MONTANA Q

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

Power ranking

#2180

of 6,413 rated · rankings

Rating

1531

peak 1540 · rated over 15 contests ⓘ

Best runs

straight top-10s

Contests

in the data

First seen

2013-05-24

latest 2016-09-23

Best ToY finish

#586

Master 2014

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

7 podiums

Overall top-10s

of 16 contests

Avg finish

top 47%

overall standings

Best overall

675.4284 / 720

Master · Carnivores Classic

Perfect 180s

Current form

646.20 ▼

last 5 Master vs avg 647.89 (-1.69)

Walk rate

50%

contests with a top-10 call

Top-10 streak

best run (overall)

Best single call

176.0228

Brisket · Carnivores Classic

Consistency

±16.34

std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 164.94 · weakest Brisket (157.92)

Road miles

6,832

mi across 16 mapped stops · furthest 1008 mi

Schedule strength

19%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1527)

Master avg

647.89 / 720

15 Master contests · 1 GC

⚔ Compare with another team

Storylines (12 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.

Against the odds

33-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings

The ratings favoured the top seed the other 67 times in 100

Their Grand Championship at Carnivores Classic (2014-05-30) came as the ratings underdog — roughly a 33-in-100 shot against the field's top-rated team, GETTIN' SAUCED.

A multi-meat day

1 contests with 2+ category wins

They've won two or more meats on the same day 1 time — the best of them 2 category wins at Carnivores Classic (2014-05-30).

Pork Ribs 1st
Brisket 1st

High-water mark

675.4284 career-best overall

93.8% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 675.4284 at Carnivores Classic — 93.8% of a perfect 720.

Master
2014-05-30

Their season

2014 1 Grand Championship

2014 was the year it came together: 4 contests, 1 Grand Championship and 2 category wins, at an average finish in the top 33%.

4 contests
3 overall top-10s
2 category wins
average top 33%

A tough matchup

7–0 behind in the head-to-head

4 LEGS UP BBQ ahead in 100% of their meetings

4 LEGS UP BBQ has come out ahead in 7 of their 7 shared contests.

The weak link

−7.0 points behind their best meat

Brisket is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 7.01 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 20% of the time against 40%.

Brisket avg 157.92
Chicken avg 164.94
3 calls in 15 entries

The drought

8 contests since the last title

Their last Grand Championship came at Carnivores Classic on 2014-05-30 — 8 contests and 12.3 years ago.

last GC 2014-05-30
12.3 years ago

A strong matchup

5–0 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 100% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of Lost Weekend Grill in 5 of their 5 shared contests.

Chicken nemesis

6 of 7 shared chicken entries lost

BURNIN BOBS BUTTS N BONES ahead 86% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, BURNIN BOBS BUTTS N BONES has out-cooked them in 6 of 7 shared chicken entries.

A June team

Top 29% average finish in June

Something about June: average finish in the top 29% across 5 contests, versus top 47% the rest of the year.

5 June contests
top 47% the rest of the year

The long haul

6,832 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 6,832 miles across 16 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 1,008 miles to Sam's Club National BBQ Tour.

16 mapped stops
furthest 1,008 mi

The metronome

±2.27% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±2.27% 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
16 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.

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

MADCOW BARBEQUE

#2170 of the rated field

1532 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 10
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 60%
Peak: 1542

0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to MONTANA Q)

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

rated over 10 contests
last seen 2019-07-20

⚔ Head-to-head

JOE'S COOKSHACK

#2171 of the rated field

1532 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 17
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 18%
Peak: 1562

No shared contest yet.

They've been 1562 at their best, 30 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 14 contests
last seen 2025-01-09

⚔ Head-to-head

TAILGATERS BBQ

#2179 of the rated field

1531 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 17
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 6%
Peak: 1531

No shared contest yet.

Careers of much the same size, 17 contests to 16, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 17 contests
last seen 2019-08-30

⚔ Head-to-head

Rib Racks BBQ

#2174 of the rated field

1531 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 13
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 69%
Peak: 1531

No shared contest yet.

13 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 69% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 13 contests
last seen 2022-10-21
on a 6-contest top-10 run

⚔ Head-to-head

SMITTY'S SMOKE PATROL

#2176 of the rated field

1531 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 13
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 31%
Peak: 1547

No shared contest yet.

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

rated over 13 contests
last seen 2016-06-24

⚔ Head-to-head

WOOD N PIG SMOKERS

#2167 of the rated field

1532 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 18
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1538

No shared contest yet.

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

rated over 18 contests
last seen 2019-05-17

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
BURNIN BOBS BUTTS N BONES	7	2	5	29%	⚔ compare
4 LEGS UP BBQ	7	0	7	0%	⚔ compare
SMOKIN TIMBERS BBQ	6	4	2	67%	⚔ compare
G "QUE"	6	1	5	17%	⚔ compare
LONESTAR SMOKE RANGERS	6	0	6	0%	⚔ compare
Lost Weekend Grill	5	5	0	100%	⚔ compare
Backdraft BBQ	5	1	4	20%	⚔ compare
JO-BAWB'S BBQ	5	1	4	20%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	15	6	0	2	174.2628	150.2856	164.94	top 43%
Pork Ribs	15	2	1	1	171.9884	157.7142	161.92	top 47%
Pork	15	4	1	3	174.8572	155.4172	163.11	top 46%
Brisket	15	3	1	1	176.0228	147.3944	157.92	top 54%

“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
CO	6	0	top 40%
MT	5	1	top 47%
NV	3	0	top 66%
WA	1	0	top 33%

By contest size

Field	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
Small (<20 teams)	1	1	top 14%
Medium (20–39)	9	0	top 49%
Large (40+)	5	0	top 49%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	GCs	Avg finish	Last visit
Carnivores Classic	2	1	1	top 35%	2015-05-29

The story so far (17 numbers that describe this team)

On the trail 3.3 yrs 2013-05-24 → 2016-09-23

Busiest season 2013 6 contests

Contests a season 4 across 4 seasons in the data

Cooks most in CO 6 of 16 contests · 5 states/provinces in all

Contests visited 14 1 of them cooked more than once

Most-entered meat Chicken 15 entries · 0 wins · 6 calls

Strongest meat Chicken averages 164.94 · weakest Brisket (157.92)

Walk rate 50% a top-10 call in 8 of 16 contests

Overall top-10 rate 31% 5 of 16 contests

Wins it all 6% 1 Grand Championship · 0 reserve

First title 2014-05-30 Carnivores Classic

Best top-10 run 3 straight contests

Master average 647.89 out of 720 · 15 contests · 1 GC

Opponents faced 367 286–270 across every shared overall standing

Road miles 6,832 16 mapped stops · furthest 1,008 mi

Schedule strength 1527 average field rating faced — tougher than 19% of rated contests

Power rating 1531 peak 1540 · #2180 of 6,413 rated

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

2013
May 24 First tracked contest 9th Annual Best Dam Barbecue Challenge
May 24 First call 9th Annual Best Dam Barbecue Challenge
Jun 7 First overall past 90% of a perfect score654.8572 Boats, Bands and BBQ
2014
May 30 First category win (Pork Ribs) Carnivores Classic
May 30 First overall top-10 Carnivores Classic
May 30 First overall podium Carnivores Classic
May 30 First Grand Championship Carnivores Classic
May 30 First multi-meat day Carnivores Classic
May 30 Career-best overall score675.4284 Carnivores Classic
May 30 Career-best single call (Brisket)176.0228 Carnivores Classic
Jun 13 10th tracked contest 21st Colorado BBQ Challenge
2016
Apr 1 Peak power rating (1540) Sam's Club National BBQ Tour
Sep 23 Most recent contest Carnivores Classic

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+17	Carnivores Classic	2014-05-30
+11.3	21st Colorado BBQ Challenge	2014-06-13
+10	Boats, Bands & BBQ	2014-06-06
+8.8	Miles City Cowtown Cook-Off	2015-06-19
+5.8	Boats, Bands and BBQ	2013-06-07

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-9	Carnivores Classic	2016-09-23
-7.2	10th Annual Best Dam Barbecue Challenge	2014-05-23
-2.8	Montana BBQ Cook-Off	2015-07-03
-2.2	Colorado Pork & Hops Challenge	2013-09-13
-2.2	Riverside Resort Casino USA Barbecue Championship	2013-10-31

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)
2016	3	0	1	1	33%	top 57%	91.3%	89.4%
2015	3	0	1	0	67%	top 47%	92.1%	90%
2014	4	1	3	2	50%	top 33%	93.8%	91.9%
2013	6	0	0	0	50%	top 53%	91%	88.9%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2016-09-23	Carnivores Classic Missoula, MT	20 / 25 (629.5772)	15 (159.9656)	13 (161.0972)	16 (159.3828)	22 (149.1316)
2016-08-19	4th Annual Best BBQ In Town Long Beach BBQ Festival Long Beach, CA	—	—	—	—	—
2016-04-01	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Renton, WA	10 / 30 (657.6112)	12 (166.2284)	17 (161.7028)	1 (174.8572)	20 (154.8228)
2015-07-03	Montana BBQ Cook-Off Absarokee, MT	17 / 29 (629.0168)	13 (164.5256)	16 (159.4056)	22 (155.4172)	21 (149.6684)
2015-06-19	Miles City Cowtown Cook-Off Miles City, MT	7 / 26 (663.3712)	3 (174.2628)	15 (159.9772)	15 (158.8456)	5 (170.2856)
2015-05-29	Carnivores Classic Missoula, MT	11 / 20 (651.4172)	14 (160.0000)	7 (161.1200)	7 (165.1544)	5 (165.1428)
2014-06-13	21st Colorado BBQ Challenge Frisco, CO	9 / 55 (673.6112)	13 (167.9884)	21 (163.3828)	11 (172.5600)	11 (169.6800)
2014-06-06	Boats, Bands & BBQ Pueblo, CO	7 / 29 (667.8856)	6 (173.1544)	13 (161.0856)	2 (174.8456)	17 (158.8000)
2014-05-30	Carnivores Classic Missoula, MT	1 / 7 (675.4284)	2 (166.2628)	1 (171.9884)	3 (161.1544)	1 (176.0228)
2014-05-23	10th Annual Best Dam Barbecue Challenge Boulder City, NV	27 / 35 (628.4116)	21 (162.8572)	22 (161.0972)	29 (157.0628)	32 (147.3944)
2013-10-31	Riverside Resort Casino USA Barbecue Championship Laughlin, NV	56 / 85 (643.2684)	74 (157.0856)	34 (165.6800)	53 (159.4172)	44 (161.0856)
2013-09-13	Colorado Pork & Hops Challenge Grand Junction, CO	26 / 42 (639.3716)	8 (171.4400)	23 (159.9544)	33 (156.5600)	30 (151.4172)
2013-08-30	Smokin' Brew BBQ Parker, CO	32 / 53 (637.6688)	31 (162.8572)	34 (161.6916)	18 (165.7144)	44 (147.4056)
2013-06-14	Colorado Barbecue Challenge Frisco, CO	29 / 68 (626.2854)	48 (150.2856)	28 (157.7142)	18 (162.2856)	27 (156.0000)
2013-06-07	Boats, Bands and BBQ Pueblo, CO	14 / 39 (654.8572)	8 (171.4286)	22 (160.5716)	19 (164.0000)	14 (158.8570)
2013-05-24	9th Annual Best Dam Barbecue Challenge Boulder City, NV	19 / 35 (640.5714)	10 (165.7144)	12 (162.2858)	17 (159.4284)	23 (153.1428)

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
2016 ↗	Master	#1347 (205 pts)	#1374 (220 pts)	#1441 (205 pts)	#988 (375 pts)	#1710 (145 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#586 (636 pts)	#620 (616 pts)	#701 (541 pts)	#585 (666 pts)	#664 (556 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#2459 (67 pts)	#1486 (162 pts)	#2035 (77 pts)	#2500 (67 pts)	#2496 (67 pts)