DIGGIN QUE-GA

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

Power ranking

#679

of 6,413 rated · rankings

Rating

1644

peak 1646 · rated over 39 contests ⓘ

Best runs

straight top-10s

Contests

in the data

First seen

2013-02-08

latest 2015-10-03

Best ToY finish

#99

Master 2014

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

20 podiums

Overall top-10s

of 39 contests

Avg finish

top 37%

overall standings

Best overall

697.0628 / 720

Master · Great Miller Lite Chili and BBQ Cookoff (GBC Qualifier)

Perfect 180s

1 🔥

Current form

676.47 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 673.39 (+3.08)

Walk rate

72%

contests with a top-10 call

Top-10 streak

best run (overall)

Best single call

180.0000 🔥

Chicken · Great Miller Lite Chili and BBQ Cookoff (GBC Qualifier)

Consistency

±13.19

std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 170.94 · weakest Pork (166.42)

Road miles

2,681

mi across 39 mapped stops · furthest 140 mi

Schedule strength

38%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1550)

Master avg

673.39 / 720

39 Master contests · 2 GCs

⚔ Compare with another team

Storylines (15 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.

Perfect scores on the board

1 perfect 180s

1 perfect 180 in the data — every judge at the table handing back a nine, all in chicken.

Chicken ×1

Against the odds

23-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings

The ratings favoured the top seed the other 77 times in 100

Their Grand Championship at WNC BBQ Festival (2014-07-25) came as the ratings underdog — roughly a 23-in-100 shot against the field's top-rated team, Killer B's BBQ.

Giant slayer

46 teams beaten in one weekend

Took the Grand Championship over a 46-team field at WNC BBQ Festival.

2014-07-25

Happy hunting ground

Top 15% average finish here

Pigs and Peaches BBQ Festival (GBC Qualifier) is their spot: an average finish in the top 15% across 2 visits.

2 visits
best finish 5th
average top 15%

They almost always walk

72% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 28 of 39 contests

A top-10 category call in 72% of their 39 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

697.0628 career-best overall

96.8% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 697.0628 at Great Miller Lite Chili and BBQ Cookoff (GBC Qualifier) — 96.8% of a perfect 720.

Master
2014-10-03

The one to beat

4× one call ahead of them

OLD PLANTATION BBQ has finished one call ahead of DIGGIN QUE-GA 4 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2014 2 Grand Championships

2014 was the year it came together: 18 contests, 2 Grand Championships and 3 category wins, at an average finish in the top 30%.

18 contests
11 overall top-10s
3 category wins
average top 30%

The weak link

−4.5 points behind their best meat

Pork is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 4.52 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 28% of the time against 49%.

Pork avg 166.42
Chicken avg 170.94
11 calls in 39 entries

The drought

13 contests since the last title

Their last Grand Championship came at Great Miller Lite Chili and BBQ Cookoff (GBC Qualifier) on 2014-10-03 — 13 contests and 11.9 years ago.

last GC 2014-10-03
11.9 years ago

A strong matchup

25–1 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 96% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of CHOO CHOO TRAIN BBQ in 25 of their 26 shared contests.

Chicken nemesis

18 of 26 shared chicken entries lost

MOYERS COMPETITION BAR-B-Q TEAM ahead 69% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, MOYERS COMPETITION BAR-B-Q TEAM has out-cooked them in 18 of 26 shared chicken entries.

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

ASH KICKERS 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 37% the rest of the year.

3 September contests
top 37% the rest of the year

The metronome

±1.83% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±1.83% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 93.5% 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.

Buckshot's BBQ

#678 of the rated field

1645 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 44
GCs: 2
Top-10s: 50%
Peak: 1680

No shared contest yet.

They've been 1680 at their best, 35 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 41 contests
last seen 2026-03-28

⚔ Head-to-head

SWINE ASSASSINS

#680 of the rated field

1644 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 20
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 60%
Peak: 1646

No shared contest yet.

Fewer contests behind them than DIGGIN QUE-GA has cooked, 20 to 39, which makes theirs the less settled rating of the two.

rated over 20 contests
last seen 2019-08-09

⚔ Head-to-head

UNCLE BUB'S BBQ, LLC

#681 of the rated field

1644 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 94
GCs: 2
Top-10s: 35%
Peak: 1734

No shared contest yet.

Their rating is built on 2 Grand Championships in 94 contests, alongside a 35% overall top-10 rate.

rated over 90 contests
last seen 2025-11-05

⚔ Head-to-head

BLUE ISLAND BBQ CO.

#682 of the rated field

1644 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 99
GCs: 2
Top-10s: 29%
Peak: 1718

No shared contest yet.

Level with DIGGIN QUE-GA on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 97 contests
last seen 2024-10-30

⚔ Head-to-head

SMOKE IN THE MOUNTAINS

#670 of the rated field

1646 ▲ 1 power rating

Contests: 28
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 36%
Peak: 1646

1–1 in 2 shared contests (50% to DIGGIN QUE-GA)

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

rated over 28 contests
last seen 2017-08-18

⚔ Head-to-head

BLAZEN BBQ

#677 of the rated field

1645 ▲ 1 power rating

Contests: 24
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 46%
Peak: 1646

0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to DIGGIN QUE-GA)

Both teams' first contest in the data came in 2013.

rated over 18 contests
last seen 2017-09-22

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
OLD PLANTATION BBQ	31	8	23	26%	⚔ compare
CHOO CHOO TRAIN BBQ	26	25	1	96%	⚔ compare
MOYERS COMPETITION BAR-B-Q TEAM	26	3	23	12%	⚔ compare
QUE'N STEW'N & BREW'N	25	5	20	20%	⚔ compare
SMOKE ON THIS	22	10	12	45%	⚔ compare
TENACIOUS Q	21	11	10	52%	⚔ compare
Bubba Q	19	8	11	42%	⚔ compare
HOOTIE-Q	18	17	1	94%	⚔ compare
JACK'S OLD SOUTH	18	9	9	50%	⚔ compare
DEEP SOUTH BBQ	17	14	3	82%	⚔ compare
GEORGIA BOYS BBQ TEAM	17	7	10	41%	⚔ compare
CURLY TAILS BBQ	17	2	15	12%	⚔ compare
SWINE AND SHINE BBQ	15	9	6	60%	⚔ compare
FOGGY BOTTOM BBQ	15	6	9	40%	⚔ compare
Organizer Portal	15	1	14	7%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	39	19	5	7	180.0000 🔥	157.1316	170.94	top 34%
Pork Ribs	39	12	0	5	178.8572	154.8570	167.77	top 43%
Pork	39	11	0	3	174.2972	157.7142	166.42	top 48%
Brisket	39	13	1	5	178.8572	147.9998	168.26	top 40%

“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
GA	32	1	top 37%
NC	3	1	top 36%
TN	3	0	top 41%
AL	1	0	top 35%

By contest size

Field	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
Medium (20–39)	20	1	top 38%
Large (40+)	19	1	top 36%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	GCs	Avg finish	Last visit
Roman Roast on the River	3	3	0	top 25%	2015-05-08
WNC BBQ Festival	2	1	1	top 31%	2015-07-24
BBQ Boogie & Blues (GBC Qualifier)	2	4	0	top 25%	2015-04-24
Calhoun KOA's	2	15	0	top 42%	2014-12-05
The National BBQ Cup (SBBQA)	2	34	0	top 50%	2014-11-21
Smoke-N-Thunder BBQ Classic (SBBQA)	2	7	0	top 51%	2014-10-18
Jug Tavern Festival (GBC & SBBQA Qualifier)	2	12	0	top 34%	2014-09-12
Pigs and Peaches BBQ Festival (GBC Qualifier)	2	5	0	top 15%	2014-08-22

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

On the trail 2.6 yrs 2013-02-08 → 2015-10-03

Busiest season 2014 18 contests · 2 GCs

Contests a season 13 across 3 seasons in the data

Cooks most in GA 32 of 39 contests · 4 states/provinces in all

Contests visited 30 8 of them cooked more than once

Most-entered meat Chicken 39 entries · 5 wins · 19 calls

Strongest meat Chicken averages 170.94 · weakest Pork (166.42)

Walk rate 72% a top-10 call in 28 of 39 contests

Overall top-10 rate 38% 15 of 39 contests

Wins it all 5% 2 Grand Championships · 0 reserve

First title 2014-07-25 WNC BBQ Festival

Best top-10 run 5 straight contests

Master average 673.39 out of 720 · 39 contests · 2 GCs

Perfect 180s 1 every judge at the table handing back a nine

Opponents faced 598 1,028–588 across every shared overall standing

Road miles 2,681 39 mapped stops · furthest 140 mi

Schedule strength 1550 average field rating faced — tougher than 38% of rated contests

Power rating 1644 peak 1646 · #679 of 6,413 rated

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

2013
Feb 8 First tracked contest Georgia BBQ Championship Throwdown(GBC Qualifier)
Feb 8 First call Georgia BBQ Championship Throwdown(GBC Qualifier)
Feb 8 First category win (Chicken) Georgia BBQ Championship Throwdown(GBC Qualifier)
Apr 5 First overall past 90% of a perfect score659.4282 Smokin on the River Chattooga's BBQ Cook-Off (GBC Qualifier)
Aug 23 First overall top-10 Pigs and Peaches BBQ Festival (GBC Qualifier)
Oct 12 10th tracked contest Smoke-n-Thunder BBQ Classic
2014
Jul 25 First overall podium WNC BBQ Festival
Jul 25 First Grand Championship WNC BBQ Festival
Jul 25 Biggest field won (46 teams) WNC BBQ Festival
Sep 27 25th tracked contest Whole Hawg Happenin' (SBBQA)
Oct 3 First perfect 180 (Chicken) Great Miller Lite Chili and BBQ Cookoff (GBC Qualifier)
Oct 3 Career-best overall score697.0628 Great Miller Lite Chili and BBQ Cookoff (GBC Qualifier)
2015
Jun 5 Peak power rating (1646) Euharlee Covered Bridge 'Que (GBC Qualifier)
Oct 3 Most recent contest Smoke-N-Thunder BBQ Classic Day 2 (GBC Qualifier)

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+15.1	WNC BBQ Festival	2014-07-25
+14.8	Pigs and Peaches BBQ Festival (GBC Qualifier)	2013-08-23
+14.1	BBQ Boogie & Blues (SBBQA)	2014-04-25
+13.1	Roman Roast on the River (SBBQA)	2014-05-09
+13	Great Miller Lite Chili and BBQ Cookoff (GBC Qualifier)	2014-10-03

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-7.4	Covered Bridge 'Que (GBC Qualifier)	2013-06-07
-6.3	WNC BBQ Festival	2015-07-24
-6	Georgia BBQ Championship Throwdown(GBC Qualifier)	2013-02-08
-5.4	Smoke-n-Thunder BBQ Classic	2013-10-12
-4.2	The National BBQ Cup (SBBQA)	2014-11-21

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	GCs	Top-10s	Category wins	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2015	8	0	3	1	88%	top 35%	96.2%	94.2%
2014	18	2	11	3	78%	top 30%	96.8%	94.3%
2013	13	0	1	2	54%	top 49%	95%	92%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2015-10-03	Smoke-N-Thunder BBQ Classic Day 2 (GBC Qualifier) Rome, GA	20 / 41 (677.0744)	12 (173.1084)	28 (166.2744)	24 (166.2744)	13 (171.4172)
2015-10-02	Smoke-N-Thunder BBQ Classic Day 1 (GBC Qualifier) Rome, GA	21 / 52 (677.0400)	10 (174.8456)	48 (158.2172)	25 (166.2628)	3 (177.7144)
2015-07-31	Dillard Bluegrass & Barbeque Festival (GBC Qualifier) Dillard, GA	15 / 55 (684.5028)	18 (173.1200)	35 (166.8228)	10 (173.1200)	12 (171.4400)
2015-07-24	WNC BBQ Festival Maggie Valley, NC	29 / 49 (659.8516)	44 (157.6572)	12 (169.6800)	42 (160.5372)	8 (171.9772)
2015-06-05	Euharlee Covered Bridge 'Que (GBC Qualifier) Euharlee, GA	10 / 42 (683.8856)	9 (175.4056)	26 (166.2400)	10 (170.8344)	12 (171.4056)
2015-05-22	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Marietta, GA	10 / 29 (678.7428)	1 (176.5600)	8 (171.9888)	22 (160.5256)	14 (169.6684)
2015-05-08	Roman Roast on the River Rome, GA	3 / 41 (692.5028)	2 (177.7028)	24 (167.9772)	18 (171.4172)	2 (175.4056)
2015-04-24	BBQ Boogie & Blues (GBC Qualifier) Calhoun, GA	13 / 35 (671.8744)	19 (166.2400)	12 (167.3944)	25 (162.2400)	3 (176.0000)
2014-12-05	Calhoun KOA's Calhoun, GA	23 / 38 (676.4568)	15 (172.5600)	22 (168.5372)	30 (164.5484)	16 (170.8112)
2014-11-21	The National BBQ Cup (SBBQA) Cumming, GA	49 / 86 (669.6000)	37 (170.2744)	22 (170.8228)	72 (159.9772)	44 (168.5256)
2014-11-14	Smokin' Up The Saddle Club (SBBQA) Chatsworth, GA	21 / 34 (673.5888)	29 (166.2516)	20 (168.5372)	14 (169.6800)	20 (169.1200)
2014-10-24	Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitation Barbecue (JUDGES BY INVITATION ONLY) Lynchburg, TN	54 / 92 (663.3140)	68 (163.3828)	67 (162.2284)	63 (162.2856)	10 (175.4172)
2014-10-18	Smoke-N-Thunder BBQ Classic (SBBQA) Rome, GA	7 / 27 (685.0860)	5 (174.2744)	24 (159.3944)	4 (173.1200)	1 (178.2972)
2014-10-03	Great Miller Lite Chili and BBQ Cookoff (GBC Qualifier) Conyers, GA	1 / 22 (697.0628)	1 (180.0000)	3 (176.5600)	6 (170.8228)	10 (169.6800)
2014-09-27	Whole Hawg Happenin' (SBBQA) Marietta, GA	6 / 34 (674.1484)	5 (174.8456)	5 (170.2628)	25 (160.5028)	8 (168.5372)
2014-09-12	Jug Tavern Festival (GBC & SBBQA Qualifier) Winder, GA	12 / 42 (682.1716)	9 (175.4172)	8 (173.1316)	3 (174.2628)	31 (159.3600)
2014-08-30	Hawgin on Lanier (GBC & SBBQA Qualifier) Gainesville, GA	5 / 39 (684.4912)	4 (174.2628)	2 (178.8572)	29 (161.0968)	12 (170.2744)
2014-08-22	Pigs and Peaches BBQ Festival (GBC Qualifier) Kennesaw, GA	9 / 45 (679.9084)	16 (169.1200)	2 (174.2628)	19 (167.3712)	14 (169.1544)
2014-08-14	Classic City BBQ Fest & Tailgate Show (GBC Qualifier) Athens, GA	7 / 35 (673.5308)	6 (171.4056)	14 (166.2284)	20 (162.7884)	7 (173.1084)
2014-08-08	Smokin' in McMinnville McMinnville, TN	20 / 40 (672.4684)	15 (170.2972)	19 (167.4056)	22 (168.5256)	24 (166.2400)
2014-07-25	WNC BBQ Festival Maggie Valley, NC	1 / 46 (689.1084)	1 (177.1428)	27 (161.7028)	8 (171.4056)	2 (178.8572)
2014-06-27	Blount County BBQ Bash Maryville, TN	5 / 39 (687.4284)	3 (174.8456)	2 (176.5828)	12 (169.7372)	17 (166.2628)
2014-05-16	Cotton Pickin' BBQ Cookoff Hartselle, AL	9 / 26 (672.3996)	8 (170.8228)	9 (169.6800)	19 (161.0740)	7 (170.8228)
2014-05-09	Roman Roast on the River (SBBQA) Rome, GA	4 / 38 (693.6112)	13 (171.9656)	3 (176.5600)	9 (173.1200)	11 (171.9656)
2014-04-25	BBQ Boogie & Blues (SBBQA) Calhoun, GA	4 / 29 (690.2628)	8 (174.2628)	12 (171.4172)	9 (171.4172)	7 (173.1656)
2014-04-03	Smokin on the River (GBC & SBBQA Qualifier) Summerville, GA	12 / 30 (660.4916)	24 (157.1316)	19 (158.8000)	3 (171.9884)	5 (172.5716)
2013-12-06	Calhoun KOA's (GBC Qualifier) Calhoun, GA	15 / 65 (683.9200)	15 (173.7028)	8 (173.1316)	26 (168.5600)	29 (168.5256)
2013-11-15	The National BBQ Cup (GBC Qualifier) Cumming, GA	34 / 79 (673.6344)	49 (167.9656)	28 (169.7260)	23 (170.2744)	45 (165.6684)
2013-10-25	Hillbilly Hog BBQ Throwdown & Fall Leaf Festival (GBC Qualifier) Cleveland, GA	18 / 41 (661.0288)	6 (173.1200)	11 (168.5372)	28 (161.6800)	29 (157.6916)
2013-10-12	Smoke-n-Thunder BBQ Classic Rome, GA	19 / 25 (665.5656)	20 (165.0856)	19 (165.0856)	3 (174.2972)	21 (161.0972)
2013-09-13	Jug Tavern Festival (GBC Qualifier) Winder, GA	17 / 43 (666.7084)	1 (177.7028)	9 (169.6800)	25 (163.9428)	37 (155.3828)
2013-08-23	Pigs and Peaches BBQ Festival (GBC Qualifier) Kennesaw, GA	5 / 54 (678.1484)	9 (170.8228)	6 (170.2628)	5 (171.9656)	22 (165.0972)
2013-08-16	Classic City BBQ Fest & Tailgate Show (GBC Qualifier) Athens, GA	21 / 34 (650.6400)	20 (165.0856)	22 (162.8000)	17 (165.0856)	23 (157.6688)
2013-07-26	WNC Barbeque Festival Maggie Valley, NC	22 / 48 (658.1368)	10 (170.8344)	20 (164.5712)	39 (158.2172)	23 (164.5140)
2013-06-07	Covered Bridge 'Que (GBC Qualifier) Euharlee, GA	30 / 39 (644.5712)	32 (159.4284)	19 (164.5714)	30 (157.7142)	24 (162.8572)
2013-05-10	Roman Roast on the River (GBC Qualifier) Rome, GA	19 / 33 (658.8564)	14 (169.1428)	17 (162.8570)	22 (162.8568)	16 (163.9998)
2013-04-19	Cornelia Apple Blossom BBQ Festivals (GBC Qualifier) Cornelia, GA	14 / 36 (671.9998)	11 (169.7142)	14 (168.5716)	18 (167.4284)	20 (166.2856)
2013-04-05	Smokin on the River Chattooga's BBQ Cook-Off (GBC Qualifier) Summerville, GA	21 / 41 (659.4282)	27 (163.9998)	25 (162.8570)	18 (164.5714)	14 (168.0000)
2013-02-08	Georgia BBQ Championship Throwdown(GBC Qualifier) Young Harris, GA	23 / 33 (638.8568)	1 (177.1428)	26 (154.8570)	21 (158.8572)	29 (147.9998)

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
2015 ↗	Master	#438 (869 pts)	#340 (1064 pts)	#602 (644 pts)	#630 (614 pts)	#268 (1244 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#99 (2014 pts)	#66 (2004 pts)	#64 (1974 pts)	#140 (1632 pts)	#130 (1749 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#284 (1071 pts)	#124 (1593 pts)	#236 (1210 pts)	#255 (1105 pts)	#376 (841 pts)