SOUTHERN SMOKERS

SOUTHERN SMOKERS is a competition barbecue team with 28 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2019. They have won 2 Grand Championships, most recently at the Mississippi Springfest BBQ Contest (2016), and finished Reserve Grand Champion 3 times. They are ranked #1326 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#1,326

of 6,491 rated · rankings

Rating

1578

peak 1636 · rated over 28 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Apr 12, 2013

latest Jun 21, 2019 · 6.2 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#373

Master 2016 · every season

Grand champs

3 reserve · wins it all 7% of the time

Category wins

15 podiums

Overall top-10s

43% of 28 contests

Best top-10 run

straight overall top-10s

Avg finish

top 43%

overall standings

Best overall

701.1316 / 720

Master · Mississippi Springfest BBQ Contest

Perfect 180s

2 🔥

Current form

636.01 ▼

last 5 Master vs avg 660.12 (-24.11)

Walk rate

68%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

180 🔥

Brisket · Southaven Springfest

Consistency

±47.83

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 168.36 · weakest Pork Ribs (163.75)

Road miles

4,746

across 28 mapped stops · furthest 646 mi

Schedule strength

51%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1566)

State championships

0 🏅

won from 1 state-championship entry

Master avg

660.12 / 720

28 Master contests · 2 GCs

Storylines (16 found in their record)

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

The heartbreaker

0.5944 points from the title

Came within 0.5944 points of the Grand Championship at Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (May 20, 2016).

Perfect scores on the board

2 perfect 180s

2 perfect 180s in the data — every judge at the table handing back a nine, all in brisket.

Brisket ×2

Against the odds

18-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings

The ratings favoured the top seed the other 82 times in 100

Their Grand Championship at Mississippi Springfest BBQ Contest (May 13, 2016) came as the ratings underdog — roughly a 18-in-100 shot against the field's top-rated team, Organizer Portal.

Happy hunting ground

1× Grand Championship here

Mississippi Springfest BBQ Contest is their spot: 1 Grand Championship in 2 visits.

2 visits
best finish 1st
average top 5%

They almost always walk

68% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 19 of 28 contests

A top-10 category call in 68% of their 28 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

701.1316 career-best overall

97.4% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 701.1316 at Mississippi Springfest BBQ Contest — 97.4% of a perfect 720.

Master
May 13, 2016

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

JERRY'S TENDER BUTT BBQ has finished one call ahead of SOUTHERN SMOKERS 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

Show 9 more storylines

A tough matchup

12–3 behind in the head-to-head

Organizer Portal ahead in 80% of their meetings

Organizer Portal has come out ahead in 12 of their 15 shared contests.

The weak link

−4.6 points behind their best meat

Pork Ribs is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 4.61 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 25% of the time against 33%.

Pork Ribs avg 163.75
Chicken avg 168.36
7 calls in 28 entries

The drought

8 contests since the last title

Their last Grand Championship came at Mississippi Springfest BBQ Contest on May 13, 2016 — 8 contests and 10.4 years ago.

last GC May 13, 2016
10.4 years ago

A strong matchup

8–2 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 80% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of HOTTY TOTTY BBQ CREW in 8 of their 10 shared contests.

Chicken nemesis

9 of 15 shared chicken entries lost

Organizer Portal ahead 60% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, Organizer Portal has out-cooked them in 9 of 15 shared chicken entries.

Always the bridesmaid

3 reserve championships

Runner-up for the whole thing 3 times against 2 Grand Championships — close enough to touch it, over and over.

2 Grand Championships
28 contests

An April team

Top 18% average finish in April

Something about April: average finish in the top 18% across 3 contests, versus top 43% the rest of the year.

3 April contests
top 43% the rest of the year

The long haul

4,746 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 4,746 miles across 28 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 646 miles to Jimmy's Roadhouse BBQ Championship.

28 mapped stops
furthest 646 mi

A standing appointment

4 years running at one contest

They've cooked Stand by Your Grill every year from 2013 to 2016 — the contest they never miss.

4 visits in all
best finish 10th

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
2016 ↗	Master	#373 (1,025 pts)	#461 (870 pts)	#498 (825 pts)	#374 (1,030 pts)	#489 (840 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#527 (714 pts)	#617 (624 pts)	#602 (644 pts)	#750 (499 pts)	#386 (969 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#2084 (75 pts)	#1617 (160 pts)	#2161 (75 pts)	#2172 (75 pts)	#2148 (75 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#619 (507 pts)	#713 (462 pts)	#888 (357 pts)	#839 (392 pts)	#488 (657 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to SOUTHERN SMOKERS, each with one reason worth a look.

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

BOARS NIGHT OUT

#1,318 of the rated field

1578 power rating

Contests: 41
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 27%
Peak: 1621

1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to SOUTHERN SMOKERS)

One contest in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team SOUTHERN SMOKERS has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.

rated over 40 contests
last seen Sep 30, 2026

⚔ Head-to-head

Slayton's Barbeque Company

#1,331 of the rated field

1577 power rating

Contests: 49
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 18%
Peak: 1615

0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to SOUTHERN SMOKERS)

They've been 1615 at their best, 38 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 49 contests
last seen Jul 25, 2025

⚔ Head-to-head

K-TOWN DADDY'S BBQ

#1,324 of the rated field

1578 power rating

Contests: 87
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 34%
Peak: 1697

0–3 in 3 shared contests (0% to SOUTHERN SMOKERS)

87 contests to 28: their number has had years to settle where SOUTHERN SMOKERS's is still finding its level.

rated over 86 contests
last seen Jul 19, 2024

⚔ Head-to-head

Smokin Reefer BBQ

#1,332 of the rated field

1577 power rating

Contests: 28
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 21%
Peak: 1591

Their rating is built on 1 Grand Championship in 28 contests, alongside a 21% overall top-10 rate.

rated over 28 contests
last seen Sep 30, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

WHITE MOOSE BBQ

#1,317 of the rated field

1578 power rating

Contests: 31
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 19%
Peak: 1582

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

rated over 29 contests
last seen Mar 20, 2021

⚔ Compare careers

MEADOW VALLEY BBQ CO.

#1,322 of the rated field

1578 power rating

Contests: 30
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 43%
Peak: 1632

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

rated over 29 contests
last seen Jul 20, 2018

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
Organizer Portal	15	3	12	20%	⚔ compare
KILLER HOGS	14	5	9	36%	⚔ compare
SWIGGIN PIG	13	4	9	31%	⚔ compare
HEAVENLY MANNA BBQ	12	8	4	67%	⚔ compare
FIRE DANCER BBQ	11	6	5	55%	⚔ compare
HOTTY TOTTY BBQ CREW	10	8	2	80%	⚔ compare
Q-BONES BBQ	10	6	4	60%	⚔ compare
JIGGY PIGGY	10	5	5	50%	⚔ compare
SMOKE ON THIS	10	3	7	30%	⚔ compare
The Specialists	9	5	4	56%	⚔ compare
Swine Life	9	5	4	56%	⚔ compare
South Pork	9	4	5	44%	⚔ compare
BEAN BANDITS	9	4	5	44%	⚔ compare
QUE'N STEW'N & BREW'N	9	0	9	0%	⚔ compare
CUZ'S CUSTOM COOKING	8	8	0	100%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	27	9	4	5	178.2972	146.2400	168.36	top 44%
Pork Ribs	28	7	0	2	177.7372	133.1426	163.75	top 55%
Pork	28	8	0	2	176.5600	135.4284	167.10	top 46%
Brisket	28	14	2	6	180 🔥	131.4176	166.92	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 field size and state

By contest size

Field	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
Medium (20–39)	16	2	top 47%
Large (40+)	12	0	top 39%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
MS	14	1	top 21%
TN	8	0	top 75%
GA	2	0	top 46%
AL	2	1	top 9%
AR	1	0	top 100%
MI	1	0	top 100%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	GCs	Avg finish	Last visit
Stand by Your Grill	4	10	0	top 20%	Aug 19, 2016
Blount County BBQ Bash	3	27	0	top 98%	Jun 21, 2019
Mississippi Springfest BBQ Contest	2	1	1	top 5%	May 13, 2016

More numbers

Busiest season 2016 9 contests · 1 GC

Contests a season 4 across 7 seasons in the data

Most contests held in MS 14 of 28 contests · 6 states in all

Contests visited 22 3 of them more than once

First title Sep 12, 2014 Bama Brew & Que

Opponents faced 600 finished ahead 713 times, behind 497

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

20191 milestone

Jun 21 Most recent contest Blount County BBQ Bash

20163 milestones

May 13 Career-best overall score701.1316 Mississippi Springfest BBQ Contest
Jun 3 Peak power rating (1636) Variety Children's Charity BBQ Bash
Aug 19 25th tracked contest Stand by Your Grill

20151 milestone

Aug 14 First perfect 180 (Brisket) Stand By Your Grill

20145 milestones

Sep 12 First category win (Brisket) Bama Brew & Que
Sep 12 First overall podium Bama Brew & Que
Sep 12 First Grand Championship Bama Brew & Que
Oct 17 First Reserve Championship Roast N' Boast
Nov 21 10th tracked contest The National BBQ Cup (SBBQA)

20134 milestones

Apr 12 First tracked contest Grilling on the River '13
Apr 12 First call Grilling on the River '13
Apr 12 First overall top-10 Grilling on the River '13
Apr 12 First overall past 90% of a perfect score674.2852 Grilling on the River '13

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+17.3	Bama Brew & Que	Sep 12, 2014
+14.9	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	May 20, 2016
+14.7	Mississippi Springfest BBQ Contest	May 8, 2015
+14.4	Roast N' Boast	Oct 17, 2014
+14.3	Stand By Your Grill	Aug 15, 2014

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-19.2	Delta Smoke BBQ Contest	Jun 10, 2016
-17.4	Blount County BBQ Bash	Jun 23, 2017
-16.4	Blount County BBQ Bash	Jun 21, 2019
-16.1	Bloomin' BBQ & Bluegrass	May 17, 2013
-14.8	Blount County BBQ Bash	Jun 22, 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)
2019	1	0	0	0	0%	top 100%	83.2%	83.2%
2018	1	0	0	0	0%	top 97%	83%	83%
2017	1	0	0	0	0%	top 97%	86.5%	86.5%
2016	9	1	4	1	67%	top 37%	97.4%	94.1%
2015	6	0	3	3	83%	top 24%	97%	95.3%
2014	6	1	3	2	83%	top 44%	97%	89%
2013	4	0	2	0	75%	top 44%	94.7%	90.4%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Jun 21, 2019	Blount County BBQ Bash 🏅 Maryville, TN	27 / 27 (598.7316)	26 (153.1200)	25 (154.2516)	27 (153.1084)	27 (138.2516)
Jun 22, 2018	Blount County BBQ Bash Maryville, TN	35 / 36 (597.6576)	35 (148.5372)	34 (153.1316)	34 (152.5944)	34 (143.3944)
Jun 23, 2017	Blount County BBQ Bash Maryville, TN	34 / 35 (622.7660)	34 (146.2400)	32 (151.4288)	31 (162.2400)	27 (162.8572)
Aug 19, 2016	Stand by Your Grill Fulton, MS	11 / 40 (675.8624)	23 (169.6684)	19 (168.5256)	18 (166.8456)	15 (170.8228)
Jul 1, 2016	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional) Marietta, GA	16 / 30 (685.0284)	19 (170.8228)	20 (169.1200)	15 (170.8228)	8 (174.2628)
Jun 10, 2016	Delta Smoke BBQ Contest Wynne, AR	39 / 39 (621.0400)	38 (155.3828)	38 (154.2628)	36 (162.2972)	37 (149.0972)
Jun 3, 2016	Variety Children's Charity BBQ Bash Memphis, TN	8 / 25 (686.7656)	6 (175.4056)	8 (168.5600)	10 (169.6800)	5 (173.1200)
May 20, 2016	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Southhaven, MS	2 / 29 (695.9084)	11 (173.1200)	9 (173.1200)	2 (176.5600)	7 (173.1084)
May 13, 2016	Mississippi Springfest BBQ Contest Ashland, MS	1 / 26 (701.1316)	1 (177.7144)	2 (176)	5 (174.2744)	10 (173.1428)
Apr 22, 2016	Southaven Springfest Southaven, MS	4 / 41 (699.3712)	7 (175.4056)	6 (175.4056)	18 (168.5600)	2 (180)
Mar 19, 2016	Tupelo BBQ Duel- Comp 2 Tupelo, MS	36 / 61 (665.0056)	19 (173.1316)	54 (159.3828)	11 (173.1428)	50 (159.3484)
Mar 18, 2016	Tupelo BBQ Duel- Comp 1 Tupelo, MS	37 / 95 (666.7772)	46 (167.4056)	58 (161.7028)	9 (175.4288)	57 (162.2400)
Aug 14, 2015	Stand By Your Grill Fulton, MS	12 / 57 (687.9316)	13 (174.2628)	36 (164.5488)	24 (169.1200)	1 (180)
Jul 3, 2015	Blues Hog Barbecue, Music & Craft Festival Jackson, TN	6 / 51 (689.6688)	1 (178.2972)	27 (166.8228)	12 (170.8344)	5 (173.7144)
May 29, 2015	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Hendersonville, TN	19 / 29 (674.1368)	23 (167.9656)	17 (169.1200)	20 (167.3828)	12 (169.6684)
May 8, 2015	Mississippi Springfest BBQ Contest Ashland, MS	2 / 31 (698.2512)	1 (177.7372)	6 (175.4400)	13 (170.8112)	4 (174.2628)
Apr 10, 2015	Smoke on the Falls Gadsden, AL	5 / 34 (691.3484)	17 (170.8112)	2 (177.7372)	9 (170.8228)	12 (171.9772)
Mar 13, 2015	Don't Be Cruel BBQ Duel Tupelo, MS	24 / 94 (677.0056)	56 (165.0972)	55 (161.6456)	18 (172.5600)	3 (177.7028)
Nov 21, 2014	The National BBQ Cup (SBBQA) Cumming, GA	33 / 86 (678.7200)	9 (176.5600)	53 (165.1088)	62 (165.0856)	28 (171.9656)
Oct 17, 2014	Roast N' Boast Columbus, MS	2 / 25 (692.4568)	1 (177.7028)	8 (167.3828)	5 (173.1084)	3 (174.2628)
Sep 12, 2014	Bama Brew & Que Tuscaloosa, AL	1 / 26 (698.2400)	2 (176.5600)	12 (169.6800)	2 (174.8572)	1 (177.1428)
Aug 15, 2014	Stand By Your Grill Fulton, MS	10 / 65 (685.0400)	21 (171.4172)	18 (170.8344)	37 (166.2284)	6 (176.5600)
Aug 8, 2014	Jimmy's Roadhouse BBQ Championship Newaygo, MI	32 / 32 (598.1832)	21 (161.7028)	31 (137.6572)	10 (167.4056)	32 (131.4176)
May 16, 2014	Bloomin' BBQ & Bluegrass Sevierville, TN	55 / 56 (492.4916)	—	34 (163.4172)	19 (169.7144)	38 (159.3600)
Aug 16, 2013	Stand By Your Grill Fulton, MS	11 / 62 (681.6228)	25 (169.1200)	25 (167.9772)	21 (168.5256)	4 (176)
May 17, 2013	Bloomin' BBQ & Bluegrass Sevierville, TN	47 / 47 (578.8566)	43 (153.1426)	47 (133.1426)	47 (135.4284)	35 (157.1430)
May 10, 2013	Mississippi Springfest Ashland, MS	8 / 29 (669.1420)	14 (165.1426)	15 (162.8568)	13 (165.7142)	2 (175.4284)
Apr 12, 2013	Grilling on the River '13 Columbus, MS	9 / 31 (674.2852)	4 (174.2858)	15 (166.8570)	14 (165.7140)	15 (167.4284)

SOUTHERN SMOKERS

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

State championships

Master avg

Storylines (16 found in their record)

The heartbreaker

Perfect scores on the board

Against the odds

Happy hunting ground

They almost always walk

High-water mark

The one to beat

A tough matchup

The weak link

The drought

A strong matchup

Chicken nemesis

Always the bridesmaid

An April team

The long haul

A standing appointment

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)