The heartbreaker
Came within 2.2862 points of the Grand Championship at Don't Be Cruel BBQ Duel (2013-03-15).
Each card leads with the number that made it a story — read straight out of their results, no editorialising.
Came within 2.2862 points of the Grand Championship at Don't Be Cruel BBQ Duel (2013-03-15).
In the top 7% of every rated team in the data
A power rating of 1693 puts them #422 of 6,413 rated teams — the top 7% of the field.
2 perfect 180s in the data — every judge at the table handing back a nine, all in chicken.
The ratings favoured the top seed the other 80 times in 100
Their Grand Championship at High on the Hog Festival (2016-04-15) came as the ratings underdog — roughly a 20-in-100 shot against the field's top-rated team, WARREN COUNTY PORK CHOPPERS.
Took the Grand Championship over a 56-team field at High on the Hog Festival.
Smoke on the Falls is their spot: an average finish in the top 14% across 2 visits.
A call in 47 of 61 contests
A top-10 category call in 77% of their 61 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.
97.2% of a perfect 720
Their best day on record: 699.9772 at High on the Hog Festival — 97.2% of a perfect 720.
HIGH ON THE HAWG has finished one call ahead of BIG BLUE QUE 5 times — their closest competition in the data.
Organizer Portal ahead in 79% of their meetings
Organizer Portal has come out ahead in 42 of their 53 shared contests.
Their last Grand Championship came at High on the Hog Festival on 2016-04-15 — 34 contests and 10.4 years ago.
Ahead in 85% of their meetings
They've finished ahead of Chokin "N" tha Smoke in 28 of their 33 shared contests.
Off the trail for 1.5 years, then back at Smoke on The Shores BBQ Championship (2021-03-19).
Finished 2 of 100 at their very first tracked contest, Don't Be Cruel BBQ Duel (2013-03-15).
Runner-up for the whole thing 3 times against 1 Grand Championship — close enough to touch it, over and over.
South Pork has landed one call behind them 3 times.
Something about September: average finish in the top 22% across 8 contests, versus top 31% the rest of the year.
Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 7,174 miles across 61 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 327 miles to KCBS World Invitational Barbeque Championship.
Their overall lands within ±1.44% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.
They've cooked High on the Hog Festival every year from 2016 to 2019 — the contest they never miss.
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.
One contest in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team BIG BLUE QUE has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.
⚔ Head-to-headCareers of much the same size, 55 contests to 61, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.
⚔ Head-to-headTheir rating is built on 1 Grand Championship in 43 contests, alongside a 72% overall top-10 rate.
⚔ Head-to-headThis is the highest they've ever been rated, 32 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.
⚔ Head-to-headThey turned up 6 years after BIG BLUE QUE did, first appearing in 2019.
⚔ Head-to-headLevel with BIG BLUE QUE on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.
⚔ Head-to-head| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Organizer Portal | 53 | 11 | 42 | 21% | ⚔ compare |
| JIGGY PIGGY | 42 | 15 | 27 | 36% | ⚔ compare |
| South Pork | 38 | 17 | 21 | 45% | ⚔ compare |
| Chokin "N" tha Smoke | 33 | 28 | 5 | 85% | ⚔ compare |
| HIGH ON THE HAWG | 33 | 15 | 18 | 45% | ⚔ compare |
| SWIGGIN PIG | 33 | 12 | 21 | 36% | ⚔ compare |
| BEAN BANDITS | 29 | 19 | 10 | 66% | ⚔ compare |
| The Specialists | 29 | 10 | 19 | 34% | ⚔ compare |
| ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN | 27 | 11 | 16 | 41% | ⚔ compare |
| FAT, DRUNK & STUPID | 24 | 12 | 12 | 50% | ⚔ compare |
| CAMP-BELL BBQ | 22 | 20 | 2 | 91% | ⚔ compare |
| TEAM HOGWEISER | 21 | 20 | 1 | 95% | ⚔ compare |
| HOT COLE'S BBQ | 21 | 6 | 15 | 29% | ⚔ compare |
| SMOKE OF THE SHOALS | 20 | 17 | 3 | 85% | ⚔ compare |
| BEES KNEES BBQ TEAM | 20 | 9 | 11 | 45% | ⚔ compare |
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 61 | 24 | 2 | 9 | 180.0000 🔥 | 157.6456 | 171.36 | top 37% |
| Pork Ribs | 61 | 20 | 1 | 9 | 178.8572 | 155.3600 | 169.86 | top 36% |
| Pork | 61 | 22 | 0 | 3 | 176.5600 | 159.3600 | 169.23 | top 41% |
| Brisket | 61 | 24 | 4 | 8 | 179.4400 | 150.7656 | 170.83 | top 33% |
“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.
| Where | Contests | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| TN | 27 | 1 | top 32% |
| AL | 23 | 0 | top 29% |
| MS | 10 | 0 | top 30% |
| AR | 1 | 0 | top 35% |
| Field | Contests | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small (<20 teams) | 1 | 0 | top 53% |
| Medium (20–39) | 26 | 0 | top 35% |
| Large (40+) | 34 | 1 | top 27% |
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High on the Hog Festival | 5 | 1 | 1 | top 20% | 2019-04-19 |
| The Whistlestop Festival & Rocket City BBQ | 5 | 8 | 0 | top 25% | 2019-05-03 |
| *Mid-South BBQ Festival | 3 | 8 | 0 | top 41% | 2018-10-19 |
| Stand by Your Grill | 3 | 9 | 0 | top 49% | 2016-08-19 |
| Desoto Shrine Club BBQ Cook off | 2 | 3 | 0 | top 33% | 2019-06-14 |
| TN River BBQ Battle & Music Fest | 2 | 12 | 0 | top 56% | 2019-03-29 |
| *Great American BBQ Festival(JUDGES FULL) | 2 | 5 | 0 | top 24% | 2018-08-24 |
| Smoke on the Shores | 2 | 25 | 0 | top 44% | 2018-03-09 |
| Smoke on the Falls | 2 | 2 | 0 | top 14% | 2017-04-07 |
| Lewisburg Rotary Club BBQ Cookoff | 2 | 4 | 0 | top 38% | 2016-05-27 |
| Foothills Country Fair BBQ Bash | 2 | 20 | 0 | top 40% | 2014-07-25 |
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +15.8 | Don't Be Cruel BBQ Duel | 2013-03-15 |
| +14.9 | Smoke on the Falls | 2013-04-12 |
| +13.5 | High on the Hog Festival | 2016-04-15 |
| +12.9 | Lewisburg Rotary Club BBQ Cook-off | 2013-05-24 |
| +12.2 | High on the Hog Festival | 2018-04-20 |
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -14.3 | High on the Hog Festival | 2019-04-19 |
| -10.3 | Stand by Your Grill | 2016-08-19 |
| -8.8 | Desoto Shrine Club BBQ Cook off | 2019-06-14 |
| -8.4 | TN River BBQ Battle & Music Fest | 2019-03-29 |
| -7.5 | Lewisburg Rotary Club BBQ CookOff | 2014-05-24 |
| Season | Contests | GCs | Top-10s | Category wins | Walk rate | Avg finish | Best overall (% of perfect) | Avg overall (% of perfect) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | top 49% | 94.3% | 94.3% |
| 2019 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 57% | top 49% | 94.6% | 93.5% |
| 2018 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 88% | top 30% | 96.9% | 94.8% |
| 2017 | 10 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 100% | top 22% | 96.7% | 95.8% |
| 2016 | 12 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 75% | top 35% | 97.2% | 94.8% |
| 2015 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 33% | top 25% | 96% | 94.7% |
| 2014 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 50% | top 32% | 96.3% | 94% |
| 2013 | 12 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 100% | top 23% | 96.7% | 94.4% |
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-03-19 | Smoke on The Shores BBQ Championship 🏅 Lebanon, TN | 28 / 57 (678.7312) | 24 (170.8228) | 34 (167.3828) | 19 (170.8228) | 24 (169.7028) |
| 2019-09-13 | RiverFest 🏅 Decatur, AL | 10 / 37 (679.9196) | 14 (170.8112) | 2 (175.4400) | 7 (171.9772) | 23 (161.6912) |
| 2019-06-14 | Desoto Shrine Club BBQ Cook off 🏅 Hernado, MS | 29 / 49 (669.1316) | 8 (175.4172) | 30 (166.8344) | 26 (167.4972) | 40 (159.3828) |
| 2019-05-03 | The Whistlestop Festival & Rocket City BBQ 🏅 Huntsville, AL | 29 / 54 (663.8284) | 27 (167.3712) | 46 (155.3600) | 11 (171.9772) | 19 (169.1200) |
| 2019-04-19 | High on the Hog Festival 🏅 Winchester, TN | 26 / 39 (668.9596) | 11 (173.1084) | 21 (168.5372) | 27 (165.0856) | 30 (162.2284) |
| 2019-03-29 | TN River BBQ Battle & Music Fest 🏅 Savannah, TN | 20 / 29 (670.1600) | 14 (170.8112) | 11 (169.1316) | 8 (173.7028) | 28 (156.5144) |
| 2019-03-08 | Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship 🏅 Nashville, TN | 22 / 67 (681.0400) | 43 (167.3712) | 27 (168.5488) | 5 (175.4172) | 26 (169.7028) |
| 2019-02-08 | KCBS World Invitational Barbeque Championship 🏅 unrated Little Rock, AR | 32 / 92 (679.3028) | 37 (171.9656) | 58 (165.6916) | 61 (166.2284) | 13 (175.4172) |
| 2018-10-19 | *Mid-South BBQ Festival Mount Pleasant, TN | 8 / 22 (685.0396) | 4 (175.4056) | 8 (169.1200) | 9 (167.4056) | 8 (173.1084) |
| 2018-09-14 | *Riverfest BBQ and Music Festival Decatur, AL | 18 / 32 (664.9944) | 10 (170.8228) | 13 (171.4288) | 9 (171.9772) | 32 (150.7656) |
| 2018-08-24 | *Great American BBQ Festival(JUDGES FULL) Franklin, TN | 13 / 36 (680.4456) | 2 (177.7028) | 22 (166.2400) | 10 (168.5256) | 16 (167.9772) |
| 2018-06-15 | Desoto Shrine Club BBQ Cook off Hernado, MS | 3 / 45 (697.6684) | 3 (177.7028) | 2 (177.7028) | 22 (169.6800) | 14 (172.5828) |
| 2018-05-04 | The Whistlestop Festival & Rocket City BBQ Huntsville, AL | 13 / 61 (683.8856) | 9 (175.4056) | 29 (167.3944) | 28 (167.9656) | 15 (173.1200) |
| 2018-04-20 | High on the Hog Festival Winchester, TN | 2 / 42 (695.3600) | 21 (169.6800) | 7 (175.4172) | 6 (174.2628) | 5 (176.0000) |
| 2018-04-13 | TN River BBQ Battle & Music Fest Savannah, TN | 12 / 28 (677.5884) | 6 (174.2628) | 22 (162.2400) | 14 (169.1200) | 6 (171.9656) |
| 2018-03-09 | Smoke on the Shores Nashville, TN | 33 / 87 (675.2684) | 32 (170.8228) | 14 (174.2628) | 80 (159.3600) | 25 (170.8228) |
| 2017-10-20 | Mid-South BBQ Festival Mount Pleasant, TN | 14 / 28 (682.1824) | 17 (173.1084) | 10 (170.2628) | 17 (167.4056) | 12 (171.4056) |
| 2017-09-15 | Big Brother Big Sister Riverfest Decatur, AL | 3 / 39 (695.3600) | 2 (180.0000) | 24 (165.6800) | 2 (176.5600) | 8 (173.1200) |
| 2017-08-25 | Great American BBQ Festival Franklin, TN | 5 / 40 (696.5144) | 4 (175.4056) | 7 (173.7144) | 10 (174.2744) | 7 (173.1200) |
| 2017-05-19 | Southern Smoke BBQ Championship Lebanon, TN | 10 / 19 (683.3484) | 14 (169.6684) | 6 (171.9772) | 12 (166.2628) | 4 (175.4400) |
| 2017-05-05 | The Whistlestop Festival & Rocket City BBQ Huntsville, AL | 8 / 69 (692.4684) | 23 (170.8112) | 5 (174.2744) | 18 (171.9772) | 6 (175.4056) |
| 2017-04-21 | High on the Hog Festival Winchester, TN | 9 / 41 (692.5028) | 9 (174.2628) | 15 (170.8572) | 5 (176.5600) | 21 (170.8228) |
| 2017-04-07 | Smoke on the Falls Gadsden, AL | 6 / 28 (690.2172) | 3 (180.0000) | 13 (169.6800) | 24 (161.6800) | 1 (178.8572) |
| 2017-03-31 | Blues Hog BBQ & Music Fest Savannah, TN | 11 / 48 (687.3372) | 30 (166.8228) | 14 (171.9772) | 32 (169.6800) | 1 (178.8572) |
| 2017-03-10 | Smoke on the Shores Nashville, TN | 6 / 62 (685.0396) | 45 (165.0740) | 6 (174.2744) | 25 (167.9884) | 3 (177.7028) |
| 2017-03-03 | *Bodagetta BBQ Auburn, AL | 3 / 25 (695.3828) | 1 (178.8572) | 4 (174.8572) | 5 (171.4056) | 11 (170.2628) |
| 2016-10-14 | Mid-South BBQ Festival Mount Pleasant, TN | 10 / 27 (688.4912) | 3 (177.7028) | 2 (176.5600) | 15 (167.4056) | 17 (166.8228) |
| 2016-09-09 | Decatur Jaycee's 22nd Annual Riverfest Decatur, AL | 7 / 41 (686.7884) | 1 (178.8572) | 16 (168.5600) | 20 (168.5256) | 11 (170.8456) |
| 2016-08-19 | Stand by Your Grill Fulton, MS | 29 / 40 (658.7084) | 38 (157.6456) | 20 (166.8344) | 25 (162.8228) | 12 (171.4056) |
| 2016-06-24 | Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Birmingham, AL | 11 / 30 (684.4456) | 14 (173.1200) | 15 (168.5372) | 11 (170.8228) | 14 (171.9656) |
| 2016-06-03 | Fire in the Valley Red Bank BBQ Red Bank(Chattanooga), TN | 5 / 39 (691.9084) | 10 (173.1200) | 13 (171.9772) | 7 (176.5600) | 15 (170.2512) |
| 2016-05-27 | Lewisburg Rotary Club BBQ Cookoff Lewisburg, TN | 4 / 31 (699.9544) | 9 (174.2628) | 2 (177.1544) | 6 (173.1200) | 5 (175.4172) |
| 2016-05-20 | Barber Q Battle Birmingham, AL | 14 / 30 (685.6572) | 12 (170.8228) | 5 (176.5716) | 21 (167.3828) | 15 (170.8800) |
| 2016-05-06 | The Whistlestop Festival & Rocket City BBQ Huntsville, AL | 15 / 67 (678.7540) | 28 (169.6684) | 18 (169.7144) | 9 (173.1428) | 32 (166.2284) |
| 2016-04-15 | High on the Hog Festival Winchester, TN | 1 / 56 (699.9772) | 11 (174.2628) | 15 (171.9772) | 5 (176.0000) | 1 (177.7372) |
| 2016-04-08 | Smoke on the Falls Noccalula BBQ Fest Gadsden, AL | 16 / 25 (666.1712) | 21 (162.2284) | 14 (165.1200) | 3 (173.1428) | 17 (165.6800) |
| 2016-03-11 | Smoke on the Shores Nashville, TN | 25 / 49 (670.1712) | 30 (168.5372) | 39 (164.5484) | 20 (169.1200) | 21 (167.9656) |
| 2016-03-04 | * Boda Getta BBQ Auburn, AL | 10 / 25 (680.5260) | 13 (169.1200) | 2 (174.8688) | 3 (170.8572) | 15 (165.6800) |
| 2015-10-16 | Mid-South Barbecue Festival Mount Pleasant, TN | 7 / 31 (691.3484) | 12 (169.6684) | 3 (176.5716) | 20 (169.7028) | 5 (175.4056) |
| 2015-09-11 | Decatur Jaycee's 21st Annual Riverfest Decatur, AL | 19 / 55 (672.4340) | 16 (172.5484) | 18 (167.9772) | 29 (165.6800) | 33 (166.2284) |
| 2015-03-13 | Don't Be Cruel BBQ Duel Tupelo, MS | 16 / 94 (681.0512) | 36 (168.5256) | 12 (173.1200) | 25 (169.7028) | 27 (169.7028) |
| 2014-09-19 | 20th Annual Decatur Jaycee's Riverfest Decatur, AL | 8 / 75 (689.6340) | 25 (170.2512) | 20 (170.8228) | 10 (173.1200) | 7 (175.4400) |
| 2014-08-15 | Stand By Your Grill Fulton, MS | 39 / 65 (661.5768) | 57 (160.5140) | 25 (167.9772) | 54 (159.9428) | 13 (173.1428) |
| 2014-07-25 | Foothills Country Fair BBQ Bash Cleveland, TN | 20 / 49 (670.1252) | 24 (168.5256) | 21 (167.4172) | 31 (164.5140) | 16 (169.6684) |
| 2014-05-24 | Lewisburg Rotary Club BBQ CookOff Lewisburg, TN | 26 / 41 (669.5424) | 35 (162.8112) | 20 (169.6800) | 16 (171.9656) | 25 (165.0856) |
| 2014-05-02 | The WhistleStop Festival & Rocket City BBQ (JUDGES SIGN UP STARTS DECEMBER 2, 2013) Huntsville, AL | 10 / 62 (683.3256) | 9 (175.4056) | 11 (172.5600) | 7 (172.5600) | 33 (162.8000) |
| 2014-04-18 | High on the Hog Festival Winchester, TN | 3 / 62 (693.6572) | 18 (173.1200) | 2 (178.2972) | 32 (166.8228) | 7 (175.4172) |
| 2014-04-11 | Smoke on the Falls Noccalula BBQ Fest Gadsden, AL | 9 / 34 (676.4688) | 28 (163.3828) | 1 (178.8572) | 22 (166.2516) | 17 (167.9772) |
| 2014-03-14 | Don't Be Cruel BBQ Duel Benefiting Link Centre Tupelo, MS | 29 / 95 (669.0168) | 56 (163.3712) | 28 (167.4172) | 46 (166.8228) | 20 (171.4056) |
| 2013-10-11 | Cullman Oktoberfest BBQ Challenge Cullman, AL | 19 / 32 (663.3144) | 24 (165.1200) | 26 (160.5488) | 20 (164.5256) | 8 (173.1200) |
| 2013-10-04 | KC Hog Wild Corinth BBQ Corinth, MS | 10 / 30 (679.3028) | 10 (171.9656) | 14 (167.9772) | 17 (167.3828) | 7 (171.9772) |
| 2013-09-20 | Smokin' Aces BBQ Festival Tunica, MS | 4 / 53 (691.9084) | 16 (169.6800) | 21 (168.5256) | 6 (174.2628) | 2 (179.4400) |
| 2013-09-13 | Decatur Jaycees 19th Annual Riverfest Decatur, AL | 14 / 80 (672.9596) | 38 (165.0856) | 6 (174.2744) | 9 (173.1084) | 43 (160.4912) |
| 2013-08-16 | Stand By Your Grill Fulton, MS | 9 / 62 (682.7656) | 9 (175.4172) | 15 (170.8228) | 34 (164.5484) | 15 (171.9772) |
| 2013-08-09 | Smokin' in McMinnville McMinnville, TN | 13 / 37 (674.1828) | 9 (174.2628) | 16 (166.8344) | 35 (159.9428) | 5 (173.1428) |
| 2013-07-26 | Foothills Country Fair BBQ Bash Cleveland, TN | 21 / 54 (668.4112) | 17 (170.2512) | 44 (158.8000) | 36 (163.9428) | 3 (175.4172) |
| 2013-05-24 | Lewisburg Rotary Club BBQ Cook-off Lewisburg, TN | 3 / 36 (681.1428) | 3 (173.1430) | 18 (163.4286) | 15 (169.1428) | 5 (175.4284) |
| 2013-05-17 | Cotton Pickin' BBQ Cook-Off Hartselle, AL | 11 / 27 (678.8568) | 8 (173.1428) | 22 (158.8570) | 11 (171.4284) | 4 (175.4286) |
| 2013-05-03 | The Whistle Stop Festival & Rocket City BBQ Huntsville, AL | 9 / 62 (681.7140) | 6 (174.2856) | 37 (162.2856) | 26 (166.8570) | 1 (178.2858) |
| 2013-04-12 | Smoke on the Falls Gadsden, AL | 2 / 34 (685.7138) | 2 (177.1428) | 3 (172.0000) | 24 (161.1426) | 3 (175.4284) |
| 2013-03-15 | Don't Be Cruel BBQ Duel Tupelo, MS | 2 / 100 (695.9994) | 13 (172.5712) | 4 (175.4284) | 4 (176.0000) | 15 (171.9998) |
| Year | Series | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 ↗ | Master | #1131 (214 pts) | #958 (299 pts) | #1068 (264 pts) | #812 (394 pts) | #1332 (174 pts) |
| 2018 ↗ | Master | #278 (1147 pts) | #222 (1277 pts) | #331 (1002 pts) | #401 (887 pts) | #365 (942 pts) |
| 2017 ↗ | Master | #166 (1652 pts) | #166 (1535 pts) | #203 (1435 pts) | #238 (1297 pts) | #95 (1860 pts) |
| 2016 ↗ | Master | #202 (1533 pts) | #209 (1388 pts) | #153 (1578 pts) | #169 (1513 pts) | #244 (1328 pts) |
| 2015 ↗ | Master | #1097 (266 pts) | #1473 (181 pts) | #973 (356 pts) | #1672 (141 pts) | #1215 (241 pts) |
| 2014 ↗ | Master | #357 (1029 pts) | #561 (699 pts) | #308 (1139 pts) | #480 (814 pts) | #395 (954 pts) |
| 2013 ↗ | Master | #115 (1819 pts) | #114 (1639 pts) | #197 (1332 pts) | #223 (1210 pts) | #66 (2071 pts) |