ELWOOD BBQ

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

Power ranking

#4603

of 6,413 rated · rankings

Rating

1470

peak 1531 · rated over 29 contests ⓘ

Contests

in the data

First seen

2013-05-31

latest 2023-09-02

Best ToY finish

#773

Master 2021

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

2 podiums

Overall top-10s

of 29 contests

Avg finish

top 62%

overall standings

Best overall

678.8456 / 720

Master · 21st Annual State Barbeque Championship of Nebraska

Perfect 180s

Current form

641.01 ▼

last 5 Master vs avg 645.37 (-4.36)

Walk rate

38%

contests with a top-10 call

Top-10 streak

best run (overall)

Best single call

174.3200

Pork Ribs · 21st Annual State Barbeque Championship of Nebraska

Consistency

±14.84

std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 163.98 · weakest Pork Ribs (159.39)

Road miles

493

mi across 29 mapped stops · furthest 65 mi

Schedule strength

69%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1586)

Purse competed for

$69K

listed at 9 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

GCs in 9 state-championship entries

Master avg

645.37 / 720

29 Master contests · 0 GCs

⚔ Compare with another team

Storylines (9 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.

High-water mark

678.8456 career-best overall

94.3% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 678.8456 at 21st Annual State Barbeque Championship of Nebraska — 94.3% of a perfect 720.

Master
2013-08-16

Their season

2013 their best year

2013 was the year it came together: 3 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 1 category win, at an average finish in the top 29%.

3 contests
2 overall top-10s
1 category wins
average top 29%

A tough matchup

20–4 behind in the head-to-head

WHEN PIGS DIE ahead in 83% of their meetings

WHEN PIGS DIE has come out ahead in 20 of their 24 shared contests.

The weak link

−4.6 points behind their best meat

Pork Ribs is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 4.59 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 17% of the time against 14%.

Pork Ribs avg 159.39
Chicken avg 163.98
5 calls in 29 entries

A strong matchup

10–0 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 100% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of OL SMOKEY in 10 of their 10 shared contests.

The comeback

1.7 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 1.7 years, then back at 9th Annual Valley Veterans BBQ Competition (2021-05-28).

last seen 2019-08-31
back 2021-05-28

Chicken nemesis

16 of 24 shared chicken entries lost

WHEN PIGS DIE ahead 67% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, WHEN PIGS DIE has out-cooked them in 16 of 24 shared chicken entries.

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

PORK GONE WYLDE has landed one call behind them 2 times.

The metronome

±2.06% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±2.06% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 89.6% of a perfect score
29 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.

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

Serial Grillers

#4604 of the rated field

1470 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 25
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 4%
Peak: 1470

No shared contest yet.

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 25 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 25 contests
last seen 2026-06-06

⚔ Head-to-head

SMOKY LINCS

#4584 of the rated field

1471 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 34
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 6%
Peak: 1471

No shared contest yet.

Their last contest in the data was back in 2019, 4 years before ELWOOD BBQ's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 34 contests

⚔ Head-to-head

This is Nice

#4613 of the rated field

1470 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 24
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1470

No shared contest yet.

Careers of much the same size, 24 contests to 29, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 24 contests
last seen 2026-06-26

⚔ Head-to-head

Pig in a Poke

#4589 of the rated field

1471 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 19
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 5%
Peak: 1523

No shared contest yet.

19 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 5% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 19 contests
last seen 2021-03-19

⚔ Head-to-head

PURPLE SHADOW

#4609 of the rated field

1470 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 19
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 11%
Peak: 1534

No shared contest yet.

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

rated over 19 contests
last seen 2020-10-16

⚔ Head-to-head

Split Borders BBQ

#4606 of the rated field

1470 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 46
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 4%
Peak: 1470

No shared contest yet.

They turned up 9 years after ELWOOD BBQ did, first appearing in 2022.

rated over 45 contests
last seen 2026-08-21

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
HELPING U BBQ	24	8	16	33%	⚔ compare
WHEN PIGS DIE	24	4	20	17%	⚔ compare
SMOKIN' LEFTY'S BBQ	22	5	17	23%	⚔ compare
SPITFIRE	19	3	16	16%	⚔ compare
PORKY BUTTS BBQ	19	2	17	11%	⚔ compare
KEV'S CHEW CHEW BBQ	17	8	9	47%	⚔ compare
PARROTHEAD SMOKERS	17	1	16	6%	⚔ compare
OMAHA'S BLOWIN' SMOKE	15	8	7	53%	⚔ compare
HOT GRILL ON GRILL ACTION	15	4	11	27%	⚔ compare
SPICE YOUR LIFE RUB YOUR MEAT	14	10	4	71%	⚔ compare
TATTOO BOB'S BAR-B-Q	14	0	14	0%	⚔ compare
BLAIR'S BIGFOOT BBQ	13	10	3	77%	⚔ compare
SMOKIN DINGER - THE PROFESSOR OF HOGOLOGY	13	2	11	15%	⚔ compare
WOODWARD BARBEQUE	12	0	12	0%	⚔ compare
DIRT ROAD BBQ	12	0	12	0%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	29	4	1	1	173.1084	148.5028	163.98	top 56%
Pork Ribs	29	5	0	0	174.3200	150.7772	159.39	top 68%
Pork	29	3	0	0	173.1772	151.4284	162.34	top 62%
Brisket	29	6	0	1	173.1428	130.1944	159.66	top 57%

“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	GCs	Avg finish
NE	27	0	top 61%
IA	2	0	top 80%

By contest size

Field	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
Medium (20–39)	16	0	top 65%
Large (40+)	13	0	top 59%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
*Septemberfest BBQ & Rib-eye Steak Cookoff Challenge	3	18	top 75%	2018-09-01
Septemberfest BBQ & Rib-eye Steak cook-off challenge	2	22	top 87%	2021-09-04
GOBS Que (DAY 1)	2	21	top 80%	2021-08-13
Ak-Sar-Ben's River City Rodeo & Stock Show	2	23	top 48%	2014-09-26

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

On the trail 10.3 yrs 2013-05-31 → 2023-09-02

Busiest season 2018 4 contests

Contests a season 2.9 across 10 seasons in the data

Cooks most in NE 27 of 29 contests · 2 states/provinces in all

Contests visited 24 4 of them cooked more than once

Most-entered meat Chicken 29 entries · 1 win · 4 calls

Strongest meat Chicken averages 163.98 · weakest Pork Ribs (159.39)

Walk rate 38% a top-10 call in 11 of 29 contests

Overall top-10 rate 10% 3 of 29 contests

Best top-10 run 2 straight contests

Master average 645.37 out of 720 · 29 contests · 0 GCs

Opponents faced 396 406–686 across every shared overall standing

Road miles 493 29 mapped stops · furthest 65 mi

Schedule strength 1586 average field rating faced — tougher than 69% of rated contests

Purse competed for $68,560 listed at 9 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships 0 from 9 state-championship entries

Longest layoff 1.7 yrs 2019-08-31 → 2021-05-28

Power rating 1470 peak 1531 · #4603 of 6,413 rated

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

2013
May 31 First tracked contest 2nd Annual Valley Veterans Barbecue Competition
May 31 First call 2nd Annual Valley Veterans Barbecue Competition
May 31 First category win (Chicken) 2nd Annual Valley Veterans Barbecue Competition
May 31 First overall top-10 2nd Annual Valley Veterans Barbecue Competition
May 31 First overall past 90% of a perfect score648.5712 2nd Annual Valley Veterans Barbecue Competition
Aug 16 Career-best overall score678.8456 21st Annual State Barbeque Championship of Nebraska
Aug 16 Career-best single call (Pork Ribs)174.3200 21st Annual State Barbeque Championship of Nebraska
2016
May 20 10th tracked contest 5th Annual Valley Veteran's BBQ Competition
May 20 Peak power rating (1531) 5th Annual Valley Veteran's BBQ Competition
2021
Aug 13 25th tracked contest GOBS Que (DAY 1)
2023
Sep 2 Most recent contest Septemberfest BBQ & RibEye Steak Cook-off Challenge

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+11.7	21st Annual State Barbeque Championship of Nebraska	2013-08-16
+9.4	2nd Annual Valley Veterans Barbecue Competition	2013-05-31
+8.1	Septemberfest BBQ & Rib-Eye Steak Cookoff Challenge	2015-09-05
+7.1	Septemberfest BBQ & RibEye Steak Cook-off Challenge	2023-09-02
+5.5	23rd Annual State BBQ Championship of Nebraska	2015-08-14

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-10.4	3rd Annual Valley Veterans Barbecue Competition	2014-05-30
-8.7	Septemberfest BBQ & Rib-eye Steak cook-off challenge	2021-09-04
-7.7	Septemberfest BBQ & Rib-eye Steak Cookoff Challenge	2016-09-03
-7.7	GOBS Que (DAY 1)	2021-08-13
-7.4	24th Annual State BBQ Championship of Nebraska	2016-08-05

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)
2023	2	1	0	0%	top 56%	88.6%	88.6%
2022	1	0	0	0%	top 31%	—	—
2021	3	0	0	0%	top 91%	88.4%	87.3%
2019	3	0	0	33%	top 73%	90.7%	89%
2018	4	0	0	25%	top 70%	91.3%	89.8%
2017	4	0	0	50%	top 68%	91.1%	90.3%
2016	3	0	0	67%	top 73%	90%	88%
2015	3	0	0	67%	top 39%	93%	91.6%
2014	3	0	0	0%	top 64%	90.1%	88.1%
2013	3	2	1	100%	top 29%	94.3%	91.8%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2023-09-02	Septemberfest BBQ & RibEye Steak Cook-off Challenge 🏅 Omaha, NE	10 / 34 (332.5260)	12 (170.8572)	15 (168.5600)	31 (160.5600)	22 (166.8228)
2023-06-30	Ditmars Red White & Blue BBQ 🏅 Council Bluffs, IA	18 / 22 (637.6000)	18 (161.1544)	17 (160.5028)	20 (158.2284)	17 (157.7144)
2022-09-03	Septemberfest BBQ & RibEye Steak Cookoff Challenge 🏅 Omaha, NE	14 / 45 (158.2284)	20 (169.7028)	44 (157.6456)	40 (162.2168)	31 (162.8800)
2021-09-04	Septemberfest BBQ & Rib-eye Steak cook-off challenge 🏅 Omaha, NE	24 / 25 (616.9376)	21 (162.2400)	16 (166.2516)	21 (158.2516)	25 (130.1944)
2021-08-13	GOBS Que (DAY 1) 🏅 Arlington, NE	23 / 26 (631.2572)	23 (160.5256)	16 (162.8000)	17 (165.1428)	26 (142.7888)
2021-05-28	9th Annual Valley Veterans BBQ Competition 🏅 Valley, NE	41 / 46 (636.4684)	28 (166.2628)	37 (160.5256)	35 (162.2972)	42 (147.3828)
2019-08-31	Septemberfest BBQ & Rib-eye Steak cook-off challenge 🏅 Omaha, NE	22 / 28 (635.1768)	19 (163.9772)	27 (153.6228)	19 (162.7884)	23 (154.7884)
2019-08-09	GOBS Que 🏅 Arlington, NE	21 / 29 (634.0684)	26 (148.5028)	10 (167.4172)	25 (153.6228)	12 (164.5256)
2019-05-31	8th Annual Valley Veterans BBQ Competition 🏅 Valley, NE	27 / 39 (653.0172)	16 (168.5716)	36 (152.5028)	13 (169.1200)	23 (162.8228)
2018-09-21	*Tri City BBQ Fest Denison, IA	21 / 27 (649.5772)	23 (157.1088)	24 (154.2056)	17 (165.7028)	2 (172.5600)
2018-09-01	*Septemberfest BBQ & Rib-eye Steak Cookoff Challenge Omaha, NE	26 / 34 (639.3716)	18 (165.7600)	31 (150.7772)	31 (153.6916)	11 (169.1428)
2018-08-10	26th Annual State BBQ Championship of Nebraska Arlington, NE	18 / 30 (657.0628)	18 (162.8228)	24 (160.5256)	14 (167.4172)	13 (166.2972)
2018-05-18	7th Annual Valley Veterans BBQ Competition Valley, NE	28 / 42 (640.5144)	22 (165.7256)	27 (158.8344)	21 (165.6800)	36 (150.2744)
2017-09-02	Septemberfest BBQ & Rib-eye Steak Cookoff Challenge Omaha, NE	18 / 29 (653.6572)	16 (163.3712)	26 (150.8344)	6 (173.1772)	10 (166.2744)
2017-08-05	Omaha Steaks Nebraska BBQ Championship Day -2 Omaha, NE	42 / 50 (655.8744)	16 (173.1084)	46 (158.2400)	21 (168.5488)	44 (155.9772)
2017-08-04	Omaha Steaks Nebraska BBQ Championship Day -1 Omaha, NE	41 / 54 (641.5884)	31 (165.1084)	45 (155.9200)	47 (154.2400)	20 (166.3200)
2017-05-19	6th Annual Valley Veterans BBQ Competition Valley, NE	24 / 47 (650.1716)	25 (162.8460)	33 (158.2400)	35 (155.9656)	4 (173.1200)
2016-09-03	Septemberfest BBQ & Rib-eye Steak Cookoff Challenge Omaha, NE	39 / 45 (637.0172)	41 (157.1200)	40 (155.3600)	6 (172.0000)	42 (152.5372)
2016-08-05	24th Annual State BBQ Championship of Nebraska Omaha, NE	58 / 70 (616.4800)	66 (148.5484)	62 (151.9660)	27 (165.1544)	56 (150.8112)
2016-05-20	5th Annual Valley Veteran's BBQ Competition Valley, NE	21 / 42 (647.9312)	20 (165.6800)	9 (168.0228)	28 (161.7028)	32 (152.5256)
2015-09-05	Septemberfest BBQ & Rib-Eye Steak Cookoff Challenge Omaha, NE	11 / 31 (669.5884)	24 (162.7884)	6 (168.5600)	8 (169.1200)	8 (169.1200)
2015-08-14	23rd Annual State BBQ Championship of Nebraska Omaha, NE	18 / 42 (662.2172)	15 (168.5600)	18 (165.6916)	25 (164.5828)	23 (163.3828)
2015-05-29	4th Annual Valley Veterans BBQ Competition Valley, NE	11 / 28 (645.6912)	4 (170.8456)	10 (162.8800)	18 (157.7256)	18 (154.2400)
2014-09-26	Ak-Sar-Ben's River City Rodeo & Stock Show Omaha, NE	23 / 47 (648.4456)	18 (165.7028)	37 (154.8116)	13 (167.4056)	25 (160.5256)
2014-08-15	22nd Annual State Barbeque Championship of Nebraska LaPlatte, NE	23 / 38 (640.4800)	27 (158.8000)	23 (161.6800)	33 (156.0000)	16 (164.0000)
2014-05-30	3rd Annual Valley Veterans Barbecue Competition Valley, NE	25 / 30 (614.1140)	25 (153.0856)	24 (153.0972)	15 (158.8456)	23 (149.0856)
2013-09-27	Ak-Sar-Ben's River City Rodeo & Stock Show Omaha, NE	26 / 56 (654.7196)	7 (172.0000)	48 (150.7884)	40 (158.7884)	5 (173.1428)
2013-08-16	21st Annual State Barbeque Championship of Nebraska LaPlatte, NE	7 / 43 (678.8456)	8 (171.9656)	5 (174.3200)	18 (168.5600)	17 (164.0000)
2013-05-31	2nd Annual Valley Veterans Barbecue Competition Valley, NE	8 / 34 (648.5712)	1 (172.5714)	15 (157.7142)	31 (151.4284)	8 (166.8572)

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
2023 ↗	Master	#874 (141 pts)	#780 (206 pts)	#875 (196 pts)	#948 (131 pts)	#885 (161 pts)
2022 ↗	Master	#1309 (60 pts)	#1246 (85 pts)	#1404 (60 pts)	#1348 (60 pts)	#1333 (60 pts)
2021 ↗	Master	#773 (176 pts)	#785 (191 pts)	#676 (251 pts)	#705 (221 pts)	#849 (161 pts)
2019 ↗	Master	#1165 (202 pts)	#1091 (242 pts)	#1123 (242 pts)	#1064 (257 pts)	#1083 (252 pts)