M Squared Smokin' Q

M Squared Smokin' Q is a competition barbecue team with 34 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2019 and 2023. Their best overall finish is 5th of 28 at the Big Blue BBQ Championship (2023). They are ranked #3043 of 6,485 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#3,043

of 6,485 rated · rankings

Rating

1504

peak 1508 · rated over 32 contests1 invitational or side-series contest not counted

Contests

in the data

First seen

Apr 12, 2019

latest Oct 13, 2023 · 4.5 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#255

Master 2023 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

3 podiums

Overall top-10s

9% of 34 contests

Best top-10 run

straight overall top-10s

Avg finish

top 66%

overall standings

Best overall

688.5372 / 720

Master · Smoke on the Bricks

Perfect 180s

Current form

673.50 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 657.65 (+15.86)

Walk rate

35%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

178.8800

Chicken · American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest

Consistency

±19.47

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 168.20 · weakest Brisket (159.18)

Road miles

1,666

across 34 mapped stops · furthest 89 mi

Schedule strength

77%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1599)

Purse competed for

$425K

listed at 29 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 32 state-championship entries

Master avg

657.65 / 720

33 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (10 found in their record)

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

On the rise

+29 rating points in a year

Their power rating has climbed 29 points across 11 contests since Oct 14, 2022 — from 1476 up to 1504.

11 contests since Oct 14, 2022
now 1504

High-water mark

688.5372 career-best overall

95.6% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 688.5372 at Smoke on the Bricks — 95.6% of a perfect 720.

Master
Aug 26, 2022

Their season

2022 their best year

2022 was the year it came together: 9 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 0 category wins, at an average finish in the top 55%.

9 contests
2 overall top-10s
0 category wins
average top 55%

A tough matchup

26–2 behind in the head-to-head

MAN MEAT BBQ ahead in 93% of their meetings

MAN MEAT BBQ has come out ahead in 26 of their 28 shared contests.

The weak link

−9.0 points behind their best meat

Brisket is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 9.02 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 9% of the time against 21%.

Brisket avg 159.18
Chicken avg 168.20
3 calls in 33 entries

A strong matchup

7–2 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 78% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of Blaz'n Weazel BBQ in 7 of their 9 shared contests.

Chicken nemesis

23 of 28 shared chicken entries lost

MAN MEAT BBQ ahead 82% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, MAN MEAT BBQ has out-cooked them in 23 of 28 shared chicken entries.

Show 3 more storylines

Looking over their shoulder

3× one call behind them

ROCK N BLUES BBQ has landed one call behind them 3 times.

A June team

Top 56% average finish in June

Something about June: average finish in the top 56% across 3 contests, versus top 66% the rest of the year.

3 June contests
top 66% the rest of the year

A standing appointment

5 years running at one contest

They've cooked Smoke on the Bricks every year from 2019 to 2023 — the contest they never miss.

5 visits in all
best finish 10th

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
2023 ↗	Master	#255 (842 pts)	#254 (877 pts)	#322 (792 pts)	#182 (1,075 pts)	#217 (967 pts)
2022 ↗	Master	#317 (731 pts)	#251 (906 pts)	#415 (611 pts)	#319 (766 pts)	#329 (726 pts)
2021 ↗	Master	#467 (388 pts)	#497 (383 pts)	#377 (553 pts)	#474 (393 pts)	#496 (388 pts)
2020 ↗	Master	#530 (180 pts)	#565 (180 pts)	#572 (180 pts)	#553 (180 pts)	#565 (180 pts)
2019 ↗	Master	#924 (299 pts)	#719 (469 pts)	#982 (299 pts)	#891 (344 pts)	#1118 (239 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to M Squared Smokin' Q, each with one reason worth a look.

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

Cluster Cluck Barbecue

#3,051 of the rated field

1504 power rating

Contests: 24
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 21%
Peak: 1523

0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to M Squared Smokin' Q)

One contest in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team M Squared Smokin' Q has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.

rated over 24 contests
last seen May 2, 2025

⚔ Head-to-head

Smoke Sergeant BBQ

#3,039 of the rated field

1505 power rating

Contests: 14
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 14%
Peak: 1515

0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to M Squared Smokin' Q)

Fewer contests behind them than M Squared Smokin' Q has cooked, 14 to 34, which makes theirs the less settled rating of the two.

rated over 13 contests
last seen Sep 30, 2026

⚔ Head-to-head

Double Barrel Smokers

#3,032 of the rated field

1505 power rating

Contests: 36
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 11%
Peak: 1515

Their rating is built on 1 Grand Championship in 36 contests, alongside a 11% overall top-10 rate.

rated over 36 contests
last seen Apr 25, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

BIRD DAWG BBQ

#3,034 of the rated field

1505 power rating

Contests: 26
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 23%
Peak: 1520

They were already cooking in 2013, 6 years before M Squared Smokin' Q's first contest.

rated over 26 contests
last seen Jun 14, 2024

⚔ Compare careers

WE'RE BURNIN DAYLIGHT BBQ

#3,046 of the rated field

1504 power rating

Contests: 43
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 12%
Peak: 1552

They've been 1552 at their best, 48 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 43 contests
last seen Jul 1, 2022

⚔ Compare careers

BUTTS, BELLIES & BUDDIES

#3,045 of the rated field

1504 power rating

Contests: 19
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1512

Their last contest in the data was back in 2018, 5 years before M Squared Smokin' Q's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 19 contests

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
MAN MEAT BBQ	28	2	26	7%	⚔ compare
MAD MUTT'S BBQ	20	1	19	5%	⚔ compare
SLAPS BBQ	20	0	20	0%	⚔ compare
HIGH i QUE	20	0	20	0%	⚔ compare
LOVE 2 Q	19	1	18	5%	⚔ compare
Cow Creek BBQ	19	0	19	0%	⚔ compare
FINGER LEIKAM GOOD	18	3	15	17%	⚔ compare
777 BBQ	18	3	15	17%	⚔ compare
PARTS 'R' SMOKIN	17	1	16	6%	⚔ compare
Fat&Dumb BBQ	16	4	12	25%	⚔ compare
Fergolicious BBQ	16	0	16	0%	⚔ compare
ROCK N BLUES BBQ	15	6	9	40%	⚔ compare
KC Meat Sweats	15	3	12	20%	⚔ compare
GETTIN' SAUCED	15	2	13	13%	⚔ compare
913 BBQ	15	1	14	7%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	33	7	1	178.8800	156.5600	168.20	top 55%
Pork Ribs	33	1	0	174.2972	147.3944	164.89	top 61%
Pork	33	4	2	176.5600	142.2512	165.37	top 60%
Brisket	33	3	0	173.7372	133.0400	159.18	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	Avg finish
Small (<20 teams)	1	top 68%
Medium (20–39)	12	top 59%
Large (40+)	20	top 70%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
KS	32	0	top 66%
MO	1	0	top 60%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Smoke on the Bricks	5	10	top 61%	Aug 25, 2023
Smoke in the Spring	4	65	top 75%	Apr 7, 2023
Smoke on the Water	3	16	top 67%	Oct 13, 2023
American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest	3	116	top 60%	Sep 27, 2023
Keepers of the Fire BBQ Contest	3	34	top 84%	Jul 9, 2021
Meat Inferno (JUDGING FULL)	2	13	top 67%	Oct 6, 2023
Big Blue BBQ Championship	2	5	top 41%	Jun 2, 2023
Smokin' Hot Cars & BBQ	2	26	top 93%	Jul 23, 2021

More numbers

Busiest season 2023 11 contests

Contests a season 6.8 across 5 seasons in the data

Most contests held in KS 33 of 34 contests · 2 states in all

Contests visited 17 8 of them more than once

Opponents faced 1,192 finished ahead 983 times, behind 1,990

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

20234 milestones

Jun 2 25th tracked contest Big Blue BBQ Championship
Sep 27 Career-best single call (Chicken)178.8800 American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest
Sep 27 Peak power rating (1508) American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest
Oct 13 Most recent contest Smoke on the Water

20222 milestones

Jul 1 First overall top-10 Happy Basset 2nd Annual BBQ Competition
Aug 26 Career-best overall score688.5372 Smoke on the Bricks

20211 milestone

Jul 9 10th tracked contest Keepers of the Fire BBQ Contest

20193 milestones

Apr 12 First tracked contest Smoke In the Springs
Sep 20 First call Little Apple Classic Car & BBQ Cook Off
Sep 20 First overall past 90% of a perfect score669.0744 Little Apple Classic Car & BBQ Cook Off

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+16.7	Big Blue BBQ Championship	Jun 2, 2023
+15.1	Smoke on the Bricks	Aug 26, 2022
+13.5	Red, White, Blue BBQ Competition	Apr 29, 2022
+12.2	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest	Sep 27, 2023
+9.5	Happy Basset 2nd Annual BBQ Competition	Jul 1, 2022

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-8.7	Smoke In the Springs	Apr 12, 2019
-7.2	Keepers of the Fire BBQ Contest	Jul 12, 2019
-7	Smokin Hot Cars & BBQ	Jul 26, 2019
-6.9	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - OPEN CONTEST	Sep 29, 2022
-6.9	Smokin' Hot Cars & BBQ	Jul 23, 2021

Scores over time (% of a perfect score, averaged over 5 contests — 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)
2023	11	1	45%	top 59%	95.5%	92.9%
2022	9	2	56%	top 55%	95.6%	92.6%
2021	6	0	17%	top 75%	91.7%	89.7%
2020	3	0	0%	top 84%	91.5%	90.3%
2019	5	0	20%	top 78%	92.9%	88.5%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Oct 13, 2023	Smoke on the Water 🏅 Topeka, KS	25 / 39 (665.5656)	26 (167.3828)	17 (170.8572)	33 (155.9200)	12 (171.4056)
Oct 6, 2023	Meat Inferno (JUDGING FULL) 🏅 Edgerton, KS	13 / 19 (675.9204)	7 (175.4400)	12 (168.5372)	17 (160.5260)	6 (171.4172)
Sep 27, 2023	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest 🏅 Kansas City, KS	116 / 487 (685.1428)	8 (178.8800)	117 (172.5944)	109 (173.1200)	350 (160.5484)
Sep 9, 2023	7th Annual Smoke on the Trails 🏅 Gardner, KS	20 / 38 (675.8860)	23 (170.2512)	24 (166.2516)	24 (166.2516)	8 (173.1316)
Aug 25, 2023	Smoke on the Bricks 🏅 Baldwin City, KS	27 / 44 (664.9940)	34 (164.5140)	28 (165.7144)	20 (170.8228)	26 (163.9428)
Aug 18, 2023	BBQ & Fly-In on the River 🏅 Excelsior Springs, MO	34 / 57 (664.9944)	25 (170.8228)	26 (170.8688)	46 (161.6572)	40 (161.6456)
Aug 11, 2023	5th Annual KCBS World Invitational - OPEN unrated Mayetta, KS	85 / 90 (642.6288)	70 (168.5372)	90 (152.4916)	85 (161.6572)	83 (159.9428)
Jul 28, 2023	Tom Brigham Memorial BBQ 🏅 Iola, KS	12 / 25 (670.7316)	15 (167.3944)	15 (168.5600)	3 (171.9772)	19 (162.8000)
Jun 30, 2023	Happy Basset 3rd Annual BBQ Competition 🏅 Topeka, KS	28 / 33 (656.9600)	27 (167.3828)	30 (161.1088)	12 (173.7028)	27 (154.7656)
Jun 2, 2023	Big Blue BBQ Championship 🏅 Marysville, KS	5 / 28 (687.9200)	15 (170.8228)	12 (169.7028)	2 (176.5600)	8 (170.8344)
Apr 7, 2023	Smoke in the Spring 🏅 Osage City, KS	74 / 103 (665.5888)	29 (174.2628)	78 (163.3944)	58 (168.5488)	87 (159.3828)
Oct 14, 2022	Smoke on the Water 🏅 Topeka, KS	20 / 28 (651.2460)	7 (174.8456)	25 (154.7888)	25 (159.3716)	17 (162.2400)
Oct 7, 2022	Meat Inferno (JUDGING FULL) 🏅 Edgerton, KS	19 / 29 (677.0744)	20 (170.2972)	17 (167.9772)	15 (170.8344)	16 (167.9656)
Oct 1, 2022	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - SIDES Kansas City, KS	—	—	—	—	—
Sep 29, 2022	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - OPEN CONTEST 🏅 Kansas City, KS	428 / 505 (635.8856)	377 (162.2512)	493 (147.3944)	236 (167.9772)	390 (158.2628)
Aug 26, 2022	Smoke on the Bricks 🏅 Baldwin City, KS	10 / 48 (688.5372)	4 (175.4400)	22 (167.3828)	11 (174.8572)	18 (170.8572)
Jul 1, 2022	Happy Basset 2nd Annual BBQ Competition 🏅 Topeka, KS	9 / 24 (667.9088)	10 (169.7028)	14 (163.9888)	11 (166.8344)	13 (167.3828)
Jun 3, 2022	Big Blue BBQ Championship 🏅 Marysville, KS	16 / 25 (660.9944)	7 (172)	14 (167.3944)	20 (159.3600)	18 (162.2400)
Apr 29, 2022	Red, White, Blue BBQ Competition 🏅 Topeka, KS	20 / 77 (688.5028)	41 (168.5256)	30 (170.8228)	7 (175.4172)	12 (173.7372)
Apr 8, 2022	Smoke in the Spring 🏅 Osage City, KS	65 / 94 (666.1372)	70 (165.0972)	39 (170.2744)	57 (167.9656)	67 (162.8000)
Oct 15, 2021	Smoke on the Water 🏅 Topeka, KS	16 / 25 (660.4800)	17 (163.4056)	15 (167.4060)	15 (166.2400)	16 (163.4284)
Sep 16, 2021	American Royal World Series of Barbecue-OPEN CONTEST 🏅 Kansas City, KS	338 / 467 (642.7540)	177 (168.5256)	401 (154.2628)	251 (164.5372)	360 (155.4284)
Aug 20, 2021	Smoke on the Bricks 🏅 Baldwin City, KS	27 / 46 (656.4572)	36 (161.6800)	5 (173.1428)	37 (160.5144)	25 (161.1200)
Jul 23, 2021	Smokin' Hot Cars & BBQ 🏅 Iola, KS	26 / 28 (608.3888)	26 (158.8572)	27 (154.2516)	25 (162.2400)	28 (133.0400)
Jul 9, 2021	Keepers of the Fire BBQ Contest 🏅 Mayetta, KS	34 / 43 (656.4116)	37 (161.6800)	28 (167.9772)	32 (165.1088)	33 (161.6456)
Apr 9, 2021	Smoke in the Spring 🏅 Osage City, KS	86 / 105 (649.0396)	96 (156.5600)	18 (174.2972)	69 (165.0856)	93 (153.0968)
Oct 30, 2020	Smoke in the Spring 🏅 Osage City, KS	71 / 93 (658.7776)	81 (162.2516)	38 (169.1544)	36 (170.2744)	79 (157.0972)
Aug 21, 2020	Smoke on the Bricks 🏅 Baldwin City, KS	39 / 43 (642.7320)	37 (164.5716)	42 (154.7888)	39 (159.9544)	31 (163.4172)
Jul 10, 2020	Keepers of the Fire BBQ Contest 🏅 Mayetta, KS	52 / 61 (648.9948)	32 (167.9888)	45 (164.5372)	27 (169.6800)	58 (146.7888)
Sep 20, 2019	Little Apple Classic Car & BBQ Cook Off 🏅 Manhattan, KS	11 / 24 (669.0744)	3 (174.8572)	11 (168.5484)	6 (173.1316)	23 (152.5372)
Jul 26, 2019	Smokin Hot Cars & BBQ 🏅 Iola, KS	38 / 41 (624.9940)	23 (167.3828)	31 (162.8228)	33 (159.3828)	41 (135.4056)
Jul 12, 2019	Keepers of the Fire BBQ Contest 🏅 Mayetta, KS	52 / 59 (638.7316)	31 (167.9772)	52 (158.8116)	51 (159.3944)	56 (152.5484)
May 31, 2019	Smoke on the Bricks 🏅 Baldwin City, KS	37 / 49 (629.5888)	20 (166.2400)	24 (163.9772)	41 (155.9660)	48 (143.4056)
Apr 12, 2019	Smoke In the Springs 🏅 Osage City, KS	93 / 104 (623.2684)	14 (174.8572)	43 (167.3828)	103 (142.2512)	102 (138.7772)

An unrated contest — an invitational, or a Competitor or Kosher Series board — is in the record but doesn’t move the power rating.

M Squared Smokin' Q

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

Rating

Contests

First seen

Best ToY finish

Grand champs

Category wins

Overall top-10s

Best top-10 run

Avg finish

Best overall

Perfect 180s

Current form

Walk rate

Best single call

Consistency

Strongest meat

Road miles

Schedule strength

Purse competed for

State championships

Master avg

Storylines (10 found in their record)

On the rise

High-water mark

Their season

A tough matchup

The weak link

A strong matchup

Chicken nemesis

Looking over their shoulder

A June team

A standing appointment

Team of the Year (rank per category by season — the year links to the full board on kcbs.us)

Overall rank by season

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

By state / province (where the contests were held)

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, averaged over 5 contests — 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)