BUBBA-Q'S

BUBBA-Q'S is a competition barbecue team with 31 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2014 and 2018. They have won 2 Grand Championships, most recently at the Taste of Grand Rapids 2014 (2014), and finished Reserve Grand Champion twice. They are ranked #608 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#608

of 6,491 rated · rankings

Rating

1658

peak 1672 · rated over 30 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Apr 11, 2014

latest Oct 5, 2018 · 4.5 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#45

Master 2014 · every season

Grand champs

2 reserve · wins it all 6% of the time

Category wins

15 podiums

Overall top-10s

52% of 31 contests

Best top-10 run

straight overall top-10s · 2 straight GCs

Avg finish

top 28%

overall standings

Best overall

693.0972 / 720

Master · Big Island BBQ

Perfect 180s

Current form

655.76 ▼

last 5 Master vs avg 670.71 (-14.95)

Walk rate

81%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

179.4400

Brisket · 9th Annual Smokin' Red Dirt BBQ

Consistency

±15.80

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork Ribs

avg 168.47 · weakest Brisket (167.05)

Road miles

9,884

across 31 mapped stops · furthest 672 mi

Schedule strength

49%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1563)

Master avg

670.71 / 720

30 Master contests · 2 GCs

Storylines (17 found in their record)

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

The heartbreaker

2.2284 points from the title

Came within 2.2284 points of the Grand Championship at BBQ in the Bluffs (May 9, 2014).

Among the elite

#608 of 6,491 rated teams

In the top 9% of every rated team in the data

A power rating of 1658 puts them #608 of 6,491 rated teams — the top 9% of the field.

rating 1658
peak 1672
30 rated contests

Against the odds

26-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings

The ratings favoured the top seed the other 74 times in 100

Their Grand Championship at Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Jul 4, 2014) came as the ratings underdog — roughly a 26-in-100 shot against the field's top-rated team, QUAU.

Giant slayer

55 teams beaten in one weekend

Took the Grand Championship over a 55-team field at Taste of Grand Rapids 2014.

Jul 25, 2014

Happy hunting ground

Top 14% average finish here

BBQ in the Bluffs is their spot: an average finish in the top 14% across 2 visits.

2 visits
best finish 2nd
average top 14%

They almost always walk

81% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 25 of 31 contests

A top-10 category call in 81% of their 31 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

693.0972 career-best overall

96.3% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 693.0972 at Big Island BBQ — 96.3% of a perfect 720.

Master
Aug 22, 2014

Show 10 more storylines

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

PORK PATROL BBQ has finished one call ahead of BUBBA-Q'S 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2014 2 Grand Championships

2014 was the year it came together: 16 contests, 2 Grand Championships and 5 category wins, at an average finish in the top 20%.

16 contests
12 overall top-10s
5 category wins
average top 20%

A tough matchup

13–2 behind in the head-to-head

LUCKY'S Q ahead in 87% of their meetings

LUCKY'S Q has come out ahead in 13 of their 15 shared contests.

The drought

17 contests since the last title

Their last Grand Championship came at Taste of Grand Rapids 2014 on Jul 25, 2014 — 17 contests and 12.2 years ago.

last GC Jul 25, 2014
12.2 years ago

A strong matchup

10–1 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 91% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of BLACK DOG BBQ IA in 10 of their 11 shared contests.

The comeback

3.1 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 3.1 years, then back at Up in Smoke BBQ Bash (Sep 28, 2018).

last seen Aug 28, 2015
back Sep 28, 2018

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

SMOKIN TRIGGERS has landed one call behind them 2 times.

A July team

Top 18% average finish in July

Something about July: average finish in the top 18% across 4 contests, versus top 28% the rest of the year.

4 July contests
top 28% the rest of the year

The long haul

9,884 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 9,884 miles across 31 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 672 miles to 21st Colorado BBQ Challenge.

31 mapped stops
furthest 672 mi

The metronome

±2.19% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±2.19% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 93.2% of a perfect score
31 contests

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
2015 ↗	Master	#544 (698 pts)	#629 (613 pts)	#281 (1,198 pts)	#520 (743 pts)	#899 (393 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#45 (2,393 pts)	#87 (1,917 pts)	#132 (1,708 pts)	#123 (1,700 pts)	#76 (2,018 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to BUBBA-Q'S, each with one reason worth a look.

BACKYARD BROS

#607 of the rated field

1658 power rating

Contests: 37
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 32%
Peak: 1662

Careers of much the same size, 37 contests to 31, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 33 contests
last seen Sep 27, 2023

⚔ Compare careers

SLATER HOUSE BBQ

#605 of the rated field

1658 power rating

Contests: 24
GCs: 3
Top-10s: 67%
Peak: 1658

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 23 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 23 contests
last seen Nov 14, 2025
on a 3-contest top-10 run

⚔ Compare careers

Big Daddy G's BBQ

#611 of the rated field

1658 power rating

Contests: 24
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 29%
Peak: 1658

Their rating is built on 1 Grand Championship in 24 contests, alongside a 29% overall top-10 rate.

rated over 21 contests
last seen Sep 29, 2022

⚔ Compare careers

TRUCKY'S TRUE BLU BBQ'UE

#606 of the rated field

1658 power rating

Contests: 19
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 74%
Peak: 1658

Both teams' first contest in the data came in 2014.

rated over 19 contests
last seen Jun 24, 2016
on a 3-contest top-10 run

⚔ Compare careers

Deviant Smoke

#610 of the rated field

1658 power rating

Contests: 52
GCs: 2
Top-10s: 50%
Peak: 1689

Level with BUBBA-Q'S on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 49 contests
last seen Jun 12, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

99 PROBLEMS SMOKIN AINT 1

#604 of the rated field

1658 power rating

Contests: 51
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 22%
Peak: 1663

A longer road to the same neighbourhood — 51 contests to 31.

rated over 51 contests
last seen Oct 11, 2019

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
LUCKY'S Q	15	2	13	13%	⚔ compare
SPITFIRE	14	8	6	57%	⚔ compare
SHIGGIN & GRINNIN	14	4	10	29%	⚔ compare
BIG CHAIN BBQ GANG	13	4	9	31%	⚔ compare
TRUE SMOKE BBQ	12	8	4	67%	⚔ compare
BLACK DOG BBQ IA	11	10	1	91%	⚔ compare
IOWA WILD HOGS BBQ	11	6	5	55%	⚔ compare
Hogline	11	5	6	45%	⚔ compare
WOODWARD BARBEQUE	10	7	3	70%	⚔ compare
T-MAC SMOKIN	10	5	5	50%	⚔ compare
IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ	10	2	8	20%	⚔ compare
Pig Skin BBQ	10	2	8	20%	⚔ compare
BIG BROTHERS BBQ	9	2	7	22%	⚔ compare
DIG-IN COOKERS	8	7	1	88%	⚔ compare
CROIX VALLEY SAUCES	8	5	3	63%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	30	13	3	3	176.5600	153.6228	167.81	top 38%
Pork Ribs	30	15	1	4	178.2972	149.0744	168.47	top 29%
Pork	30	11	0	4	177.7144	149.6344	167.38	top 37%
Brisket	30	11	2	4	179.4400	149.0628	167.05	top 37%

“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)	11	1	top 32%
Large (40+)	19	1	top 26%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
IA	12	0	top 33%
MN	5	0	top 23%
WI	5	0	top 40%
OK	3	0	top 18%
CO	2	0	top 13%
MI	2	2	top 3%
TN	1	0	top 55%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Up in Smoke BBQ Bash	2	5	top 41%	Sep 28, 2018
BBQ in the Bluffs	2	2	top 14%	May 8, 2015
Central Iowa Expo BBQ	2	6	top 25%	Apr 25, 2015
Central Iowa Expo BBQ, Cruise & Brew	2	18	top 44%	Apr 26, 2014

More numbers

Busiest season 2014 16 contests · 2 GCs

Contests a season 7.8 across 4 seasons in the data

Most contests held in IA 12 of 31 contests · 8 states in all

Contests visited 26 4 of them more than once

First title Jul 4, 2014 Sam's Club National BBQ Tour

Opponents faced 685 finished ahead 1,004 times, behind 328

Longest layoff 3.1 yrs Aug 28, 2015 → Sep 28, 2018

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

20181 milestone

Oct 5 Most recent contest SMOKEToBERFEST

20152 milestones

Jun 19 25th tracked contest 22nd Colorado BBQ Challenge
Jul 24 Peak power rating (1672) Up in Smoke BBQ Bash

201411 milestones

Apr 11 First call 9th Annual Smokin' Red Dirt BBQ
Apr 11 First category win (Brisket) 9th Annual Smokin' Red Dirt BBQ
Apr 11 First overall top-10 9th Annual Smokin' Red Dirt BBQ
Apr 11 First overall podium 9th Annual Smokin' Red Dirt BBQ
Apr 11 First overall past 90% of a perfect score687.3140 9th Annual Smokin' Red Dirt BBQ
Apr 11 Career-best single call (Brisket)179.4400 9th Annual Smokin' Red Dirt BBQ
May 2 First Reserve Championship The Masters in May
Jun 13 10th tracked contest 21st Colorado BBQ Challenge
Jul 4 First Grand Championship Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
Jul 25 Biggest field won (55 teams) Taste of Grand Rapids 2014
Aug 22 Career-best overall score693.0972 Big Island BBQ

20131 milestone

Sep 13 First tracked contest Decatur Jaycees 19th Annual Riverfest

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+16.3	9th Annual Smokin' Red Dirt BBQ	Apr 11, 2014
+15.7	The Masters in May	May 2, 2014
+15.2	BBQ in the Bluffs	May 9, 2014
+14.3	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	Jul 4, 2014
+13.9	Smokin in Steele	May 30, 2014

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-11.4	The Masters In May - The Classic	May 2, 2015
-10.4	Up in Smoke BBQ Bash	Sep 28, 2018
-7	The Masters In May	May 1, 2015
-4.8	Blues Hog Barbecue, Music & Craft Festival	Jul 3, 2015
-1.6	SMOKEToBERFEST	Oct 5, 2018

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	GCs	Top-10s	Category wins	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2018	2	0	0	0	100%	top 61%	90.8%	88.8%
2015	12	0	4	1	92%	top 33%	95.3%	92.6%
2014	16	2	12	5	75%	top 20%	96.3%	94.1%
2013	1	0	0	0	0%	—	—	—

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Oct 5, 2018	SMOKEToBERFEST Ottumwa, IA	20 / 40 (653.6460)	36 (153.7256)	23 (161.6572)	19 (165.1088)	4 (173.1544)
Sep 28, 2018	Up in Smoke BBQ Bash Mason City, IA	21 / 29 (624.9376)	21 (158.8344)	24 (149.0744)	27 (149.6344)	7 (167.3944)
Aug 28, 2015	8th Annual Big Island BBQ Albert Lea, MN	20 / 55 (664.4228)	8 (171.9772)	6 (173.1200)	23 (165.0856)	40 (154.2400)
Aug 7, 2015	Med City BBQ & Musicfest Rochester, MN	19 / 47 (654.6972)	35 (159.3828)	34 (158.2172)	19 (166.8228)	10 (170.2744)
Jul 24, 2015	Up in Smoke BBQ Bash Mason City, IA	5 / 54 (681.0972)	7 (173.7028)	18 (167.9772)	30 (164.5256)	4 (174.8916)
Jul 3, 2015	Blues Hog Barbecue, Music & Craft Festival Jackson, TN	28 / 51 (668.4572)	46 (158.8228)	11 (171.4172)	2 (176.5716)	36 (161.6456)
Jun 19, 2015	22nd Colorado BBQ Challenge Frisco, CO	8 / 58 (672.4688)	26 (165.6916)	8 (172.5600)	3 (174.8456)	25 (159.3716)
May 29, 2015	Smokin' in Steel Owatonna, MN	15 / 60 (671.3716)	18 (168.5488)	10 (168.5600)	17 (166.8800)	22 (167.3828)
May 8, 2015	BBQ in the Bluffs Council Bluffs, IA	7 / 33 (670.8344)	7 (168)	5 (170.2972)	2 (176.5600)	21 (155.9772)
May 2, 2015	The Masters In May - The Classic Appleton, WI	34 / 47 (635.7944)	41 (153.6228)	9 (167.9772)	14 (165.1316)	44 (149.0628)
May 1, 2015	The Masters In May Appleton, WI	32 / 57 (638.7200)	37 (158.2628)	14 (164.5256)	31 (159.9544)	38 (155.9772)
Apr 25, 2015	Central Iowa Expo BBQ Boone, IA	6 / 41 (686.2748)	25 (169.7144)	2 (175.4288)	5 (174.2972)	22 (166.8344)
Apr 24, 2015	Central Iowa Expo BBQ Boone, IA	15 / 42 (671.3144)	28 (166.2516)	1 (178.2972)	24 (165.6800)	35 (161.0856)
Apr 17, 2015	10th Annual Roberts Ranch Smokin' Red Dirt BBQ Enid, OK	11 / 75 (685.6228)	4 (176.5600)	4 (175.4056)	31 (168.5256)	37 (165.1316)
Aug 29, 2014	4th Annual Smokin In the Bogs Warrens, WI	4 / 34 (681.6800)	8 (170.8456)	2 (177.7144)	16 (166.2628)	12 (166.8572)
Aug 22, 2014	Big Island BBQ Albert Lea, MN	4 / 54 (693.0972)	10 (172.5600)	2 (177.7028)	9 (171.9772)	17 (170.8572)
Aug 1, 2014	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional) Madison, WI	17 / 30 (664.5144)	12 (169.7028)	12 (169.7144)	27 (159.3944)	17 (165.7028)
Jul 25, 2014	Taste of Grand Rapids 2014 Grand Rapids, MI	1 / 55 (678.1828)	5 (171.9772)	7 (169.1200)	7 (171.4056)	20 (165.6800)
Jul 4, 2014	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Traverse City, MI	1 / 21 (678.1828)	1 (173.7028)	9 (165.6916)	6 (167.3828)	3 (171.4056)
Jun 21, 2014	Mr. BBQ Barbeque Challenge Davenport, IA	5 / 25 (684.4572)	10 (168.5256)	11 (165.0972)	2 (177.7144)	4 (173.1200)
Jun 20, 2014	State Center Rose Festival BBQ Championship State Center, IA	10 / 25 (666.1488)	1 (173.7028)	14 (158.8232)	15 (160.5028)	2 (173.1200)
Jun 13, 2014	21st Colorado BBQ Challenge Frisco, CO	7 / 55 (679.4292)	10 (168.5716)	16 (165.7144)	12 (171.9772)	6 (173.1660)
May 30, 2014	Smokin in Steele Owatonna, MN	3 / 67 (692.5028)	13 (172.5600)	8 (173.1200)	9 (171.9772)	7 (174.8456)
May 24, 2014	Smokin' in the Junction West Des Moines, IA	10 / 31 (670.1600)	12 (167.9772)	11 (167.9772)	12 (167.9656)	13 (166.2400)
May 16, 2014	Grand Lake BBQ Festival Langley, OK	11 / 33 (674.1828)	11 (171.9772)	15 (169.7144)	19 (163.9656)	12 (168.5256)
May 9, 2014	BBQ in the Bluffs Council Bluffs, IA	2 / 33 (682.9148)	1 (176.0344)	6 (170.2744)	4 (172)	13 (164.6060)
May 2, 2014	The Masters in May Fremont, WI	2 / 62 (669.1088)	33 (159.3828)	22 (164.5372)	7 (169.7488)	1 (175.4400)
Apr 26, 2014	Central Iowa Expo BBQ, Cruise & Brew Boone, IA	19 / 39 (671.8856)	7 (175.4172)	13 (170.2628)	34 (156.5028)	16 (169.7028)
Apr 25, 2014	Central Iowa Expo BBQ, Cruise & Brew Boone, IA	18 / 45 (667.9432)	13 (171.9772)	24 (162.2400)	31 (163.4288)	13 (170.2972)
Apr 11, 2014	9th Annual Smokin' Red Dirt BBQ Enid, OK	3 / 64 (687.3140)	30 (166.2284)	10 (171.9772)	12 (169.6684)	1 (179.4400)
Sep 13, 2013	Decatur Jaycees 19th Annual Riverfest Decatur, AL	—	—	—	—	—

BUBBA-Q'S

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

Rating

Contests

First seen

Best ToY finish

Grand champs

Category wins

Overall top-10s

Best top-10 run

Avg finish

Best overall

Perfect 180s

Current form

Walk rate

Best single call

Consistency

Strongest meat

Road miles

Schedule strength

Master avg

Storylines (17 found in their record)

The heartbreaker

Among the elite

Against the odds

Giant slayer

Happy hunting ground

They almost always walk

High-water mark

The one to beat

Their season

A tough matchup

The drought

A strong matchup

The comeback

Looking over their shoulder

A July team

The long haul

The metronome

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)