Monsters of the Ribway

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

Power ranking

#3985

of 6,413 rated · rankings

Rating

1483

peak 1546 · rated over 37 contests ⓘ

Contests

in the data

First seen

2013-06-22

latest 2023-07-14

Best ToY finish

#520

Master 2017

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

10 podiums

Overall top-10s

of 39 contests

Avg finish

top 56%

overall standings

Best overall

677.0856 / 720

Master · Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown (Formerly Morton BBQ Throwdown)

Perfect 180s

Current form

654.47 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 648.11 (+6.36)

Walk rate

54%

contests with a top-10 call

Top-10 streak

best run (overall)

Best single call

178.2972

Pork Ribs · Grill Games

Consistency

±14.96

std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork

avg 163.82 · weakest Brisket (158.95)

Road miles

6,262

mi across 39 mapped stops · furthest 668 mi

Schedule strength

46%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1560)

Purse competed for

$69K

listed at 9 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

GCs in 11 state-championship entries

Master avg

648.11 / 720

37 Master contests · 0 GCs

⚔ Compare with another team

Storylines (10 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

677.0856 career-best overall

94.0% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 677.0856 at Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown (Formerly Morton BBQ Throwdown) — 94.0% of a perfect 720.

Master
2016-07-22

The one to beat

3× one call ahead of them

FIDDLIN' FATBACK has finished one call ahead of Monsters of the Ribway 3 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2015 their best year

2015 was the year it came together: 3 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 1 category win, at an average finish in the top 32%.

3 contests
0 overall top-10s
1 category wins
average top 32%

A tough matchup

19–0 behind in the head-to-head

One2BBQ ahead in 100% of their meetings

One2BBQ has come out ahead in 19 of their 19 shared contests.

The weak link

−4.9 points behind their best meat

Brisket is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 4.87 points below their pork, and turns into a call 16% of the time against 35%.

Brisket avg 158.95
Pork avg 163.82
6 calls in 37 entries

A strong matchup

12–1 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 92% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of SAUCED N SMOKED in 12 of their 13 shared contests.

Pork nemesis

17 of 19 shared pork entries lost

One2BBQ ahead 89% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, One2BBQ has out-cooked them in 17 of 19 shared pork entries.

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

Risky Brisket has landed one call behind them 2 times.

The long haul

6,262 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 6,262 miles across 39 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 668 miles to Bone Suckin' Sauce Peak City Pig Fest.

39 mapped stops
furthest 668 mi

The metronome

±2.08% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±2.08% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 90.0% of a perfect score
39 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.

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

WHISKEY WHISKERS BBQ COMPANY

#3989 of the rated field

1483 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 18
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1503

2–0 in 2 shared contests (100% to Monsters of the Ribway)

2 contests in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team Monsters of the Ribway has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.

rated over 18 contests
last seen 2026-08-21

⚔ Head-to-head

HIGH ON THE HOG CATLIN, IL

#3963 of the rated field

1484 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 14
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 7%
Peak: 1505

1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to Monsters of the Ribway)

Their last contest in the data was back in 2017, 6 years before Monsters of the Ribway's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 14 contests

⚔ Head-to-head

Big Bad Hawg's

#3959 of the rated field

1484 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 10
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1484

5–0 in 5 shared contests (100% to Monsters of the Ribway)

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 10 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 10 contests
last seen 2017-10-13

⚔ Head-to-head

HOT EMBERS BBQ

#3965 of the rated field

1484 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 10
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 10%
Peak: 1484

1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to Monsters of the Ribway)

Fewer contests behind them than Monsters of the Ribway has cooked, 10 to 39, which makes theirs the less settled rating of the two.

rated over 6 contests
last seen 2026-06-19

⚔ Head-to-head

Wood Chicks BBQ

#3997 of the rated field

1483 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 6
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1505

0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to Monsters of the Ribway)

Level with Monsters of the Ribway on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 6 contests
last seen 2022-01-28

⚔ Head-to-head

MAKE M' SQUEAL

#3968 of the rated field

1484 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 23
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 4%
Peak: 1512

No shared contest yet.

23 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 4% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 23 contests
last seen 2021-06-18

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
One2BBQ	19	0	19	0%	⚔ compare
CAPTAIN RON'S BREW-N-QUE	18	1	17	6%	⚔ compare
QUAU	17	6	11	35%	⚔ compare
SmokinGhost BBQ	17	3	14	18%	⚔ compare
RACK MASTERS BBQ	16	7	9	44%	⚔ compare
CLUCK , OINK & MOO BARBECUE	14	6	8	43%	⚔ compare
FIDDLIN' FATBACK	14	6	8	43%	⚔ compare
Risky Brisket	14	3	11	21%	⚔ compare
BLUE ISLAND BBQ CO.	14	3	11	21%	⚔ compare
Its 5 Oclock Somewhere	14	2	12	14%	⚔ compare
SAUCED N SMOKED	13	12	1	92%	⚔ compare
SMOKY LINCS	13	8	5	62%	⚔ compare
CHANNABILLY BBQ	13	5	8	38%	⚔ compare
MOON KING BBQ	12	11	1	92%	⚔ compare
Rusty Pig BBQ	12	2	10	17%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	37	6	2	2	176.5828	146.2400	163.26	top 57%
Pork Ribs	39	10	1	4	178.2972	144.5372	162.50	top 52%
Pork	37	13	0	3	176.5716	149.6796	163.82	top 47%
Brisket	37	6	0	1	173.1656	141.6344	158.95	top 63%

“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
IL	27	top 57%
WI	6	top 51%
NC	2	top 61%
MN	1	top 29%
IA	1	top 75%

By contest size

Field	Contests	Avg finish
Small (<20 teams)	4	top 62%
Medium (20–39)	13	top 54%
Large (40+)	20	top 56%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Grill Games	4	5	top 45%	2018-08-24
Heritage Days BBQ Showdown (Day one)	3	20	top 59%	2021-06-25
Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown	3	14	top 53%	2019-07-19
*Up In smoke on the Square( WAIT LIST ONLY FOR JUDGES)	3	14	top 52%	2018-06-01
Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown	2	16	top 72%	2023-07-14
Heritage Days BBQ Showdown Day 1	2	36	top 77%	2019-06-21
*I-39 Smokin Car Show	2	6	top 44%	2018-06-30
Morton BBQ Throwdown	2	24	top 56%	2014-07-25

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

On the trail 10.1 yrs 2013-06-22 → 2023-07-14

Busiest season 2017 7 contests

Contests a season 3.5 across 11 seasons in the data

Cooks most in IL 29 of 39 contests · 5 states/provinces in all

Contests visited 24 8 of them cooked more than once

Most-entered meat Pork Ribs 39 entries · 1 win · 10 calls

Strongest meat Pork averages 163.82 · weakest Brisket (158.95)

Walk rate 54% a top-10 call in 21 of 39 contests

Overall top-10 rate 15% 6 of 39 contests

Best top-10 run 2 straight contests

Master average 648.11 out of 720 · 37 contests · 0 GCs

Opponents faced 645 622–882 across every shared overall standing

Road miles 6,262 39 mapped stops · furthest 668 mi

Schedule strength 1560 average field rating faced — tougher than 46% of rated contests

Purse competed for $68,600 listed at 9 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships 0 from 11 state-championship entries

Longest layoff 1.2 yrs 2019-07-19 → 2020-10-16

Power rating 1483 peak 1546 · #3985 of 6,413 rated

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

2013
Jun 22 First tracked contest Mr. BBQ Barbeque Challenge
2014
Jul 25 First call Morton BBQ Throwdown
Sep 5 First overall top-10 Heart of Illinois BBQ, Beer & Bluegrass Festival
Sep 5 First overall past 90% of a perfect score665.6800 Heart of Illinois BBQ, Beer & Bluegrass Festival
2015
Jun 5 First category win (Chicken) Up In Smoke On The Square
Aug 28 10th tracked contest Grill Games
2016
Jul 22 Career-best overall score677.0856 Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown (Formerly Morton BBQ Throwdown)
2017
Aug 25 Career-best single call (Pork Ribs)178.2972 Grill Games
2018
Jul 20 25th tracked contest *Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown(JUDGES FULL)
Aug 24 Peak power rating (1546) Grill Games
2023
Jul 14 Most recent contest Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+14.4	Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown (Formerly Morton BBQ Throwdown)	2016-07-22
+12.7	Grill Games	2017-08-25
+11.1	5th Annual Morton BBQ Throwdown	2015-07-24
+10.8	*I-39 Smokin Car Show	2018-06-30
+9	Big Muddy Brew N Que	2017-09-02

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-10.5	Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown	2019-07-19
-10.2	Heritage Days BBQ Showdown (Day One)	2022-06-24
-9.2	Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown	2023-07-14
-7.9	Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown Day 2	2021-07-17
-7.1	Grill Games	2014-08-22

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	3	0	0	0%	top 73%	91.3%	90.4%
2022	5	0	0	80%	top 69%	93.2%	91.6%
2021	2	0	0	0%	top 72%	91.8%	90.2%
2020	1	0	0	0%	top 58%	90.6%	90.6%
2019	2	0	0	50%	top 74%	90%	89.5%
2018	5	1	1	80%	top 51%	93%	90.2%
2017	7	2	1	57%	top 49%	92.7%	89.9%
2016	4	2	0	75%	top 48%	94%	90.7%
2015	3	0	1	100%	top 32%	92.5%	91.6%
2014	4	1	0	50%	top 61%	92.5%	88.6%
2013	3	0	0	0%	top 60%	87.8%	87.2%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2023-07-14	Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown 🏅 Eureka, IL	20 / 25 (644.9824)	21 (163.9656)	16 (162.8228)	21 (156.5256)	19 (161.6684)
2023-07-14	Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown (One Meat Ribs) Eureka, IL	—	—	11 (167.9888)	—	—
2023-04-14	Bone Suckin' Sauce Peak City Pig Fest 🏅 Apex, NC	21 / 32 (657.0056)	20 (165.1200)	17 (166.2400)	24 (161.6684)	22 (163.9772)
2022-07-15	Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown 🏅 Eureka, IL	16 / 25 (670.6856)	21 (159.3600)	3 (176.5600)	12 (169.6800)	18 (165.0856)
2022-07-15	Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown (One Meat Ribs) Eureka, IL	—	—	5 (172.5716)	—	—
2022-06-24	Heritage Days BBQ Showdown (Day One) 🏅 Belvidere, IL	34 / 36 (637.4972)	27 (165.6800)	23 (165.0972)	27 (165.0856)	35 (141.6344)
2022-05-06	Route 66 Smoke Out 🏅 Dwight, IL	20 / 33 (662.1716)	8 (174.8572)	21 (162.8344)	15 (169.6800)	29 (154.8000)
2022-04-08	Jimbo's Annual BBQ Competition 🏅 Stem, NC	20 / 36 (667.3488)	21 (165.6800)	31 (161.6916)	3 (176.5716)	22 (163.4056)
2021-07-17	Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown Day 2 🏅 Eureka, IL	16 / 19 (637.5544)	11 (166.2856)	18 (157.6688)	16 (154.2056)	16 (159.3944)
2021-06-25	Heritage Days BBQ Showdown (Day one) 🏅 Belvidere, IL	29 / 49 (661.0972)	18 (168.0000)	41 (159.4056)	17 (170.2744)	32 (163.4172)
2020-10-16	Best of the Midwest BBQ 🏅 Union Grove, WI	29 / 50 (652.4576)	19 (169.1200)	25 (163.9888)	23 (165.0972)	40 (154.2516)
2019-07-19	Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown 🏅 Peoria, IL	30 / 40 (647.8860)	27 (163.3944)	31 (159.9772)	17 (166.2744)	34 (158.2400)
2019-06-21	Heritage Days BBQ Showdown Day 1 🏅 Belvidere, IL	36 / 50 (641.5088)	31 (163.3828)	44 (151.9316)	8 (171.4172)	39 (154.7772)
2018-08-24	Grill Games Kenosha, WI	22 / 42 (653.0632)	20 (166.8344)	18 (164.5716)	9 (168.0000)	31 (153.6572)
2018-07-20	*Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown(JUDGES FULL) Peoria, IL	14 / 43 (669.5540)	8 (171.9656)	4 (173.1200)	21 (167.3828)	36 (157.0856)
2018-06-30	*I-39 Smokin Car Show Minonk, IL	6 / 29 (654.7656)	1 (175.4400)	6 (166.2628)	16 (155.9200)	16 (157.1428)
2018-06-22	*Heritage Days BBQ Showdown Day 1 Belvidere, IL	42 / 51 (634.1144)	14 (171.9656)	47 (148.5600)	35 (159.9544)	47 (153.6344)
2018-06-01	*Up In smoke on the Square( WAIT LIST ONLY FOR JUDGES) Lincoln, IL	27 / 40 (635.7940)	31 (156.5028)	30 (155.3484)	8 (165.6684)	22 (158.2744)
2017-10-13	CIBR-BBQ Central Illinois Bragging Right BBQ Arthur, IL	27 / 41 (647.2456)	33 (158.2172)	30 (159.3944)	11 (168.5256)	26 (161.1084)
2017-09-02	Big Muddy Brew N Que Winona, MN	6 / 21 (667.3256)	17 (162.2744)	5 (170.2628)	7 (169.1084)	9 (165.6800)
2017-08-25	Grill Games Kenosha, WI	5 / 39 (663.9200)	30 (156.5256)	1 (178.2972)	10 (163.9772)	10 (165.1200)
2017-08-04	Badger Brews & Que Port Washington, WI	20 / 30 (631.8744)	29 (146.2400)	5 (168.0000)	10 (162.8228)	21 (154.8116)
2017-07-21	*Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown (JUDGES FULL) Peoria, IL	25 / 48 (635.2340)	32 (158.8228)	15 (162.2856)	27 (159.3484)	29 (154.7772)
2017-07-01	*I-39 Smokin Car Show Minonk, IL	12 / 18 (631.8284)	12 (159.9656)	15 (148.5144)	3 (170.8228)	14 (152.5256)
2017-06-23	*Heritage Days BBQ Showdown Belvidere, IL	20 / 42 (653.1088)	16 (165.7028)	29 (161.1772)	18 (163.9772)	22 (162.2516)
2016-08-20	Illinois BBQ Fest at Hillcrest Event Center Orion, IL	7 / 12 (647.8284)	7 (164.5372)	3 (163.9428)	6 (159.9428)	8 (159.4056)
2016-07-22	Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown (Formerly Morton BBQ Throwdown) Peoria, IL	4 / 37 (677.0856)	14 (166.2628)	13 (166.2972)	3 (174.2628)	10 (170.2628)
2016-06-24	Heritage Days BBQ Showdown Belvidere, IL	23 / 33 (637.0972)	17 (165.6800)	31 (144.5372)	7 (170.2972)	20 (156.5828)
2016-06-03	Up In smoke on the Square Lincoln, IL	28 / 52 (649.1316)	37 (162.2628)	32 (159.3944)	36 (160.0228)	17 (167.4516)
2015-08-28	Grill Games Kenosha, WI	18 / 49 (650.7772)	36 (156.5372)	4 (172.5600)	27 (159.3944)	17 (162.2856)
2015-07-24	5th Annual Morton BBQ Throwdown Morton, IL	11 / 47 (666.2740)	16 (166.2400)	11 (167.4400)	31 (159.4284)	3 (173.1656)
2015-06-05	Up In Smoke On The Square Lincoln, IL	14 / 40 (660.5256)	1 (176.5828)	26 (158.8456)	31 (156.5372)	8 (168.5600)
2014-09-05	Heart of Illinois BBQ, Beer & Bluegrass Festival Peoria, IL	6 / 16 (665.6800)	8 (165.0972)	2 (173.7600)	6 (168.0000)	12 (158.8228)
2014-08-22	Grill Games Kenosha, WI	36 / 47 (620.4340)	36 (155.9312)	38 (146.8460)	40 (149.6796)	12 (167.9772)
2014-07-25	Morton BBQ Throwdown Morton, IL	28 / 48 (638.2404)	29 (162.2400)	29 (157.6916)	5 (169.7144)	43 (148.5944)
2014-05-24	Red, White, And BBQ Westmont, IL	51 / 72 (626.1716)	57 (154.8228)	41 (159.3944)	45 (159.9772)	57 (151.9772)
2013-10-18	8th Annual Lambs Farm Barn Burner Bar-B-Q (TEAMS FULL) Libertyville, IL	28 / 54 (621.0736)	25 (158.8568)	31 (154.2628)	34 (150.2512)	22 (157.7028)
2013-07-26	Morton BBQ Throwdown (TEAMS & JUDGES FULL - May email to be put on waitlist) Morton, IL	24 / 45 (631.8972)	30 (154.2744)	17 (162.8344)	28 (161.6912)	32 (153.0972)
2013-06-22	Mr. BBQ Barbeque Challenge Davenport, IA	24 / 32 (629.7144)	26 (156.0002)	13 (165.1428)	23 (159.9998)	28 (148.5716)

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	#1182 (77 pts)	#1232 (82 pts)	#1292 (97 pts)	#1280 (62 pts)	#1242 (72 pts)
2022 ↗	Master	#714 (238 pts)	#673 (283 pts)	#465 (542 pts)	#674 (283 pts)	#796 (203 pts)
2021 ↗	Master	#841 (149 pts)	#750 (209 pts)	#959 (139 pts)	#759 (189 pts)	#874 (149 pts)
2020 ↗	Master	#856 (60 pts)	#825 (90 pts)	#913 (60 pts)	#872 (70 pts)	#883 (60 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#703 (479 pts)	#535 (694 pts)	#619 (594 pts)	#683 (539 pts)	#913 (354 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#520 (739 pts)	#747 (534 pts)	#401 (959 pts)	#416 (919 pts)	#629 (634 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#862 (412 pts)	#1087 (317 pts)	#944 (392 pts)	#874 (447 pts)	#955 (367 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#931 (340 pts)	#808 (450 pts)	#890 (400 pts)	#1505 (180 pts)	#750 (490 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#883 (376 pts)	#984 (356 pts)	#792 (461 pts)	#749 (501 pts)	#874 (391 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#1230 (212 pts)	#1326 (202 pts)	#1025 (302 pts)	#1282 (212 pts)	#1262 (217 pts)