Blue Island

Blue Island is a competition barbecue team with 13 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2021 and 2023. Their best overall finish is 12th of 28 at the Hoosier BBQ Classic #2 (2023). They are ranked #2532 of 6,485 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#2,532

of 6,485 rated · rankings

Rating

1519

peak 1529 · rated over 10 contests1 invitational or side-series contest not counted

Contests

in the data

First seen

Oct 22, 2021

latest Jul 14, 2023 · 1.7 years on the trail

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

2 podiums

Overall top-10s

0% of 13 contests

Avg finish

top 57%

overall standings

Best overall

682.8000 / 720

Master · Hoosier BBQ Classic #2

Perfect 180s

Current form

668.23 ▼

last 5 Master vs avg 668.87 (-0.64)

Walk rate

31%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

177.7028

Chicken · Best of the Midwest BBQ

Consistency

±9.63

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 168.80 · weakest Pork Ribs (164.66)

Road miles

2,670

across 13 mapped stops · furthest 470 mi

Schedule strength

81%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1605)

Purse competed for

$66K

listed at 9 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 10 state-championship entries

Master avg

668.87 / 720

11 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (8 found in their record)

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

High-water mark

682.8000 career-best overall

94.8% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 682.8000 at Hoosier BBQ Classic #2 — 94.8% of a perfect 720.

Master
Jun 10, 2023

A tough matchup

8–1 behind in the head-to-head

SmokinGhost BBQ ahead in 89% of their meetings

SmokinGhost BBQ has come out ahead in 8 of their 9 shared contests.

The weak link

−4.1 points behind their best meat

Pork Ribs is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 4.14 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 9% of the time against 18%.

Pork Ribs avg 164.66
Chicken avg 168.80
1 call in 11 entries

A strong matchup

3–0 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 100% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of SMOKIN HOOSIERS in 3 of their 3 shared contests.

The comeback

5.3 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 5.3 years, then back at Best of the Midwest BBQ (Oct 22, 2021).

last seen Jul 15, 2016
back Oct 22, 2021

Chicken nemesis

8 of 9 shared chicken entries lost

SmokinGhost BBQ ahead 89% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, SmokinGhost BBQ has out-cooked them in 8 of 9 shared chicken entries.

They cook the hard rooms

1605 average field rating faced

A tougher draw than 81% of rated fields

The fields they enter average a 1605 power rating — a tougher draw than 81% of every rated contest in the data.

10 rated contests

Show 1 more storyline

The metronome

±1.34% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±1.34% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 92.9% of a perfect score
13 contests

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to Blue Island, each with one reason worth a look.

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

M & K BBQ

#2,523 of the rated field

1519 power rating

Contests: 20
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 15%
Peak: 1533

0–2 in 2 shared contests (0% to Blue Island)

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

rated over 15 contests
last seen Oct 17, 2025

⚔ Head-to-head

TORNADO ALLEY

#2,518 of the rated field

1520 power rating

Contests: 6
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1520

0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to Blue Island)

Fewer contests behind them than Blue Island has cooked, 6 to 13, which makes theirs the less settled rating of the two.

rated over 6 contests
last seen Nov 5, 2025

⚔ Head-to-head

Little?s Barbecue Company

#2,542 of the rated field

1519 power rating

Contests: 5
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 40%
Peak: 1519

0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to Blue Island)

Both teams' first contest in the data came in 2021.

rated over 5 contests
last seen Jul 14, 2023

⚔ Head-to-head

Big B BBQ Company

#2,534 of the rated field

1519 power rating

Contests: 60
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 28%
Peak: 1575

1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to Blue Island)

They've been 1575 at their best, 56 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 55 contests
last seen Jun 12, 2026

⚔ Head-to-head

JCQ

#2,529 of the rated field

1519 power rating

Contests: 10
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1525

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

rated over 10 contests
last seen Jun 24, 2022

⚔ Compare careers

Blood Sweat & Beers

#2,522 of the rated field

1519 power rating

Contests: 11
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 9%
Peak: 1541

Careers of much the same size, 11 contests to 13, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 11 contests
last seen Jun 27, 2025

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
SmokinGhost BBQ	9	1	8	11%	⚔ compare
The Yellow Rose Texas BBQ Company	7	3	4	43%	⚔ compare
Heavy Smoke BBQ	7	1	6	14%	⚔ compare
QUE U	7	0	7	0%	⚔ compare
DB BBQ	6	1	5	17%	⚔ compare
JANKY LEG BBQ	6	1	5	17%	⚔ compare
WE WILL ROCK QUE	6	0	6	0%	⚔ compare
iBQ'n	6	0	6	0%	⚔ compare
TIRE SMOKE BBQ	6	0	6	0%	⚔ compare
BBQ Maestros	5	3	2	60%	⚔ compare
Shiggin aint easy	5	2	3	40%	⚔ compare
FIREHOUSE SMOKE	5	2	3	40%	⚔ compare
BILLY RAY BBQ	5	2	3	40%	⚔ compare
Up From The Pits BBQ	5	1	4	20%	⚔ compare
First Class BBQ	5	1	4	20%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	11	2	1	177.7028	158.2284	168.80	top 57%
Pork Ribs	11	1	0	169.1316	161.6572	164.66	top 65%
Pork	11	2	1	176.5600	157.6572	167.29	top 53%
Brisket	11	2	0	173.1316	161.0972	168.12	top 47%

“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	GCs	Avg finish
Medium (20–39)	6	0	top 55%
Large (40+)	5	0	top 58%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	Avg finish
IN	3	top 45%
IL	2	top 59%
WI	2	top 51%
KS	2	top 65%
MO	1	top 84%
TN	1	top 52%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	GCs	Avg finish	Last visit
Best of the Midwest BBQ	2	13	0	top 51%	Oct 14, 2022

More numbers

Busiest season 2022 7 contests

Contests a season 3.3 across 4 seasons in the data

Most contests held in IN 4 of 13 contests · 6 states in all

Contests visited 10 1 of them more than once

Opponents faced 696 finished ahead 477 times, behind 653

Longest layoff 5.3 yrs Jul 15, 2016 → Oct 22, 2021

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

20234 milestones

Apr 28 10th tracked contest WashMo BBQ & Bluesfest (JUDGING FULL)
Jun 10 Career-best overall score682.8000 Hoosier BBQ Classic #2
Jun 10 Peak power rating (1529) Hoosier BBQ Classic #2
Jul 14 Most recent contest Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown

20222 milestones

May 6 First call Route 66 Smoke Out
Oct 14 Career-best single call (Chicken)177.7028 Best of the Midwest BBQ

20211 milestone

Oct 22 First overall past 90% of a perfect score654.7312 Best of the Midwest BBQ

20161 milestone

Jul 15 First tracked contest Wine,Brew & Bar-B-Que Too!

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+8.5	CCSFEST	Apr 8, 2022
+7.8	Hoosier BBQ Classic #2	Jun 10, 2023
+6.6	Route 66 Smoke Out	May 6, 2022
+5.1	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - OPEN CONTEST	Sep 29, 2022
+5	Hoosier BBQ Classic #1	Jun 9, 2023

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-10	Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown	Jul 14, 2023
-6.2	WashMo BBQ & Bluesfest (JUDGING FULL)	Apr 28, 2023
-3.8	Best of the Midwest BBQ	Oct 22, 2021

Scores over time (% of a perfect score — 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	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2023	4	50%	top 63%	94.8%	92.6%
2022	7	29%	top 51%	94.4%	93.4%
2021	1	0%	top 66%	90.9%	90.9%
2016	1	0%	—	—	—

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Jul 14, 2023	Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown 🏅 Eureka, IL	19 / 25 (657.5312)	22 (163.9312)	8 (167.4172)	19 (160.5028)	15 (165.6800)
Jun 10, 2023	Hoosier BBQ Classic #2 🏅 Franklin, IN	12 / 28 (682.8000)	10 (173.1428)	22 (166.8572)	3 (176.5600)	21 (166.2400)
Jun 9, 2023	Hoosier BBQ Classic #1 🏅 Franklin, IN	19 / 38 (674.1944)	25 (169.6800)	19 (169.1316)	18 (168.5600)	21 (166.8228)
Apr 28, 2023	WashMo BBQ & Bluesfest (JUDGING FULL) 🏅 Washington, MO	31 / 37 (652.4572)	34 (158.2284)	17 (166.2972)	24 (166.8344)	31 (161.0972)
Oct 14, 2022	Best of the Midwest BBQ 🏅 Union Grove, WI	13 / 36 (674.1832)	3 (177.7028)	24 (162.8232)	22 (162.2400)	9 (171.4172)
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	219 / 505 (671.9312)	88 (173.7372)	381 (161.7028)	290 (165.6800)	131 (170.8112)
Sep 29, 2022	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - INVITATIONAL CONTEST unrated Kansas City, KS	218 / 249 (665.0396)	95 (173.1084)	227 (161.7372)	229 (162.8112)	159 (167.3828)
May 6, 2022	Route 66 Smoke Out 🏅 Dwight, IL	14 / 33 (673.0168)	23 (167.3828)	22 (162.2284)	8 (173.7028)	9 (169.7028)
Apr 8, 2022	CCSFEST 🏅 Indianapolis, IN	18 / 42 (679.8972)	32 (168.5372)	24 (169.1200)	13 (172.5716)	16 (169.6684)
Mar 18, 2022	Smoke on The Shores 🏅 Lebanon, TN	33 / 63 (671.8400)	53 (163.9428)	49 (161.6572)	18 (173.1084)	12 (173.1316)
Oct 22, 2021	Best of the Midwest BBQ 🏅 Union Grove, WI	29 / 44 (654.7312)	21 (167.4056)	33 (162.2628)	39 (157.6572)	17 (167.4056)
Jul 15, 2016	Wine,Brew & Bar-B-Que Too! New Palestine, IN	—	—	—	—	—

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

Blue Island

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

Rating

Contests

First seen

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

Storylines (8 found in their record)

High-water mark

A tough matchup

The weak link

A strong matchup

The comeback

Chicken nemesis

They cook the hard rooms

The metronome

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 — 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)