Matt's Backyard BBQ

Matt's Backyard BBQ is a competition barbecue team with 41 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2021 and 2026. Their best overall finish is 3rd of 59 at the Grand American Barbecue New York State Championship Open (OPEN FORMAT) (2026). They are ranked #3141 of 6,476 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#3,141

of 6,476 rated · rankings

Rating

1502

peak 1509 · rated over 34 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Jun 12, 2021

latest Aug 15, 2026 · 5.2 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#220

Master 2023 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

4 podiums

Overall top-10s

12% of 41 contests

Avg finish

top 60%

overall standings

Best overall

691.3828 / 720

Master · Frog Alley BREW-B-QUE Cookoff

Perfect 180s

Current form

665.91 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 657.17 (+8.74)

Walk rate

56%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

178.8572

Pork Ribs · Kora Kares for Kids

Consistency

±19.67

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 165.03 · weakest Brisket (163.94)

Road miles

3,867

across 41 mapped stops · furthest 302 mi

Schedule strength

43%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1557)

Purse competed for

$189K

listed at 35 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 31 state-championship entries

Master avg

657.17 / 720

33 Master contests · 0 GCs

Backyard (4-meat) avg

685.66 / 720

1 Backyard (4-meat) contest · 0 GCs

These overall scores sit on different scales (Master out of 720, Backyard (4-meat) out of 720), 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 (10 found in their record)

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

High-water mark

691.3828 career-best overall

96.0% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 691.3828 at Frog Alley BREW-B-QUE Cookoff — 96.0% of a perfect 720.

Master
Jun 24, 2023

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

Live Q or Die has finished one call ahead of Matt's Backyard BBQ 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2026 their best year

2026 was the year it came together: 5 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 0 category wins, at an average finish in the top 43%.

5 contests
1 overall top-10
0 category wins
average top 43%

A tough matchup

27–3 behind in the head-to-head

ELJEFE SMOKE ahead in 90% of their meetings

ELJEFE SMOKE has come out ahead in 27 of their 30 shared contests.

A strong matchup

11–1 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 92% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of BBQ Bandits in 11 of their 12 shared contests.

Chicken nemesis

24 of 30 shared chicken entries lost

ELJEFE SMOKE ahead 80% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, ELJEFE SMOKE has out-cooked them in 24 of 30 shared chicken entries.

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

Q42 has landed one call behind them 2 times.

Show 3 more storylines

A May team

Top 35% average finish in May

Something about May: average finish in the top 35% across 3 contests, versus top 60% the rest of the year.

3 May contests
top 60% the rest of the year

The long haul

3,867 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 3,867 miles across 41 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 302 miles to La Classique BBQ Labonte.

41 mapped stops
furthest 302 mi

A standing appointment

4 years running at one contest

They've cooked Southern New England Barbecue Throwdown - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (DAY 1) every year from 2023 to 2026 — the contest they never miss.

6 visits in all
best finish 5th

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
2025 ↗	Master	#649 (230 pts)	#574 (340 pts)	#861 (175 pts)	#663 (250 pts)	#689 (220 pts)
2024 ↗	Master	#222 (965 pts)	#209 (1,040 pts)	#217 (1,055 pts)	#263 (835 pts)	#115 (1,365 pts)
2023 ↗	Master	#220 (945 pts)	#287 (795 pts)	#221 (1,043 pts)	#154 (1,190 pts)	#205 (995 pts)
2022 ↗	Master	#542 (369 pts)	#638 (309 pts)	#298 (856 pts)	#539 (389 pts)	#641 (304 pts)
2021 ↗	Master	#674 (223 pts)	#767 (198 pts)	#754 (213 pts)	#743 (198 pts)	#578 (318 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to Matt's Backyard BBQ, each with one reason worth a look.

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

smoKINGBATKO BBQ

#3,150 of the rated field

1502 power rating

Contests: 23
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 17%
Peak: 1502

9–2 in 11 shared contests (82% to Matt's Backyard BBQ)

These two have cooked 11 of the same contests — Matt's Backyard BBQ ahead 9–2 — so there's a record behind this pairing and not just a matching number.

rated over 22 contests
last seen Sep 19, 2026
on a 3-contest top-10 run

⚔ Head-to-head

Kalamazoo Pit Posse

#3,133 of the rated field

1502 power rating

Contests: 38
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 11%
Peak: 1580

They've been 1580 at their best, 77 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 38 contests
last seen Sep 11, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

KINNEY'S KOUNTRY KOOKERS

#3,147 of the rated field

1502 power rating

Contests: 24
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 21%
Peak: 1550

Their last contest in the data was back in 2023, 3 years before Matt's Backyard BBQ's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 24 contests

⚔ Compare careers

Squeals like the First Time

#3,144 of the rated field

1502 power rating

Contests: 17
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 12%
Peak: 1502

Fewer contests behind them than Matt's Backyard BBQ has cooked, 17 to 41, which makes theirs the less settled rating of the two.

rated over 17 contests
last seen Sep 27, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

EF-Q

#3,130 of the rated field

1502 power rating

Contests: 17
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 24%
Peak: 1533

17 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 24% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 16 contests
last seen Oct 18, 2019

⚔ Compare careers

GEORGIA JO'S SMOKIN Q

#3,145 of the rated field

1502 power rating

Contests: 15
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 20%
Peak: 1510

They were already cooking in 2013, 8 years before Matt's Backyard BBQ's first contest.

rated over 15 contests
last seen Mar 4, 2016

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
ELJEFE SMOKE	30	3	27	10%	⚔ compare
FIRE AT THE END OF THE DAY	26	3	23	12%	⚔ compare
PADDY MCQ'S	26	2	24	8%	⚔ compare
SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA	26	1	25	4%	⚔ compare
Mullen It Over BBQ	24	15	9	63%	⚔ compare
Let It Smoke Barbecue	23	10	13	43%	⚔ compare
Up-2 BBQ	19	2	17	11%	⚔ compare
CIDER BOYS BBQ	18	7	11	39%	⚔ compare
STICKS & STONES BBQ	15	3	12	20%	⚔ compare
CycloneBBQ	15	2	13	13%	⚔ compare
HOG WASH BBQ	14	6	8	43%	⚔ compare
Big Bobby's Q	14	4	10	29%	⚔ compare
FOUR SMOKING GUYS	14	4	10	29%	⚔ compare
Grandpa Val's BBQ	14	2	12	14%	⚔ compare
Q42	13	9	4	69%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	34	5	0	1	176.5600	141.1888	165.03	top 63%
Pork Ribs	41	9	0	1	178.8572	146.2400	164.37	top 59%
Pork	34	7	0	1	177.7028	150.2172	164.59	top 60%
Brisket	34	11	1	1	177.7144	143.3256	163.94	top 52%

“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)	3	top 60%
Medium (20–39)	23	top 61%
Large (40+)	8	top 57%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	Avg finish
CT	8	top 61%
MA	6	top 55%
ME	4	top 52%
NY	4	top 49%
NH	4	top 69%
VT	3	top 66%
QC	2	top 59%
NJ	1	top 62%
RI	1	top 72%
PA	1	top 89%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Southern New England Barbecue Throwdown - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (DAY 1)	6	5	top 57%	Apr 10, 2026
Green Mountain BBQ Championship - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (DAY2)	3	11	top 66%	Sep 14, 2024
Nor'Easter BBQ Showdown - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (Day 2)	3	22	top 68%	Sep 23, 2023
Kora Kares for Kids	2	13	top 51%	Aug 15, 2026
Connecticut Barbecue Challenge	2	20	top 72%	Jul 18, 2026
La Classique BBQ Labonte	2	14	top 59%	Aug 2, 2024
Frog Alley Brew-B-Que Cookoff	2	3	top 48%	Jun 22, 2024
Granite State BBQ Championship - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES	2	16	top 57%	Jun 3, 2023

More numbers

Busiest season 2023 13 contests

Contests a season 6.8 across 6 seasons in the data

Most contests held in CT 9 of 41 contests · 10 states and provinces in all

Contests visited 20 8 of them more than once

Most-entered meat Pork Ribs 41 entries · 0 wins · 9 calls

Opponents faced 375 finished ahead 474 times, behind 647

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

20262 milestones

Aug 15 Career-best single call (Pork Ribs)178.8572 Kora Kares for Kids
Aug 15 Most recent contest Kora Kares for Kids

20242 milestones

Jun 22 25th tracked contest Frog Alley Brew-B-Que Cookoff
Jul 27 First category win (Brisket) Operation Up in Smoke

20235 milestones

Apr 15 10th tracked contest Southern New England Barbecue Throwdown - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (ONE MEAT RIBS)
May 20 First overall top-10 Somerset Sizzle
Jun 24 First overall podium Frog Alley BREW-B-QUE Cookoff
Jun 24 Career-best overall score691.3828 Frog Alley BREW-B-QUE Cookoff
Jun 24 Peak power rating (1509) Frog Alley BREW-B-QUE Cookoff

20221 milestone

Jun 25 First overall past 90% of a perfect score672.4800 Second Annual Central Maine BBQ Cookoff

20212 milestones

Jun 12 First tracked contest Granite State BBQ Championship
Sep 25 First call Nor'Easter BBQ Showdown

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+18.4	Grand American Barbecue New York State Championship Open (OPEN FORMAT)	May 2, 2026
+16.7	Frog Alley BREW-B-QUE Cookoff	Jun 24, 2023
+14.4	Southern New England Barbecue Throwdown - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (DAY 1)	Apr 12, 2024
+11.6	Kora Kares for Kids	Aug 15, 2026
+10.1	Somerset Sizzle	May 20, 2023

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-10.9	Granite State BBQ Championship	Jun 12, 2021
-10.7	New Holland Summer Fest	Aug 27, 2021
-9.5	I Love Barbecue & Music Festival	Sep 1, 2023
-7.1	Frog Alley Brew-B-Que Cookoff	Jun 22, 2024
-6.2	Connecticut Barbecue Challenge	Jul 18, 2026

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	Category wins	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2026	5	1	0	60%	top 43%	95.9%	94%
2025	3	0	0	67%	top 61%	93.7%	91.2%
2024	11	2	1	64%	top 62%	94.4%	92.1%
2023	13	2	0	46%	top 59%	96%	91.5%
2022	6	0	0	67%	top 57%	93.4%	90.9%
2021	3	0	0	33%	top 79%	89.5%	86.1%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Aug 15, 2026	Kora Kares for Kids 🏅 Hiram, ME	13 / 51 (690.1940)	38 (166.8228)	5 (178.8572)	18 (172.5484)	18 (171.9656)
Aug 15, 2026	Kora Kares for Kids (ONE MEAT RIBS) Hiram, ME	—	—	16 (170.2744)	—	—
Jul 18, 2026	Connecticut Barbecue Challenge 🏅 Somers, CT	28 / 36 (659.8628)	8 (174.2628)	30 (164.5256)	16 (171.4172)	33 (149.6572)
May 2, 2026	Grand American Barbecue New York State Championship Open (OPEN FORMAT) 🏅 New Paltz, NY	3 / 59 (685.6572)	56 (163.4172)	32 (169.6800)	8 (174.8456)	4 (177.7144)
Apr 10, 2026	Southern New England Barbecue Throwdown - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (DAY 1) 🏅 Bristol, CT	21 / 33 (670.1716)	15 (170.8344)	12 (171.9656)	30 (159.3828)	16 (167.9888)
Jul 12, 2025	New Jersey State Barbecue Championship 🏅 North Wildwood, NJ	39 / 63 (634.6172)	24 (168.5372)	32 (163.3828)	38 (159.3716)	56 (143.3256)
Apr 12, 2025	Southern New England Barbecue Throwdown - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (DAY 2) 🏅 Bristol, CT	18 / 35 (674.7200)	9 (176.5600)	29 (163.3944)	16 (170.8228)	20 (163.9428)
Apr 11, 2025	Southern New England Barbecue Throwdown - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (DAY 1) 🏅 Bristol, CT	21 / 30 (659.8400)	10 (171.9656)	28 (159.9544)	19 (167.3828)	21 (160.5372)
Oct 26, 2024	Weekend of Giving 🏅 Wrentham, MA	10 / 25 (670.1600)	11 (171.9656)	15 (165.6800)	8 (170.8344)	16 (161.6800)
Sep 14, 2024	Green Mountain BBQ Championship - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (DAY2) 🏅 Braintree, VT	19 / 25 (662.7544)	19 (166.2744)	14 (164.5716)	17 (167.9656)	18 (163.9428)
Sep 13, 2024	Green Mountain BBQ Championship - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (DAY1 ) 🏅 Braintree, VT	20 / 25 (654.1600)	24 (157.0972)	21 (162.2400)	18 (164.5484)	7 (170.2744)
Aug 17, 2024	Kora Kares for Kids 🏅 Hiram, ME	30 / 39 (652.9828)	29 (164.5256)	19 (167.4172)	34 (155.9428)	21 (165.0972)
Aug 17, 2024	Kora Kares for Kids (ONE MEAT RIBS) Hiram, ME	—	—	29 (160.5256)	—	—
Aug 2, 2024	La Classique BBQ Labonte Sainte-Perpetue, QC	14 / 26 (661.6568)	15 (165.1428)	4 (170.8456)	24 (159.9312)	9 (165.7372)
Jul 27, 2024	Operation Up in Smoke 🏅 Epping, NH	13 / 19 (668.5256)	11 (169.1200)	17 (163.4284)	17 (159.9428)	1 (176.0344)
Jul 12, 2024	Connecticut Barbecue Challenge 🏅 Somers, CT	20 / 30 (664.4456)	19 (164.5372)	25 (163.4056)	20 (165.6800)	10 (170.8228)
Jun 22, 2024	Frog Alley Brew-B-Que Cookoff 🏅 Schenectady, NY	17 / 21 (645.0404)	12 (170.2972)	16 (159.9544)	20 (153.0744)	12 (161.7144)
Apr 13, 2024	Southern New England Barbecue Throwdown - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (DAY 2) 🏅 Bristol, CT	23 / 37 (672.4340)	30 (162.2284)	8 (173.7028)	30 (165.0856)	9 (171.4172)
Apr 12, 2024	Southern New England Barbecue Throwdown - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (DAY 1) 🏅 Bristol, CT	5 / 29 (679.3372)	2 (176.5600)	16 (166.2400)	15 (165.1316)	7 (171.4056)
Sep 23, 2023	Nor'Easter BBQ Showdown - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (Day 2) 🏅 Southwick, MA	27 / 42 (665.5544)	32 (166.2516)	35 (159.9428)	18 (171.9772)	22 (167.3828)
Sep 23, 2023	Nor'Easter BBQ Showdown - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (ONE MEAT RIBS) 🏅 Southwick, MA	—	—	14 (158.8116)	—	—
Sep 22, 2023	Nor'Easter BBQ Showdown - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (Day 1) 🏅 Southwick, MA	23 / 31 (667.8856)	27 (163.9544)	16 (169.6800)	17 (168.5256)	20 (165.7256)
Sep 1, 2023	I Love Barbecue & Music Festival Lake Placid, NY	17 / 18 (638.0800)	17 (157.6572)	14 (158.2172)	13 (163.3828)	17 (158.8228)
Aug 19, 2023	Kora Shriners BBQ Competition 🏅 Hiram, ME	27 / 46 (665.0056)	24 (167.4172)	35 (162.8000)	36 (161.6800)	7 (173.1084)
Aug 19, 2023	Kora Shriners BBQ Competition (ONE MEAT RIBS) Hiram, ME	—	—	23 (157.6456)	—	—
Aug 4, 2023	La Classique BBQ Labonte Sainte-Perpetue, QC	21 / 33 (624.4568)	20 (157.1656)	32 (146.2400)	9 (165.1084)	20 (155.9428)
Jun 24, 2023	Frog Alley BREW-B-QUE Cookoff Schenectady, NY	3 / 19 (691.3828)	7 (171.9772)	6 (171.4172)	2 (177.7028)	8 (170.2856)
Jun 3, 2023	Granite State BBQ Championship - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES 🏅 Merrimack, NH	16 / 39 (669.0972)	24 (166.3084)	26 (163.9656)	7 (173.7144)	18 (165.1088)
May 20, 2023	Somerset Sizzle 🏅 Somerset, MA	7 / 24 (673.5996)	17 (163.9540)	9 (166.8344)	6 (171.9656)	7 (170.8456)
May 6, 2023	HOGS 4 HEROES 🏅 Jamestown, RI	36 / 50 (639.8972)	31 (163.3828)	23 (166.2744)	47 (150.8228)	28 (159.4172)
Apr 15, 2023	Southern New England Barbecue Throwdown - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES 🏅 Bristol, CT	33 / 43 (653.5996)	20 (170.8572)	28 (162.2284)	34 (161.7028)	34 (158.8112)
Apr 15, 2023	Southern New England Barbecue Throwdown - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (ONE MEAT RIBS) Bristol, CT	—	—	4 (173.1200)	—	—
Oct 1, 2022	Nor'Easter BBQ Showdown - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES 🏅 Southwick, MA	22 / 33 (649.5428)	26 (159.3484)	5 (172.5716)	21 (159.9772)	22 (157.6456)
Sep 17, 2022	Green Mountain BBQ Championship - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES (Day 2) 🏅 Braintree, VT	11 / 26 (658.1260)	12 (169.1200)	14 (165.1088)	10 (169.1084)	22 (154.7888)
Sep 17, 2022	Green Mountain BBQ Championship - Master of Ribs - Saturday Night (ONE MEAT RIBS) Braintree, VT	—	—	16 (160.5144)	—	—
Jun 25, 2022	Second Annual Central Maine BBQ Cookoff 🏅 Skowhegan, ME	12 / 25 (672.4800)	20 (164.5372)	3 (173.1316)	11 (170.8228)	14 (163.9884)
Jun 25, 2022	Central Maine BBQ Cook Off (ONE MEAT RIBS) Skowhegan, ME	—	—	6 (166.8572)	—	—
Jun 4, 2022	Granite State BBQ Championship - CAMPGROUND BBQ SERIES 🏅 Merrimack, NH	27 / 37 (636.9712)	32 (153.6684)	17 (165.1200)	24 (162.2628)	27 (155.9200)
Sep 25, 2021	Nor'Easter BBQ Showdown 🏅 Southwick, MA	14 / 26 (644.4572)	19 (157.1088)	16 (159.3828)	19 (155.3828)	4 (172.5828)
Aug 27, 2021	New Holland Summer Fest 🏅 New Holland, PA	39 / 44 (601.5888)	44 (141.1888)	37 (150.8112)	36 (150.2172)	25 (159.3716)
Jun 12, 2021	Granite State BBQ Championship 🏅 Hancock, NH	30 / 32 (614.1144)	27 (157.0972)	30 (148.5028)	26 (157.7028)	29 (150.8116)

Matt's Backyard BBQ

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

Rating

Contests

First seen

Best ToY finish

Grand champs

Category wins

Overall top-10s

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

Backyard (4-meat) avg

Storylines (10 found in their record)

High-water mark

The one to beat

Their season

A tough matchup

A strong matchup

Chicken nemesis

Looking over their shoulder

A May team

The long haul

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)