D.F.G.'S BBQ

D.F.G.'S BBQ is a competition barbecue team with 40 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2020. They have won 1 Grand Championship, at the Grill Games (2018), and finished Reserve Grand Champion once. They are ranked #620 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings. Also listed in KCBS results as “DFG's BBQ”.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#620

of 6,491 rated · rankings

Rating

1656

peak 1662 · rated over 39 contests1 invitational or side-series contest not counted

Contests

in the data

First seen

Aug 23, 2013

latest Oct 16, 2020 · 7.1 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#268

Master 2018 · every season

Grand champs

1 reserve · wins it all 3% of the time

Category wins

20 podiums

Overall top-10s

28% of 40 contests

Best top-10 run

straight overall top-10s

Avg finish

top 40%

overall standings

Best overall

689.0740 / 720

Master · BBQ SmokeDown at Chicagoland

Perfect 180s

1 🔥

Current form

674.41 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 657.43 (+16.98)

Walk rate

73%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

180 🔥

Pork · Best of the Midwest

Consistency

±18.96

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 166.22 · weakest Brisket (162.60)

Road miles

2,783

across 40 mapped stops · furthest 455 mi

Schedule strength

57%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1572)

Purse competed for

$166K

listed at 8 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 10 state-championship entries

Master avg

657.43 / 720

40 Master contests · 1 GC

Storylines (13 found in their record)

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

Among the elite

#620 of 6,491 rated teams

In the top 10% of every rated team in the data

A power rating of 1656 puts them #620 of 6,491 rated teams — the top 10% of the field.

rating 1656
peak 1662
39 rated contests

Perfect scores on the board

1 perfect 180

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

Pork ×1

Against the odds

12-in-100 shot on pre-contest ratings

The ratings favoured the top seed the other 88 times in 100

Their Grand Championship at Grill Games (Aug 24, 2018) came as the ratings underdog — roughly a 12-in-100 shot against the field's top-rated team, One2BBQ.

Giant slayer

42 teams beaten in one weekend

Took the Grand Championship over a 42-team field at Grill Games.

Aug 24, 2018

They almost always walk

73% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 29 of 40 contests

A top-10 category call in 73% of their 40 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

689.0740 career-best overall

95.7% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 689.0740 at BBQ SmokeDown at Chicagoland — 95.7% of a perfect 720.

Master
Jun 28, 2019

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

MOOSE'S BARBECUE has finished one call ahead of D.F.G.'S BBQ 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

Show 6 more storylines

A tough matchup

21–9 behind in the head-to-head

BIG "E" BBQ ahead in 70% of their meetings

BIG "E" BBQ has come out ahead in 21 of their 30 shared contests.

The drought

12 contests since the last title

Their last Grand Championship came at Grill Games on Aug 24, 2018 — 12 contests and 8.2 years ago.

last GC Aug 24, 2018
8.2 years ago

A strong matchup

12–3 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 80% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of ROLL THE BONES BBQ in 12 of their 15 shared contests.

Looking over their shoulder

2× one call behind them

AXE-MEN BBQ has landed one call behind them 2 times.

An August team

Top 30% average finish in August

Something about August: average finish in the top 30% across 8 contests, versus top 40% the rest of the year.

8 August contests
top 40% the rest of the year

A standing appointment

6 years running at one contest

They've cooked Grill Games every year from 2013 to 2018 — the contest they never miss.

6 visits in all
best finish 1st

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
2019 ↗	Master	#334 (930 pts)	#406 (810 pts)	#339 (945 pts)	#254 (1,115 pts)	#405 (825 pts)
2018 ↗	Master	#268 (1,188 pts)	#344 (993 pts)	#244 (1,208 pts)	#248 (1,208 pts)	#286 (1,108 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#495 (760 pts)	#455 (855 pts)	#440 (890 pts)	#325 (1,105 pts)	#730 (540 pts)
2016 ↗	Master	#667 (578 pts)	#472 (853 pts)	#866 (448 pts)	#633 (633 pts)	#537 (753 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#879 (375 pts)	#947 (360 pts)	#625 (625 pts)	#1118 (295 pts)	#1056 (300 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#1170 (250 pts)	#957 (370 pts)	#908 (400 pts)	#1327 (230 pts)	#1379 (210 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#2446 (68 pts)	#2489 (68 pts)	#2484 (68 pts)	#2489 (68 pts)	#1680 (133 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to D.F.G.'S BBQ, each with one reason worth a look.

BIG BUTTS NEED RUBBIN TOO

#621 of the rated field

1656 power rating

Contests: 139
GCs: 4
Top-10s: 40%
Peak: 1754

1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to D.F.G.'S BBQ)

One contest in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team D.F.G.'S BBQ has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.

rated over 135 contests
last seen Mar 31, 2023

⚔ Head-to-head

SMOKIN TIMBERS NORTHWEST

#618 of the rated field

1656 power rating

Contests: 33
GCs: 2
Top-10s: 67%
Peak: 1660

Careers of much the same size, 33 contests to 40, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 32 contests
last seen Aug 22, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

MRC_Barbecue

#619 of the rated field

1656 power rating

Contests: 53
GCs: 2
Top-10s: 58%
Peak: 1680

Their rating is built on 2 Grand Championships in 53 contests, alongside a 58% overall top-10 rate.

rated over 50 contests
last seen Oct 16, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

Up From The Pits BBQ

#631 of the rated field

1655 ▼ 1 power rating

Contests: 54
GCs: 2
Top-10s: 28%
Peak: 1658

2–1 in 3 shared contests (67% to D.F.G.'S BBQ)

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 49 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 49 contests
last seen Aug 22, 2025

⚔ Head-to-head

WICKED SMOKE BBQ

#630 of the rated field

1655 ▼ 1 power rating

Contests: 69
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 38%
Peak: 1674

7–9 in 16 shared contests (44% to D.F.G.'S BBQ)

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

rated over 68 contests
last seen Sep 5, 2025

⚔ Head-to-head

SMOKIN TIMBERS BBQ

#617 of the rated field

1657 ▲ 1 power rating

Contests: 113
GCs: 3
Top-10s: 18%
Peak: 1657

2–0 in 2 shared contests (100% to D.F.G.'S BBQ)

Level with D.F.G.'S BBQ on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 104 contests
last seen Nov 12, 2022

⚔ Head-to-head

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
BIG "E" BBQ	30	9	21	30%	⚔ compare
BLUE ISLAND BBQ CO.	26	13	13	50%	⚔ compare
Risky Brisket	23	5	18	22%	⚔ compare
CAPTAIN RON'S BREW-N-QUE	22	10	12	45%	⚔ compare
SMOKE FREAKS	20	8	12	40%	⚔ compare
THE BBQ BUS	19	11	8	58%	⚔ compare
RACK MASTERS BBQ	17	12	5	71%	⚔ compare
QUE U	17	12	5	71%	⚔ compare
IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ	17	0	17	0%	⚔ compare
Second Hand Smoke SLV	16	11	5	69%	⚔ compare
Carrol Lou's Smokehouse	16	11	5	69%	⚔ compare
WICKED SMOKE BBQ	16	7	9	44%	⚔ compare
One2BBQ	16	4	12	25%	⚔ compare
ROLL THE BONES BBQ	15	12	3	80%	⚔ compare
MOOSE'S BARBECUE	15	12	3	80%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	40	11	0	3	176	134.6744	166.22	top 40%
Pork Ribs	40	14	1	6	177.7028	138.7544	163.97	top 42%
Pork	40	12	2	6	180 🔥	147.9428	164.64	top 44%
Brisket	40	8	1	5	175.4172	146.7772	162.60	top 47%

“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)	8	0	top 36%
Large (40+)	32	1	top 41%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
WI	21	1	top 44%
IL	17	0	top 36%
KS	2	0	top 32%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	GCs	Avg finish	Last visit
Grill Games	6	1	1	top 33%	Aug 24, 2018
Best of the Midwest BBQ Cook-off	4	2	0	top 38%	Oct 19, 2018
Heritage Days BBQ Showdown Day 2	2	21	0	top 52%	Jun 22, 2019
Heritage Days BBQ Showdown Day 1	2	17	0	top 36%	Jun 21, 2019
McHenry Rotary Blues Brews & BBQ	2	7	0	top 21%	Aug 18, 2018
RED, WHITE and BAR-B-Q ( DAY 2)	2	26	0	top 61%	May 26, 2018
Heritage Days BBQ Showdown	2	15	0	top 50%	Jun 23, 2017

More numbers

Busiest season 2019 9 contests

Contests a season 5 across 8 seasons in the data

Most contests held in WI 21 of 40 contests · 3 states in all

Contests visited 27 7 of them more than once

First title Aug 24, 2018 Grill Games

Opponents faced 970 finished ahead 1,445 times, behind 948

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

20201 milestone

Oct 16 Most recent contest Best of the Midwest BBQ

20193 milestones

Jun 28 Career-best overall score689.0740 BBQ SmokeDown at Chicagoland
Oct 18 First perfect 180 (Pork) Best of the Midwest
Oct 18 Peak power rating (1662) Best of the Midwest

20186 milestones

May 26 First category win (Pork Ribs) RED, WHITE and BAR-B-Q ( DAY 2)
Jun 22 25th tracked contest Heritage Days BBQ Showdown Day 1
Aug 24 First overall podium Grill Games
Aug 24 First Grand Championship Grill Games
Aug 24 Biggest field won (42 teams) Grill Games
Oct 19 First Reserve Championship Best of the Midwest BBQ Cook-off

20171 milestone

May 19 First overall top-10 ASTOPâ€™s BBQ 4 ASTOP

20161 milestone

Apr 30 10th tracked contest Masters in May- The Classic

20142 milestones

Aug 22 First call Grill Games
Aug 22 First overall past 90% of a perfect score651.3484 Grill Games

20131 milestone

Aug 23 First tracked contest Grill Games

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+15.4	Grill Games	Aug 24, 2018
+13.3	Best of the Midwest BBQ Cook-off	Oct 19, 2018
+11.9	BBQ SmokeDown at Chicagoland	Jun 28, 2019
+11.4	Gold Ribbin' BBQ Fest of Greater Green Bay-2nd Heat	Jul 9, 2016
+10.8	McHenry Rotary Blues Brews & BBQ	Aug 18, 2018

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-9.3	Pig in the Park	Jun 20, 2014
-8.3	Grill Games	Aug 23, 2013
-8	Best of the Midwest BBQ Cook-off	Oct 20, 2017
-7.2	Gold Ribbin' BBQ Fest of Greater Green Bay-Heat1	Jul 14, 2017
-6.5	RED, WHITE and BAR-B-Q ( DAY 1)	May 25, 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)
2020	1	0	0	0	100%	top 50%	91.3%	91.3%
2019	9	0	4	1	89%	top 25%	95.7%	93.8%
2018	8	1	4	3	88%	top 32%	95.3%	92.5%
2017	7	0	3	0	71%	top 45%	92.3%	90.2%
2016	7	0	0	0	57%	top 49%	93.2%	90.3%
2015	4	0	0	0	50%	top 36%	91.6%	90.8%
2014	3	0	0	0	67%	top 59%	90.5%	88.8%
2013	1	0	0	0	0%	top 77%	83.9%	83.9%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Oct 16, 2020	Best of the Midwest BBQ 🏅 Union Grove, WI	25 / 50 (657.0056)	4 (174.8456)	39 (156.5028)	45 (155.9428)	11 (169.7144)
Oct 18, 2019	Best of the Midwest 🏅 Union Grove, WI	8 / 52 (670.7200)	12 (167.3944)	10 (167.3944)	1 (180)	39 (155.9312)
Sep 12, 2019	40th American Royal World Series of Barbecue- OPEN CONTEST 🏅 Kansas City, KS	92 / 468 (678.8344)	58 (173.1428)	278 (163.4288)	182 (167.9656)	45 (174.2972)
Sep 12, 2019	40th American Royal World Series of Barbecue- INVITATIONAL CONTEST 🏅 unrated Kansas City, KS	60 / 135 (685.0396)	96 (168.5256)	77 (169.6684)	5 (179.4400)	106 (167.4056)
Jul 19, 2019	Central Illinois BBQ Throwdown 🏅 Peoria, IL	6 / 40 (680.4456)	17 (168.5256)	14 (166.2400)	14 (170.2628)	3 (175.4172)
Jun 28, 2019	BBQ SmokeDown at Chicagoland 🏅 Joliet, IL	5 / 42 (689.0740)	15 (172.5484)	3 (174.2972)	6 (173.7028)	20 (168.5256)
Jun 22, 2019	Heritage Days BBQ Showdown Day 2 🏅 Belvidere, IL	21 / 45 (667.3256)	29 (163.4056)	21 (167.4172)	28 (165.0856)	10 (171.4172)
Jun 21, 2019	Heritage Days BBQ Showdown Day 1 🏅 Belvidere, IL	19 / 50 (664.4684)	5 (174.2628)	7 (170.2744)	38 (159.4056)	32 (160.5256)
May 25, 2019	Red, White, and BBQ- Day 2 🏅 Westmont, IL	12 / 48 (670.1716)	15 (166.8344)	18 (165.0972)	6 (169.1200)	11 (169.1200)
May 24, 2019	Red, White, and BBQ Day 1 🏅 Westmont, IL	5 / 40 (674.7428)	6 (173.7028)	25 (159.9544)	16 (166.8228)	4 (174.2628)
Oct 19, 2018	Best of the Midwest BBQ Cook-off Union Grove, WI	2 / 42 (686.2516)	14 (166.8228)	5 (170.8572)	2 (174.8572)	1 (173.7144)
Oct 5, 2018	Harbor-Que Winthrop Harbor, IL	4 / 28 (670.2284)	9 (167.9884)	2 (172.5716)	18 (158.8456)	3 (170.8228)
Aug 24, 2018	Grill Games Kenosha, WI	1 / 42 (686.3084)	3 (174.8800)	5 (170.8456)	1 (177.7372)	17 (162.8456)
Aug 18, 2018	McHenry Rotary Blues Brews & BBQ McHenry, IL	7 / 30 (661.5656)	5 (166.8228)	14 (158.8228)	16 (162.8000)	2 (173.1200)
Jun 23, 2018	Heritage Days BBQ Showdown Day 2 Belvidere, IL	25 / 44 (656.4000)	21 (170.8228)	23 (162.2284)	20 (165.0972)	32 (158.2516)
Jun 22, 2018	Heritage Days BBQ Showdown Day 1 Belvidere, IL	17 / 51 (667.9312)	15 (171.4056)	36 (160.5372)	8 (170.3200)	25 (165.6684)
May 26, 2018	RED, WHITE and BAR-B-Q ( DAY 2) Westmont, IL	26 / 60 (663.3368)	22 (168.5484)	1 (177.1544)	38 (163.4056)	47 (154.2284)
May 25, 2018	RED, WHITE and BAR-B-Q ( DAY 1) Westmont, IL	39 / 49 (634.1260)	42 (155.9428)	33 (159.9660)	6 (171.4400)	45 (146.7772)
Oct 20, 2017	Best of the Midwest BBQ Cook-off Union Grove, WI	39 / 52 (623.1204)	52 (134.6744)	10 (169.6800)	16 (166.8228)	41 (151.9432)
Aug 25, 2017	Grill Games Kenosha, WI	9 / 39 (658.7660)	25 (158.8000)	3 (171.9888)	2 (172.5600)	25 (155.4172)
Aug 19, 2017	McHenry Rotary Blues Brews & BBQ McHenry, IL	7 / 36 (658.7656)	3 (172.5484)	22 (155.4172)	2 (173.1428)	12 (157.6572)
Jul 15, 2017	Gold Ribbin' BBQ Fest of Greater Green Bay-Heat 2 Green Bay, WI	30 / 49 (654.1256)	13 (170.8228)	32 (163.3944)	43 (155.9656)	27 (163.9428)
Jul 14, 2017	Gold Ribbin' BBQ Fest of Greater Green Bay-Heat1 Green Bay, WI	46 / 58 (626.0916)	47 (155.9316)	27 (162.2744)	54 (147.9428)	35 (159.9428)
Jun 23, 2017	Heritage Days BBQ Showdown Belvidere, IL	15 / 42 (664.4684)	14 (167.3828)	8 (168.5600)	16 (164.5828)	18 (163.9428)
May 19, 2017	ASTOPâ€™s BBQ 4 ASTOP Fond du Lac, WI	7 / 30 (659.2340)	4 (170.8456)	6 (167.3828)	2 (169.6800)	20 (151.3256)
Oct 21, 2016	Best of the Midwest BBQ Cook-off Union Grove, WI	20 / 51 (653.0400)	2 (176)	27 (158.2516)	39 (155.3828)	28 (163.4056)
Aug 26, 2016	Grill Games Kenosha, WI	12 / 37 (649.0744)	30 (151.9656)	22 (159.3944)	8 (166.8916)	3 (170.8228)
Jul 9, 2016	Gold Ribbin' BBQ Fest of Greater Green Bay-2nd Heat Green Bay, WI	15 / 55 (670.7656)	23 (169.1084)	41 (159.9428)	14 (169.1200)	6 (172.5944)
Jul 8, 2016	Gold Ribbin' BBQ Fest of Greater Green Bay-1st Heat Green Bay, WI	52 / 66 (634.7204)	40 (164)	57 (153.0744)	58 (153.6688)	31 (163.9772)
Jun 24, 2016	Heritage Days BBQ Showdown Belvidere, IL	21 / 33 (641.5772)	4 (174.2628)	32 (144.5144)	12 (166.8228)	23 (155.9772)
Apr 30, 2016	Masters in May- The Classic Appleton, WI	25 / 58 (657.0172)	13 (170.8344)	22 (167.3828)	36 (160.5256)	42 (158.2744)
Apr 29, 2016	Masters in May Appleton, WI	36 / 59 (644.4688)	22 (166.8228)	30 (160.5600)	56 (149.0972)	18 (167.9888)
Oct 23, 2015	Best of the Midwest BBQ Cook off Union Grove, WI	15 / 44 (656.5260)	15 (167.3828)	16 (163.4632)	17 (165.1200)	20 (160.5600)
Sep 11, 2015	Windy City BBQ Classic Chicago, IL	22 / 61 (654.7084)	38 (161.0740)	2 (177.7028)	23 (167.4172)	49 (148.5144)
Aug 28, 2015	Grill Games Kenosha, WI	11 / 49 (659.3944)	11 (168.5484)	6 (169.7372)	24 (159.9772)	18 (161.1316)
Jul 10, 2015	Gold Ribbin' BBQ Fest of Greater Green Bay Green Bay, WI	41 / 80 (645.5540)	45 (161.6800)	20 (166.8228)	57 (157.6456)	44 (159.4056)
Oct 17, 2014	9th Annual Lambs Farm Barn Burner Bar-B-Q Libertyville, IL	22 / 42 (651.3484)	21 (165.0856)	3 (173.7028)	21 (162.8572)	34 (149.7028)
Aug 22, 2014	Grill Games Kenosha, WI	19 / 47 (651.3484)	4 (171.4400)	23 (159.9428)	25 (159.4056)	24 (160.5600)
Jun 20, 2014	Pig in the Park Whitewater, WI	22 / 26 (615.2460)	23 (153.6456)	20 (153.6688)	21 (157.1200)	22 (150.8116)
Aug 23, 2013	Grill Games Kenosha, WI	33 / 43 (603.8628)	37 (149.6684)	41 (138.7544)	37 (151.4400)	12 (164)

An unrated contest — an invitational, or a Competitor or Kosher Series board — is in the record but doesn’t move the power rating.

D.F.G.'S BBQ

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

Purse competed for

State championships

Master avg

Storylines (13 found in their record)

Among the elite

Perfect scores on the board

Against the odds

Giant slayer

They almost always walk

High-water mark

The one to beat

A tough matchup

The drought

A strong matchup

Looking over their shoulder

An August team

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)