2	Lake Minnetonka BBQ & Beer Fest (Teams spots Full)	2016-08-12

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	Top-10s	Category wins	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2026	5	0	0	40%	top 56%	94.9%	93.4%
2025	4	1	0	75%	top 31%	95.7%	94.9%
2024	4	2	1	100%	top 37%	95.9%	94.7%
2023	5	1	0	80%	top 50%	94%	93.5%
2022	5	3	2	80%	top 24%	95.3%	94.6%
2021	4	1	0	100%	top 41%	93.6%	92.7%
2020	2	0	0	50%	top 57%	93.4%	91.4%
2019	3	0	0	33%	top 71%	90.1%	89.7%
2018	5	2	0	80%	top 38%	94.6%	93.4%
2017	2	1	0	50%	top 22%	93.5%	93.5%
2016	4	0	0	50%	top 67%	90.7%	89.4%
2015	2	0	0	50%	top 55%	90.5%	90.3%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2026-06-13	Bring'n Home the Bacon Day 2 (MASTER & BACKYARD) 🏅 West Salem, WI	31 / 37 (670.7432)	21 (171.4288)	20 (168.5372)	27 (167.3828)	31 (163.3944)
2026-06-12	Bring'n Home the Bacon Day 1 (MASTER & BACKYARD) 🏅 West Salem, WI	16 / 40 (674.7544)	4 (174.8572)	30 (165.0972)	14 (169.6800)	23 (165.1200)
2026-05-08	Minnesota in May 🏅 St. Peter, MN	28 / 77 (683.3368)	32 (172.5600)	7 (176.5600)	64 (165.6684)	45 (168.5484)
2026-05-01	ND BBQ Championship 🏅 Fargo, ND	46 / 71 (659.8516)	47 (166.2400)	36 (167.3944)	61 (158.2516)	31 (167.9656)
2026-05-01	ND BBQ Championship (ONE MEAT RIBS) Fargo, ND	—	—	28 (159.9772)	—	—
2025-06-14	Bring'n Home the Bacon Day 2 (MASTER & BACKYARD) 🏅 West Salem, WI	6 / 36 (689.0744)	2 (178.8572)	12 (170.8572)	9 (173.1200)	23 (166.2400)
2025-06-13	Bring'n Home the Bacon Day 1 (MASTER & BACKYARD) 🏅 West Salem, WI	11 / 36 (682.7428)	18 (168.5256)	18 (168.5372)	15 (171.9772)	8 (173.7028)
2025-05-09	Minnesota in May 🏅 St. Peter, MN	28 / 58 (681.0516)	27 (170.8688)	14 (171.9772)	45 (167.3828)	21 (170.8228)
2025-02-21	Fire on Ice BBQ Championship 🏅 Onamia, MN	12 / 42 (679.3600)	13 (171.9772)	7 (173.1200)	22 (169.1200)	29 (165.1428)
2024-06-08	Bring'n Home the Bacon Day 2 (MASTER & BACKYARD) 🏅 West Salem, WI	15 / 37 (686.7312)	26 (167.3828)	1 (178.8572)	22 (170.8228)	20 (169.6684)
2024-06-07	Bring'n Home the Bacon Day 1 (MASTER & BACKYARD) 🏅 West Salem, WI	6 / 41 (687.3828)	12 (173.7028)	5 (174.2628)	20 (166.8572)	10 (172.5600)
2024-05-31	Smokin in Steele 🏅 Owatonna, MN	25 / 32 (662.1600)	24 (165.1200)	29 (158.2516)	2 (177.7028)	26 (161.0856)
2024-05-10	Minnesota in May 🏅 St. Peter, MN	9 / 58 (690.7884)	28 (171.9772)	5 (175.4056)	10 (174.8572)	30 (168.5484)
2023-09-01	Smokin in the Bogs 🏅 Warrens, WI	7 / 14 (674.7428)	10 (164.5256)	5 (173.7144)	6 (169.6800)	5 (166.8228)
2023-07-14	KTD Smokin Gobbler Cook-off 🏅 Worthington, MN	20 / 39 (670.7768)	29 (166.8112)	37 (156.5716)	3 (174.2856)	7 (173.1084)
2023-06-10	Bring'n Home the Bacon Day 2 (MASTER & BACKYARD) 🏅 West Salem, WI	21 / 40 (677.0400)	22 (170.8228)	32 (163.9772)	12 (173.1200)	14 (169.1200)
2023-06-09	Bring'n Home the Bacon Day 1 (MASTER & BACKYARD) 🏅 West Salem, WI	18 / 43 (672.4572)	17 (169.6800)	38 (157.6572)	12 (171.9656)	8 (173.1544)
2023-05-12	Minnesota in May 🏅 St. Peter, MN	31 / 59 (671.3028)	16 (173.7028)	47 (162.2400)	8 (173.1200)	44 (162.2400)
2022-09-02	Smokin' in the Bogs 🏅 Warrens, WI	5 / 23 (681.0744)	1 (178.8572)	15 (164.5372)	13 (167.4056)	8 (170.2744)
2022-06-11	Bring'n Home the Bacon Day 2 (MASTER & BACKYARD) 🏅 West Salem, WI	5 / 37 (686.2288)	15 (172.5600)	19 (167.3944)	13 (170.8572)	3 (175.4172)
2022-06-10	Bring'n Home the Bacon Day 1 (MASTER & BACKYARD) 🏅 West Salem, WI	7 / 39 (683.8968)	11 (171.4056)	30 (161.0856)	1 (178.2972)	4 (173.1084)
2022-06-03	Smokin in Steele (Master & Backyard Contest) 🏅 Owatonna, MN	15 / 33 (675.8628)	2 (176.5600)	25 (164.5372)	18 (168.5256)	16 (166.2400)
2022-05-13	Minnesota in May (Masters) 🏅 Cambridge, MN	12 / 59 (678.7768)	19 (169.7144)	14 (170.2856)	21 (170.2628)	21 (168.5140)
2021-09-03	Smokin' in the Bogs 🏅 Warrens, WI	10 / 25 (666.7084)	5 (171.9884)	6 (168.5372)	12 (167.9656)	15 (158.2172)
2021-08-20	13th Annual Big Island BBQ 🏅 Albert Lea, MN	15 / 35 (674.1712)	26 (163.9656)	7 (171.4172)	21 (166.2284)	9 (172.5600)
2021-06-12	Bring'n Home the Bacon - Day 2 🏅 West Salem, WI	19 / 45 (662.7772)	38 (162.2400)	7 (170.2744)	21 (163.9884)	20 (166.2744)
2021-06-11	Bring'n Home the Bacon - Day 1 🏅 West Salem, WI	21 / 52 (665.6800)	30 (165.1544)	34 (160.5600)	28 (167.4056)	8 (172.5600)
2020-10-17	Bring'n Home the Bacon Day 2 West Salem, WI	19 / 33 (672.4340)	11 (174.2628)	7 (173.1200)	32 (157.0512)	16 (168.0000)
2020-09-04	Smokin in the Bogs 🏅 Warrens, WI	16 / 28 (643.2684)	11 (167.9656)	25 (153.0628)	16 (167.3944)	17 (154.8456)
2019-08-30	Smokin in the Bogs 🏅 Warrens, WI	27 / 38 (648.9944)	27 (163.3828)	13 (167.9772)	18 (166.2744)	35 (151.3600)
2019-08-16	SMSU Smokefest 🏅 MARSHALL, MN	41 / 46 (643.3140)	19 (170.2856)	46 (152.5372)	39 (159.3828)	32 (161.1084)
2019-06-21	Bring'n Home the Bacon 🏅 West Salem, WI	19 / 37 (645.5656)	27 (160.5256)	32 (152.5144)	16 (164.5600)	8 (167.9656)
2018-10-05	*Wisconsin Colorfest & BBQ Bash Turtle Lake, WI	11 / 26 (673.0400)	16 (165.1200)	13 (167.3828)	6 (171.4172)	9 (169.1200)
2018-09-01	*Big Muddy Brew N Que Winona, MN	5 / 22 (675.3140)	12 (166.2628)	4 (173.1200)	7 (167.3828)	4 (168.5484)
2018-08-24	11th Annual Big Island BBQ Alberta Lea, MN	19 / 49 (667.3488)	29 (166.8572)	14 (167.9772)	32 (161.0972)	6 (171.4172)
2018-06-22	*Rotary Rockn Ribs LaCrosse, WI	5 / 41 (681.0856)	29 (165.0856)	6 (174.2744)	14 (166.2856)	3 (175.4400)
2018-06-09	*Mankato Cookout (Day 2) Mankato, MN	31 / 42 (664.4684)	38 (162.2744)	15 (172.0228)	32 (165.0856)	32 (165.0856)
2017-09-02	Big Muddy Brew N Que Winona, MN	3 / 21 (673.0856)	18 (161.1084)	2 (172.0000)	10 (166.8572)	2 (173.1200)
2017-08-25	10th Annual Big Island BBQ Albert Lea, MN	17 / 56 (673.0400)	17 (171.4056)	23 (166.2516)	18 (167.4172)	22 (167.9656)
2016-09-03	Big Muddy Brew n Que(COMPETITOR'S SERIES) Winona, MN	11 / 20 (649.5200)	13 (163.9428)	12 (160.5144)	10 (165.1200)	11 (159.9428)
2016-09-02	6th Annual Smokin' In the Bogs Warrens, WI	22 / 32 (628.9488)	25 (159.3600)	16 (160.5600)	20 (161.0972)	27 (147.9316)
2016-08-12	Lake Minnetonka BBQ & Beer Fest (Teams spots Full) Tonka Bay, MN	27 / 35 (653.0288)	19 (167.9772)	14 (166.8344)	3 (173.1428)	35 (145.0744)
2016-06-11	*Mankato Cookout Day 2 and( Back Yard) Mankato, MN	—	—	—	—	—
2015-09-04	5th Annual Smokin In the Bogs Warrens, WI	17 / 27 (649.6232)	18 (161.7144)	18 (160.5372)	19 (161.0972)	13 (166.2744)
2015-08-07	Med City BBQ & Musicfest Rochester, MN	22 / 47 (651.3028)	23 (166.2856)	9 (168.5600)	47 (145.6228)	6 (170.8344)

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
2026 ↗	Master	#491 (285 pts)	#436 (410 pts)	#432 (430 pts)	#510 (295 pts)	#559 (250 pts)
2025 ↗	Master	#418 (490 pts)	#428 (535 pts)	#465 (500 pts)	#501 (390 pts)	#523 (365 pts)
2024 ↗	Master	#419 (487 pts)	#610 (307 pts)	#349 (712 pts)	#394 (552 pts)	#566 (337 pts)
2023 ↗	Master	#424 (464 pts)	#477 (454 pts)	#547 (404 pts)	#275 (794 pts)	#330 (659 pts)
2022 ↗	Master	#305 (756 pts)	#271 (861 pts)	#560 (421 pts)	#351 (686 pts)	#300 (771 pts)
2021 ↗	Master	#567 (295 pts)	#582 (295 pts)	#511 (390 pts)	#639 (255 pts)	#548 (340 pts)
2020 ↗	Master	#519 (186 pts)	#455 (251 pts)	#520 (216 pts)	#618 (156 pts)	#540 (196 pts)
2019 ↗	Master	#1355 (150 pts)	#1441 (150 pts)	#1575 (120 pts)	#1377 (165 pts)	#1176 (215 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#563 (628 pts)	#857 (388 pts)	#537 (708 pts)	#668 (553 pts)	#452 (803 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#1024 (321 pts)	#1489 (181 pts)	#1098 (316 pts)	#1358 (216 pts)	#1065 (321 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#1713 (132 pts)	#1731 (147 pts)	#1391 (217 pts)	#1110 (317 pts)	#2001 (117 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#1468 (167 pts)	#1601 (157 pts)	#1308 (232 pts)	#1668 (142 pts)	#1087 (287 pts)