HUG HOGS

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

Power ranking

#494

of 6,413 rated · rankings

Rating

1678

peak 1708 · rated over 46 contests ⓘ

Best runs

straight top-10s

Contests

in the data

First seen

2013-05-04

latest 2018-10-05

Best ToY finish

#127

Master 2014

Grand champs

2 reserve

Category wins

23 podiums

Overall top-10s

of 46 contests

Avg finish

top 30%

overall standings

Best overall

694.8228 / 720

Master · Smoke on the Square: In memory of David Harness

Perfect 180s

Current form

658.72 ▼

last 5 Master vs avg 673.03 (-14.30)

Walk rate

87%

contests with a top-10 call

Top-10 streak

best run (overall)

Best single call

179.4400

Pork Ribs · Smoke on the Square: In Memory of David Harness

Consistency

±14.91

std dev of Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 170.10 · weakest Brisket (165.73)

Road miles

5,680

mi across 46 mapped stops · furthest 493 mi

Schedule strength

50%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1564)

Master avg

673.03 / 720

46 Master contests · 2 GCs

⚔ Compare with another team

Storylines (20 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.

The heartbreaker

3.4400 points from the title

Came within 3.4400 points of the Grand Championship at CCS Spring Festival & BBQ Competition (2015-04-10).

Among the elite

#494 of 6,413 rated teams

In the top 8% of every rated team in the data

A power rating of 1678 puts them #494 of 6,413 rated teams — the top 8% of the field.

rating 1678
peak 1708
46 rated contests

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 Smokin' On The River (2014-06-13) came as the ratings underdog — roughly a 23-in-100 shot against the field's top-rated team, QUE'N STEW'N & BREW'N.

Giant slayer

52 teams beaten in one weekend

Took the Grand Championship over a 52-team field at Smokin' On The River.

2014-06-13

Happy hunting ground

Top 6% average finish here

Madison Ribberfest BBQ & Blues Festival is their spot: an average finish in the top 6% across 2 visits.

2 visits
best finish 3rd
average top 6%

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 Smokin' On The River (2015-06-12).

Pork 1st
Brisket 1st

They almost always walk

87% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 40 of 46 contests

A top-10 category call in 87% of their 46 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

694.8228 career-best overall

96.5% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 694.8228 at Smoke on the Square: In memory of David Harness — 96.5% of a perfect 720.

Master
2016-06-24

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

QUBED has finished one call ahead of HUG HOGS 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2014 1 Grand Championship

2014 was the year it came together: 11 contests, 1 Grand Championship and 3 category wins, at an average finish in the top 19%.

11 contests
8 overall top-10s
3 category wins
average top 19%

A tough matchup

12–3 behind in the head-to-head

One2BBQ ahead in 80% of their meetings

One2BBQ has come out ahead in 12 of their 15 shared contests.

The weak link

−4.4 points behind their best meat

Brisket is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 4.37 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 26% of the time against 43%.

Brisket avg 165.73
Chicken avg 170.10
12 calls in 46 entries

The drought

22 contests since the last title

Their last Grand Championship came at Sam's Club National BBQ Tour on 2015-07-10 — 22 contests and 11.1 years ago.

last GC 2015-07-10
11.1 years ago

A strong matchup

25–3 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 89% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of ACME BBQ in 25 of their 28 shared contests.

Chicken nemesis

18 of 27 shared chicken entries lost

BLUE CHIP BBQ ahead 67% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, BLUE CHIP BBQ has out-cooked them in 18 of 27 shared chicken entries.

Going the wrong way

-27 rating points in a year

The rating has slipped 27 points across 4 contests since 2017-10-06 — from 1705 down to 1678.

4 contests since 2017-10-06
now 1678

Looking over their shoulder

3× one call behind them

BLUE CHIP BBQ has landed one call behind them 3 times.

The long haul

5,680 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 5,680 miles across 46 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 493 miles to Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Championship.

46 mapped stops
furthest 493 mi

The metronome

±2.07% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±2.07% 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
46 contests

A standing appointment

6 years running at one contest

They've cooked Jim Beam BBQ Classic every year from 2013 to 2018 — the contest they never miss.

6 visits in all
best finish 5th

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.

DUCE'S WILD

#497 of the rated field

1677 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 24
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 46%
Peak: 1682

0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to HUG HOGS)

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

rated over 23 contests
last seen 2018-08-24

⚔ Head-to-head

BLAZIN' BLUES BBQ

#493 of the rated field

1678 ▲ 0 power rating

Contests: 53
GCs: 5
Top-10s: 53%
Peak: 1701

No shared contest yet.

Careers of much the same size, 53 contests to 46, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 51 contests
last seen 2018-04-20

⚔ Head-to-head

Go Pig or Go Home

#496 of the rated field

1678 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 76
GCs: 2
Top-10s: 26%
Peak: 1678

No shared contest yet.

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 71 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 71 contests
last seen 2026-08-28

⚔ Head-to-head

SCOTTS BBQ SHACK

#495 of the rated field

1678 ▼ 0 power rating

Contests: 86
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 23%
Peak: 1700

No shared contest yet.

Their rating is built on 1 Grand Championship in 86 contests, alongside a 23% overall top-10 rate.

rated over 84 contests
last seen 2022-04-22

⚔ Head-to-head

WHITEWATER BBQ COMPANY

#498 of the rated field

1677 ▼ 1 power rating

Contests: 43
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 47%
Peak: 1695

No shared contest yet.

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

rated over 43 contests
last seen 2022-09-02

⚔ Head-to-head

SUPER SWINE

#492 of the rated field

1679 ▲ 1 power rating

Contests: 82
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 48%
Peak: 1722

No shared contest yet.

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

rated over 79 contests
last seen 2026-08-21

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
WeQ4U	31	22	9	71%	⚔ compare
GREY STREET BBQ	29	10	19	34%	⚔ compare
YELLOW RIVER BBQ	29	9	20	31%	⚔ compare
ACME BBQ	28	25	3	89%	⚔ compare
BLUE CHIP BBQ	27	12	15	44%	⚔ compare
Pappy Q	26	16	10	62%	⚔ compare
BIG JT'S SMOKIN BBQ	26	11	15	42%	⚔ compare
Extra Mile BBQ	24	19	5	79%	⚔ compare
SQUEALERS AWARD WINNING BARBEQUE	24	11	13	46%	⚔ compare
THUNDER HOG BBQ	21	11	10	52%	⚔ compare
Bluedog BBQ	20	19	1	95%	⚔ compare
FARMER'S RETREAT SMOKIN BARBEQUE	20	14	6	70%	⚔ compare
SMOKE-N-PEPPERS	18	14	4	78%	⚔ compare
FRIENDS OF OBR	18	10	8	56%	⚔ compare
LITTLE BOB'S BBQ	17	16	1	94%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	46	20	5	5	177.7372	150.8570	170.10	top 36%
Pork Ribs	46	24	4	9	179.4400	153.0860	168.62	top 33%
Pork	46	21	2	4	177.7028	153.0628	168.58	top 37%
Brisket	46	12	2	5	178.8572	149.6344	165.73	top 44%

“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
IN	28	2	top 29%
KY	13	0	top 29%
OH	3	0	top 25%
AR	1	0	top 80%
WI	1	0	top 30%

By contest size

Field	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
Medium (20–39)	27	1	top 28%
Large (40+)	19	1	top 32%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Jim Beam BBQ Classic	6	5	top 30%	2018-10-05
Bands & BBQ at the Point	5	4	top 27%	2017-09-15
*Smoke on the Square: In memory of David Harness	5	2	top 31%	2017-06-16
Buckeye State BBQ Championship	3	7	top 25%	2015-05-15
Sam's Club National BBQ Tour	2	6	top 26%	2017-07-14
*Smokin For Garrett	2	3	top 35%	2017-06-02
Madison Ribberfest BBQ & Blues Festival	2	3	top 6%	2015-08-21
Wine, Brew & Bar-B-Que Too!	2	20	top 48%	2015-07-17
Smokin' On The Water	2	12	top 38%	2014-05-03

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

On the trail 5.4 yrs 2013-05-04 → 2018-10-05

Busiest season 2015 12 contests · 1 GC

Contests a season 7.7 across 6 seasons in the data

Cooks most in IN 28 of 46 contests · 5 states/provinces in all

Contests visited 26 9 of them cooked more than once

Most-entered meat Chicken 46 entries · 5 wins · 20 calls

Strongest meat Chicken averages 170.10 · weakest Brisket (165.73)

Walk rate 87% a top-10 call in 40 of 46 contests

Overall top-10 rate 57% 26 of 46 contests

Wins it all 4% 2 Grand Championships · 2 reserve

First title 2014-06-13 Smokin' On The River

Best top-10 run 7 straight contests

Master average 673.03 out of 720 · 46 contests · 2 GCs

Opponents faced 561 1,284–505 across every shared overall standing

Road miles 5,680 46 mapped stops · furthest 493 mi

Schedule strength 1564 average field rating faced — tougher than 50% of rated contests

Power rating 1678 peak 1708 · #494 of 6,413 rated

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

2013
May 4 First tracked contest Smokin' on the Water
May 4 First call Smokin' on the Water
May 4 First overall past 90% of a perfect score657.7140 Smokin' on the Water
May 17 First overall top-10 Buckeye State BBQ Championship
2014
May 16 First category win (Chicken) Buckeye State BBQ Championship
May 16 10th tracked contest Buckeye State BBQ Championship
Jun 13 First overall podium Smokin' On The River
Jun 13 First Grand Championship Smokin' On The River
Jun 13 Biggest field won (52 teams) Smokin' On The River
Jun 27 First Reserve Championship Smoke on the Square: In Memory of David Harness
Jun 27 Career-best single call (Pork Ribs)179.4400 Smoke on the Square: In Memory of David Harness
2015
Jun 12 First multi-meat day Smokin' On The River
Jul 17 25th tracked contest Wine, Brew & Bar-B-Que Too!
2016
Jun 24 Career-best overall score694.8228 Smoke on the Square: In memory of David Harness
Sep 30 10th category win Jim Beam BBQ Classic
2018
Apr 6 Peak power rating (1708) *CCS Fest
Oct 5 Most recent contest Jim Beam BBQ Classic

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+14.3	Smokin' On The River	2014-06-13
+12.3	Smoke on the Square: In Memory of David Harness	2014-06-27
+12.1	Madison Ribberfest BBQ & Blues Festival	2014-08-15
+12	CCS Spring Festival & BBQ Competition	2015-04-10
+11.3	Jim Beam BBQ Classic	2013-10-04

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-18.1	Jim Beam BBQ Classic	2018-10-05
-11.8	*Smokin For Garrett	2018-04-27
-8	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Championship	2015-10-09
-6.4	Smokin' for Garrett	2016-05-20
-6.3	CCS Fest: CCS Spring Festival & BBQ Competition	2016-04-22

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)
2018	3	0	0	0	67%	top 65%	93%	89.7%
2017	5	0	4	2	100%	top 28%	96.1%	94%
2016	8	0	3	3	75%	top 37%	96.5%	93.5%
2015	12	1	7	5	75%	top 29%	95.6%	94.4%
2014	11	1	8	3	100%	top 19%	96.3%	94.1%
2013	7	0	4	0	100%	top 29%	95.2%	92.2%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2018-10-05	Jim Beam BBQ Classic Springfield, KY	40 / 42 (625.4856)	34 (162.2628)	34 (160.5256)	41 (153.0628)	41 (149.6344)
2018-04-27	*Smokin For Garrett Boonville, IN	27 / 38 (641.5656)	28 (159.4400)	10 (168.5256)	29 (155.9428)	27 (157.6572)
2018-04-06	*CCS Fest Indianapolis, IN	14 / 49 (669.5996)	29 (165.1084)	6 (172.5600)	14 (168.5600)	28 (163.3712)
2017-10-06	Jim Beam BBQ Classic Springfield, KY	7 / 44 (691.9200)	7 (177.1428)	19 (169.6800)	6 (175.4172)	18 (169.6800)
2017-09-15	Bands & BBQ at the Point Carrollton, KY	14 / 33 (665.0512)	7 (173.7028)	20 (165.6800)	5 (173.7028)	30 (151.9656)
2017-07-14	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour South Bend, IN	8 / 27 (667.3600)	1 (177.1428)	20 (162.2972)	8 (168.5372)	17 (159.3828)
2017-06-16	*Smoke on the Square: In memory of David Harness Franklin, IN	10 / 25 (672.9828)	15 (166.2400)	1 (176.5600)	17 (162.8000)	12 (167.3828)
2017-06-02	*Smokin For Garrett Boonville, IN	3 / 31 (688.0228)	6 (174.8800)	10 (167.9772)	13 (169.1428)	2 (176.0228)
2016-10-14	Big Buffalo Crossing BBQ Cookoff Munfordville, KY	16 / 34 (681.0628)	1 (177.7372)	21 (165.0972)	16 (169.6800)	20 (168.5484)
2016-09-30	Jim Beam BBQ Classic Springfield, KY	5 / 43 (690.7772)	9 (175.4172)	1 (178.2972)	17 (168.5256)	23 (168.5372)
2016-09-16	Bands & BBQ at the Point Carrollton, KY	11 / 31 (674.7432)	14 (171.4172)	9 (169.6916)	9 (171.9772)	20 (161.6572)
2016-08-19	Madison Ribberfest BBQ & Blues Festisval Madison, IN	30 / 63 (667.9084)	24 (170.2972)	39 (163.4056)	8 (173.1200)	40 (161.0856)
2016-07-15	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour South Bend, IN	6 / 28 (665.6000)	8 (169.6800)	4 (168.5372)	16 (162.2744)	11 (165.1084)
2016-06-24	Smoke on the Square: In memory of David Harness Franklin, IN	5 / 31 (694.8228)	5 (175.4172)	14 (170.2628)	8 (172.5600)	1 (176.5828)
2016-05-20	Smokin' for Garrett Boonville, IN	21 / 35 (655.8740)	27 (161.1200)	15 (166.2628)	29 (161.0740)	17 (167.4172)
2016-04-22	CCS Fest: CCS Spring Festival & BBQ Competition Indianapolis, IN	27 / 49 (655.7940)	25 (166.2284)	39 (154.7656)	20 (167.9656)	17 (166.8344)
2015-10-09	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Championship Bentonville, AR	40 / 50 (682.7884)	25 (172.0000)	14 (175.4400)	41 (169.1200)	46 (166.2284)
2015-10-02	Jim Beam BBQ Classic Springfield, KY	14 / 45 (682.2172)	13 (173.1200)	11 (174.2628)	24 (168.0000)	23 (166.8344)
2015-09-11	Bands & BBQ at the Point Carrollton, KY	6 / 29 (682.2172)	11 (171.4172)	3 (175.4288)	8 (171.9656)	17 (163.4056)
2015-08-21	Madison Ribberfest BBQ & Blues Festival Madison, IN	4 / 64 (686.2972)	12 (172.0344)	1 (175.4172)	15 (172.5828)	22 (166.2628)
2015-08-07	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour (Regional) Madison, WI	9 / 30 (683.9200)	14 (170.8572)	5 (174.2628)	5 (172.5600)	16 (166.2400)
2015-07-17	Wine, Brew & Bar-B-Que Too! New Palestine, IN	25 / 44 (673.6112)	24 (168.5256)	19 (169.1544)	15 (173.1084)	31 (162.8228)
2015-07-10	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Indianapolis, IN	1 / 28 (687.9772)	1 (174.2972)	2 (171.9772)	2 (174.8800)	9 (166.8228)
2015-06-26	Smoke on the Square: In Memory of David Harness Franklin, IN	12 / 34 (667.3600)	7 (171.9772)	6 (169.7144)	14 (168.5600)	25 (157.1084)
2015-06-12	Smokin' On The River Jeffersonville, IN	10 / 59 (679.3716)	16 (171.4284)	50 (153.0860)	1 (176.0000)	1 (178.8572)
2015-05-15	Buckeye State BBQ Championship West Chester, OH	12 / 36 (676.5024)	27 (165.6800)	6 (172.5484)	6 (172.5484)	17 (165.7256)
2015-05-08	Rockin' BBQ for Riley Warsaw, IN	8 / 27 (664.5028)	10 (166.8344)	20 (161.1200)	10 (168.5484)	9 (168.0000)
2015-04-10	CCS Spring Festival & BBQ Competition Indianapolis, IN	2 / 39 (685.0856)	1 (177.1428)	10 (168.5600)	11 (167.9656)	8 (171.4172)
2014-10-17	Big Buffalo Crossing BBQ Cook-Off Munfordville, KY	4 / 32 (679.3484)	8 (170.8456)	3 (173.1200)	1 (174.2856)	21 (161.0972)
2014-10-03	Jim Beam BBQ Classic Springfield, KY	5 / 44 (692.4796)	23 (169.6684)	23 (169.7028)	2 (177.7028)	9 (175.4056)
2014-09-05	Bands & BBQ at the Point Carrollton, KY	4 / 36 (681.6688)	19 (167.9656)	6 (170.8688)	16 (168.5372)	2 (174.2972)
2014-08-30	Thunder in the Park BBQ Connersville, IN	8 / 29 (672.4800)	14 (167.4172)	10 (168.5372)	6 (171.4400)	11 (165.0856)
2014-08-15	Madison Ribberfest BBQ & Blues Festival Madison, IN	3 / 60 (683.9200)	32 (166.2628)	5 (173.1316)	5 (173.1200)	11 (171.4056)
2014-07-18	Wine, Brew & Bar-B-Que Too! New Palestine, IN	20 / 51 (668.4800)	8 (174.2628)	17 (168.0116)	20 (167.4172)	36 (158.7884)
2014-06-27	Smoke on the Square: In Memory of David Harness Franklin, IN	2 / 34 (688.5144)	14 (170.8344)	1 (179.4400)	5 (173.7144)	20 (164.5256)
2014-06-13	Smokin' On The River Jeffersonville, IN	1 / 52 (693.6688)	6 (174.2628)	3 (172.5716)	4 (174.8572)	7 (171.9772)
2014-05-16	Buckeye State BBQ Championship West Chester, OH	8 / 38 (666.2860)	1 (175.4744)	19 (161.6800)	17 (165.7372)	20 (163.3944)
2014-05-03	Smokin' On The Water Liberty, IN	19 / 43 (662.6852)	26 (165.1200)	6 (173.1084)	37 (154.7884)	8 (169.6684)
2014-04-03	2nd Annual Parkinson's Smoke Out Evansville, IN	16 / 64 (660.4228)	6 (172.5600)	44 (158.8000)	40 (161.6800)	13 (167.3828)
2013-10-04	Jim Beam BBQ Classic Springfield, KY	7 / 41 (685.0856)	17 (170.2972)	2 (176.5600)	17 (168.5256)	11 (169.7028)
2013-09-20	Marshall County Plymouth, IN	6 / 27 (667.8744)	6 (169.6800)	14 (165.7032)	6 (168.5256)	8 (163.9656)
2013-09-06	Bands & BBQ at the Point Carrollton, KY	9 / 34 (675.3712)	4 (177.7028)	7 (170.8572)	22 (161.1312)	13 (165.6800)
2013-08-16	Madison Ribberfest: Barbeque & Blues Madison, IN	14 / 60 (665.0856)	14 (168.5600)	13 (166.8572)	5 (172.5944)	34 (157.0740)
2013-06-28	Smoke on the Square: In Memory of David Harness Franklin, IN	19 / 32 (634.2852)	30 (150.8570)	21 (153.1426)	8 (169.1430)	15 (161.1426)
2013-05-17	Buckeye State BBQ Championship West Chester, OH	7 / 35 (663.4282)	12 (165.7142)	9 (166.2858)	16 (160.5712)	3 (170.8570)
2013-05-04	Smokin' on the Water Liberty, IN	12 / 37 (657.7140)	7 (168.5714)	11 (166.8570)	23 (160.5712)	17 (161.7144)

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
2018 ↗	Master	#1331 (175 pts)	#1598 (120 pts)	#1019 (310 pts)	#1380 (175 pts)	#1586 (120 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#481 (781 pts)	#438 (876 pts)	#620 (656 pts)	#556 (711 pts)	#643 (616 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#408 (964 pts)	#355 (1054 pts)	#353 (1049 pts)	#458 (894 pts)	#449 (899 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#158 (1703 pts)	#178 (1503 pts)	#112 (1766 pts)	#138 (1633 pts)	#276 (1214 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#127 (1897 pts)	#203 (1417 pts)	#137 (1687 pts)	#143 (1612 pts)	#245 (1362 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#355 (861 pts)	#372 (831 pts)	#343 (891 pts)	#487 (676 pts)	#370 (846 pts)