SMITH BBQ CO.

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

Power ranking

#2993

of 6,413 rated · rankings

Rating

1506

peak 1506 · rated over 10 contests ⓘ

Contests

in the data

First seen

2014-05-30

latest 2023-09-02

Best ToY finish

#856

Master 2020

Grand champs

1 reserve

Category wins

1 podiums

Overall top-10s

of 10 contests

Avg finish

top 58%

overall standings

Best overall

659.8972 / 720

Master · 2nd Annual Qlathe BBQ Championship

Perfect 180s

Current form

643.66 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 635.22 (+8.44)

Walk rate

40%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

176.0000

Pork Ribs · 2nd Annual Qlathe BBQ Championship

Consistency

±11.67

std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork Ribs

avg 164.15 · weakest Pork (154.67)

Road miles

557

mi across 10 mapped stops · furthest 179 mi

Schedule strength

51%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1565)

Purse competed for

$32K

listed at 4 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

GCs in 4 state-championship entries

Master avg

635.22 / 720

10 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.

The heartbreaker

2.8572 points from the title

Came within 2.8572 points of the Grand Championship at Septemberfest BBQ & RibEye Steak Cook-off Challenge (2023-09-02).

A tough matchup

6–2 behind in the head-to-head

SMOKIN' LEFTY'S BBQ ahead in 75% of their meetings

SMOKIN' LEFTY'S BBQ has come out ahead in 6 of their 8 shared contests.

The weak link

−9.5 points behind their best meat

Pork is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 9.48 points below their pork ribs, and turns into a call 0% of the time against 20%.

Pork avg 154.67
Pork Ribs avg 164.15
0 calls in 10 entries

A strong matchup

3–0 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 100% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of FIREHOUSE BBQ OMAHA in 3 of their 3 shared contests.

The comeback

3.8 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 3.8 years, then back at 2nd Annual Qlathe BBQ Championship (2020-03-13).

last seen 2016-05-20
back 2020-03-13

Pork Ribs nemesis

7 of 7 shared pork ribs entries lost

PARROTHEAD SMOKERS ahead 100% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, PARROTHEAD SMOKERS has out-cooked them in 7 of 7 shared pork ribs entries.

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

BLACKSHIRT BBQ has landed one call behind them 2 times.

A September team

Top 29% average finish in September

Something about September: average finish in the top 29% across 3 contests, versus top 58% the rest of the year.

3 September contests
top 58% the rest of the year

The metronome

±1.62% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±1.62% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 88.2% of a perfect score
10 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.

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

Liq N' Q

#2996 of the rated field

1505 ▼ 0 power rating

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

No shared contest yet.

Careers of much the same size, 10 contests to 10, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 10 contests
last seen 2026-06-26

⚔ Head-to-head

BBQ AUS MASSEN

#2977 of the rated field

1506 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 10
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 20%
Peak: 1515

No shared contest yet.

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

rated over 10 contests
last seen 2022-07-23

⚔ Head-to-head

I'd Smoke That

#2992 of the rated field

1506 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 13
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 23%
Peak: 1510

No shared contest yet.

13 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 23% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 9 contests
last seen 2026-08-15

⚔ Head-to-head

BURNING COAL BBQ

#2997 of the rated field

1505 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 9
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 33%
Peak: 1506

No shared contest yet.

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 9 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 9 contests
last seen 2023-06-17

⚔ Head-to-head

BAD COMPANY BBQ

#2987 of the rated field

1506 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 9
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1511

No shared contest yet.

Careers of much the same size, 9 contests to 10, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 9 contests
last seen 2023-04-07

⚔ Head-to-head

BACONATERS

#2971 of the rated field

1506 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 9
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1506

No shared contest yet.

Their last contest in the data was back in 2018, 5 years before SMITH BBQ CO.'s most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 9 contests

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
SMOKIN' LEFTY'S BBQ	8	2	6	25%	⚔ compare
WHEN PIGS DIE	8	2	6	25%	⚔ compare
PARROTHEAD SMOKERS	7	2	5	29%	⚔ compare
ELWOOD BBQ	6	3	3	50%	⚔ compare
HELPING U BBQ	6	2	4	33%	⚔ compare
PORKY BUTTS BBQ	6	1	5	17%	⚔ compare
SPICE YOUR LIFE RUB YOUR MEAT	6	1	5	17%	⚔ compare
TATTOO BOB'S BAR-B-Q	6	0	6	0%	⚔ compare
SMOKIN DINGER - THE PROFESSOR OF HOGOLOGY	5	1	4	20%	⚔ compare
YOU GONNA LIKE IT	5	1	4	20%	⚔ compare
PORK PATROL BBQ	5	0	5	0%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	10	2	1	169.1428	150.8344	160.89	top 63%
Pork Ribs	10	2	0	176.0000	153.0972	164.15	top 55%
Pork	10	0	0	163.9656	141.7372	154.67	top 84%
Brisket	10	0	0	163.9772	139.9660	155.52	top 71%

“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
NE	8	top 55%
IA	1	top 76%
KS	1	top 63%

By contest size

Field	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
Medium (20–39)	6	0	top 62%
Large (40+)	4	0	top 50%

The story so far (17 numbers that describe this team)

On the trail 9.3 yrs 2014-05-30 → 2023-09-02

Busiest season 2014 4 contests

Contests a season 1.7 across 6 seasons in the data

Cooks most in NE 8 of 10 contests · 3 states/provinces in all

Contests visited 10 0 of them cooked more than once

Most-entered meat Chicken 10 entries · 0 wins · 2 calls

Strongest meat Pork Ribs averages 164.15 · weakest Pork (154.67)

Walk rate 40% a top-10 call in 4 of 10 contests

Overall top-10 rate 20% 2 of 10 contests

Master average 635.22 out of 720 · 10 contests · 0 GCs

Opponents faced 256 166–223 across every shared overall standing

Road miles 557 10 mapped stops · furthest 179 mi

Schedule strength 1565 average field rating faced — tougher than 51% of rated contests

Purse competed for $32,000 listed at 4 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships 0 from 4 state-championship entries

Longest layoff 3.8 yrs 2016-05-20 → 2020-03-13

Power rating 1506 peak 1506 · #2993 of 6,413 rated

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

2014
May 30 First tracked contest 3rd Annual Valley Veterans Barbecue Competition
May 30 First call 3rd Annual Valley Veterans Barbecue Competition
2020
Mar 13 First overall past 90% of a perfect score659.8972 2nd Annual Qlathe BBQ Championship
Mar 13 Career-best overall score659.8972 2nd Annual Qlathe BBQ Championship
Mar 13 Career-best single call (Pork Ribs)176.0000 2nd Annual Qlathe BBQ Championship
2022
Sep 3 First overall top-10 Septemberfest BBQ & RibEye Steak Cookoff Challenge
2023
Sep 2 First overall podium Septemberfest BBQ & RibEye Steak Cook-off Challenge
Sep 2 First Reserve Championship Septemberfest BBQ & RibEye Steak Cook-off Challenge
Sep 2 10th tracked contest Septemberfest BBQ & RibEye Steak Cook-off Challenge
Sep 2 Peak power rating (1506) Septemberfest BBQ & RibEye Steak Cook-off Challenge
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
+18.9	Septemberfest BBQ & RibEye Steak Cook-off Challenge	2023-09-02
+16.6	Septemberfest BBQ & RibEye Steak Cookoff Challenge	2022-09-03
+0.6	5th Annual Valley Veteran's BBQ Competition	2016-05-20
+0.5	2nd Annual Qlathe BBQ Championship	2020-03-13

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-7.9	4th Annual Valley Veterans BBQ Competition	2015-05-29
-7.2	3rd Annual Valley Veterans Barbecue Competition	2014-05-30
-5.4	Shenandoah ShenDig	2023-07-21
-4.9	RiverFest Red White and Que	2014-07-18
-4.5	Ak-Sar-Ben's River City Rodeo & Stock Show	2014-09-26

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	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2023	2	1	0%	top 41%	87.5%	87.5%
2022	1	1	0%	top 11%	—	—
2020	1	0	100%	top 63%	91.7%	91.7%
2016	1	0	0%	top 57%	89.5%	89.5%
2015	1	0	100%	top 82%	85.7%	85.7%
2014	4	0	50%	top 70%	88.2%	87.4%

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	2 / 34 (350.8572)	34 (158.2172)	21 (167.3828)	25 (163.9656)	33 (156.0460)
2023-07-21	Shenandoah ShenDig 🏅 Shenandoah, IA	28 / 37 (630.1604)	36 (150.8344)	17 (170.2744)	36 (149.0628)	22 (159.9888)
2022-09-03	Septemberfest BBQ & RibEye Steak Cookoff Challenge 🏅 Omaha, NE	5 / 45 (344.5372)	44 (157.1200)	38 (163.9772)	43 (157.6684)	36 (159.3944)
2020-03-13	2nd Annual Qlathe BBQ Championship 🏅 Olathe, KS	43 / 68 (659.8972)	48 (163.4056)	4 (176.0000)	48 (163.9544)	53 (156.5372)
2016-05-20	5th Annual Valley Veteran's BBQ Competition Valley, NE	24 / 42 (644.4916)	22 (164.5372)	29 (157.6800)	32 (158.2972)	13 (163.9772)
2015-05-29	4th Annual Valley Veterans BBQ Competition Valley, NE	23 / 28 (617.0864)	6 (167.4172)	22 (155.9660)	21 (153.7372)	27 (139.9660)
2014-09-26	Ak-Sar-Ben's River City Rodeo & Stock Show Omaha, NE	33 / 47 (627.2684)	14 (167.4056)	38 (153.0972)	34 (156.5600)	41 (150.2056)
2014-08-08	Cass County Weeping Water, NE	22 / 35 (635.3944)	24 (159.4172)	4 (175.4400)	32 (149.0972)	25 (151.4400)
2014-07-18	RiverFest Red White and Que Bellevue, NE	25 / 35 (627.9316)	29 (151.3600)	21 (161.1544)	32 (152.5944)	16 (162.8228)
2014-05-30	3rd Annual Valley Veterans Barbecue Competition Valley, NE	23 / 30 (626.2400)	3 (169.1428)	15 (160.5372)	30 (141.7372)	19 (154.8228)

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	#1255 (60 pts)	#1319 (60 pts)	#1276 (100 pts)	#1287 (60 pts)	#1221 (75 pts)
2022 ↗	Master	#1309 (60 pts)	#1341 (60 pts)	#1404 (60 pts)	#1348 (60 pts)	#1333 (60 pts)
2020 ↗	Master	#856 (60 pts)	#896 (60 pts)	#533 (210 pts)	#899 (60 pts)	#883 (60 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#2240 (65 pts)	#2260 (75 pts)	#2349 (60 pts)	#2326 (60 pts)	#1839 (120 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#2143 (63 pts)	#1562 (168 pts)	#2159 (68 pts)	#2160 (73 pts)	#2829 (53 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#1104 (272 pts)	#772 (482 pts)	#782 (467 pts)	#1273 (247 pts)	#1022 (322 pts)