LOVE-N-SMOKE

LOVE-N-SMOKE is a competition barbecue team with 39 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2017 and 2023. They have won 1 Grand Championship, at the BBQ Gives Back (Day 2) (Masters and Backyard) (2022). They are ranked #698 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#698

of 6,491 rated · rankings

Rating

1642

peak 1643 · rated over 34 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Mar 24, 2017

latest Apr 29, 2023 · 6.1 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#386

Master 2018 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve · wins it all 3% of the time

Category wins

8 podiums

Overall top-10s

38% of 39 contests

Best top-10 run

straight overall top-10s

Avg finish

top 41%

overall standings

Best overall

674.2628 / 720

Master · 13th Annual Recovery Fest/8th Annual BBQ State Championship

Perfect 180s

Current form

658.15 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 654.02 (+4.14)

Walk rate

64%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

179.4400

Chicken · BBQ Gives Back (Day 2)

Consistency

±13.96

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 169.56 · weakest Brisket (162.49)

Road miles

2,657

across 39 mapped stops · furthest 263 mi

Schedule strength

78%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1600)

Purse competed for

$103K

listed at 16 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

1 🏅

won from 15 state-championship entries

Master avg

654.02 / 720

17 Master contests · 0 GCs

Backyard avg

330.69 / 360

6 Backyard contests · 0 GCs

Backyard (3-meat) avg

506.85 / 540

11 Backyard (3-meat) contests · 1 GC

These overall scores sit on different scales (Master out of 720, Backyard out of 360, Backyard (3-meat) out of 540), so they're kept separate — averaging them together would be misleading.

This team cooks the Backyard series — its own boards, records and Team of the Year are here.

Storylines (14 found in their record)

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

Giant slayer

50 teams beaten in one weekend

Took the Grand Championship over a 50-team field at BBQ Gives Back (Day 2) (Masters and Backyard).

Mar 26, 2022

Happy hunting ground

1× Grand Championship here

BBQ Gives Back (Day 2) (Masters and Backyard) is their spot: 1 Grand Championship in 2 visits.

2 visits
best finish 1st
average top 18%

They almost always walk

64% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 25 of 39 contests

A top-10 category call in 64% of their 39 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

674.2628 career-best overall

93.6% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 674.2628 at 13th Annual Recovery Fest/8th Annual BBQ State Championship — 93.6% of a perfect 720.

Master
Sep 8, 2017

State champions

1 state championship won

They've taken 1 state championship from 15 entries at contests carrying the title.

15 state-championship entries

The one to beat

3× one call ahead of them

RED SMOKE BAR-B-QUE has finished one call ahead of LOVE-N-SMOKE 3 times — their closest competition in the data.

A tough matchup

23–3 behind in the head-to-head

WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ ahead in 88% of their meetings

WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ has come out ahead in 23 of their 26 shared contests.

Show 7 more storylines

The weak link

−7.1 points behind their best meat

Brisket is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 7.07 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 12% of the time against 50%.

Brisket avg 162.49
Chicken avg 169.56
2 calls in 17 entries

The drought

11 contests since the last title

Their last Grand Championship came at BBQ Gives Back (Day 2) (Masters and Backyard) on Mar 26, 2022 — 11 contests and 4.6 years ago.

last GC Mar 26, 2022
4.6 years ago

A strong matchup

16–3 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 84% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of BIG DOG BBQ VA in 16 of their 19 shared contests.

The comeback

2.5 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 2.5 years, then back at BBQ Gives Back (Day 1) (Mar 26, 2021).

last seen Oct 5, 2018
back Mar 26, 2021

Looking over their shoulder

4× one call behind them

The Fat is Where It's At has landed one call behind them 4 times.

A March team

Top 25% average finish in March

Something about March: average finish in the top 25% across 8 contests, versus top 41% the rest of the year.

8 March contests
top 41% the rest of the year

The metronome

±2.42% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±2.42% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 92.0% of a perfect score
39 contests

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
2023 ↗	Backyard	—	#114 (562 pts)	#141 (460 pts)	—	—
2023 ↗	Master	—	—	#1379 (73 pts)	—	—
2022 ↗	Backyard	—	#37 (925 pts)	#36 (961 pts)	—	—
2022 ↗	Master	—	—	#1338 (78 pts)	—	—
2021 ↗	Backyard	—	#37 (878 pts)	#51 (707 pts)	—	—
2018 ↗	Master	#386 (884 pts)	#254 (1,214 pts)	#433 (839 pts)	#385 (919 pts)	#400 (884 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#573 (687 pts)	#489 (797 pts)	#555 (722 pts)	#559 (707 pts)	#610 (647 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to LOVE-N-SMOKE, each with one reason worth a look.

5TH GEAR BBQ

#699 of the rated field

1642 power rating

Contests: 36
GCs: 2
Top-10s: 53%
Peak: 1671

They've been 1671 at their best, 30 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 36 contests
last seen Sep 18, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

DIVA Q

#700 of the rated field

1641 power rating

Contests: 44
GCs: 2
Top-10s: 43%
Peak: 1654

Their last contest in the data was back in 2019, 4 years before LOVE-N-SMOKE's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 41 contests

⚔ Compare careers

Pig Candy Barbeque Co.

#707 of the rated field

1640 ▼ 1 power rating

Contests: 37
GCs: 2
Top-10s: 32%
Peak: 1641

1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to LOVE-N-SMOKE)

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

rated over 36 contests
last seen Sep 25, 2026

⚔ Head-to-head

WEEKEND SMOKERS

#701 of the rated field

1641 ▼ 1 power rating

Contests: 70
GCs: 3
Top-10s: 26%
Peak: 1659

2–0 in 2 shared contests (100% to LOVE-N-SMOKE)

A longer road to the same neighbourhood — 70 contests to 39.

rated over 70 contests
last seen Jul 11, 2026

⚔ Head-to-head

FIRED UP SMOKERS

#697 of the rated field

1642 ▲ 1 power rating

Contests: 34
GCs: 2
Top-10s: 29%
Peak: 1656

Their rating is built on 2 Grand Championships in 34 contests, alongside a 29% overall top-10 rate.

rated over 32 contests
last seen Oct 13, 2017

⚔ Compare careers

Tuffy's BBQ

#695 of the rated field

1643 ▲ 1 power rating

Contests: 32
GCs: 2
Top-10s: 41%
Peak: 1643

They turned up 6 years after LOVE-N-SMOKE did, first appearing in 2023.

rated over 30 contests
last seen Sep 30, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
WOLF'S REVENGE BBQ	26	3	23	12%	⚔ compare
OLD VIRGINIA SMOKE	20	6	14	30%	⚔ compare
BIG DOG BBQ VA	19	16	3	84%	⚔ compare
3N1 Q	18	4	14	22%	⚔ compare
JD'S SMOKIN MISFITS	16	9	7	56%	⚔ compare
FRED VEGAS SMOKERS	16	7	9	44%	⚔ compare
smokey anderson bbq	15	13	1	87%	⚔ compare
WAR PIGS	14	12	2	86%	⚔ compare
Optimus Swine	14	6	8	43%	⚔ compare
Rogue Hog BBQ	14	5	9	36%	⚔ compare
SMOKECRAFT - MD	13	7	6	54%	⚔ compare
RED SMOKE BAR-B-QUE	13	7	6	54%	⚔ compare
3 EYZ BBQ	13	5	8	38%	⚔ compare
Uncle Pig's Barbeque Pit	13	5	6	38%	⚔ compare
PAVONE BROTHERS BBQ	13	4	9	31%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	34	17	2	3	179.4400	156.5372	169.56	top 32%
Pork Ribs	37	14	2	2	176.5716	146.2060	162.87	top 49%
Pork	28	10	0	3	177.7144	151.9428	165.50	top 42%
Brisket	17	2	0	0	171.4400	151.9084	162.49	top 49%

“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
Small (<20 teams)	5	0	top 31%
Medium (20–39)	11	0	top 50%
Large (40+)	18	1	top 38%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
VA	25	1	top 42%
PA	3	0	top 45%
MD	3	0	top 29%
WV	2	0	top 45%
NC	1	0	top 28%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	GCs	Avg finish	Last visit
BBQ Gives Back (Day 2) (Masters and Backyard)	6	3	0	top 28%	Mar 25, 2023
BBQ Gives Back (Day 2) (Masters and Backyard)	2	1	1	top 18%	Mar 26, 2022
Revolutionary BBQ Brawl - Battle on the James (Day 2)	2	6	0	top 56%	Apr 29, 2023

More numbers

Busiest season 2022 9 contests · 1 GC

Contests a season 7.8 across 5 seasons in the data

Most contests held in VA 30 of 39 contests · 5 states in all

Contests visited 27 3 of them more than once

Most-entered meat Pork Ribs 37 entries · 2 wins · 14 calls

First title Mar 26, 2022 BBQ Gives Back (Day 2) (Masters and Backyard)

Opponents faced 487 finished ahead 963 times, behind 609

Longest layoff 2.5 yrs Oct 5, 2018 → Mar 26, 2021

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

20232 milestones

Mar 25 Peak power rating (1643) BBQ Gives Back (Day 2) (Masters and Backyard)
Apr 29 Most recent contest Revolutionary BBQ Brawl - Battle on the James (Day 2)

20224 milestones

Mar 25 25th tracked contest BBQ Gives Back (Day 1) (Masters and Backyard) (One Meat Chicken)
Mar 26 First Grand Championship BBQ Gives Back (Day 2) (Masters and Backyard)
Mar 26 First state championship BBQ Gives Back (Day 2) (Masters and Backyard)
Mar 26 Biggest field won (50 teams) BBQ Gives Back (Day 2) (Masters and Backyard)

20213 milestones

Mar 27 First category win (Chicken) BBQ Gives Back (Day 2)
Mar 27 First overall podium BBQ Gives Back (Day 2)
Mar 27 Career-best single call (Chicken)179.4400 BBQ Gives Back (Day 2)

20181 milestone

Apr 6 10th tracked contest The Ironman

20175 milestones

Mar 24 First tracked contest BBQ Gives Back
May 12 First call BBQ Jamboree-Day 1 (JUDGES FULL)
May 12 First overall past 90% of a perfect score669.0628 BBQ Jamboree-Day 1 (JUDGES FULL)
Sep 8 First overall top-10 13th Annual Recovery Fest/8th Annual BBQ State Championship
Sep 8 Career-best overall score674.2628 13th Annual Recovery Fest/8th Annual BBQ State Championship

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+15.6	BBQ Gives Back (Day 2) (Masters and Backyard)	Mar 26, 2022
+14.5	BBQ Gives Back (Day 2)	Mar 27, 2021
+14.1	13th Annual Recovery Fest/8th Annual BBQ State Championship	Sep 8, 2017
+13.2	BBQ Jamboree-Day 1 (JUDGES FULL)	May 12, 2017
+12	Rufus Teague BBQ Throwdown at Americamps - Day 2 (BACKYARD ONLY)	Sep 25, 2021

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-8.6	Americamps BBQ Throwdown - Day 1 (BACKYARD ONLY)	Sep 23, 2022
-8.4	Revolutionary BBQ Brawl - Battle on the James (Day 1)	Apr 28, 2023
-7.8	BBQ Jamboree Double Day 2	May 12, 2018
-5.4	BBQ Jamboree- Day 2 (JUDGES FULL)	May 12, 2017
-4.7	BBQ Gives Back	Mar 24, 2017

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)
2023	6	0	3	0	50%	top 36%	94.2%	93.2%
2022	9	1	4	3	67%	top 33%	97.7%	93.8%
2021	7	0	5	1	86%	top 26%	96%	92.6%
2018	9	0	2	0	78%	top 44%	93.4%	91.7%
2017	8	0	1	0	38%	top 59%	93.6%	89.8%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Apr 29, 2023	Revolutionary BBQ Brawl - Battle on the James (Day 2) 🏅 Williamsburg, VA	6 / 19 (338.2172)	9 (170.8228)	10 (167.3944)	—	—
Apr 28, 2023	Revolutionary BBQ Brawl - Battle on the James (Day 1) 🏅 Williamsburg, VA	16 / 20 (329.6228)	12 (167.3712)	20 (162.2516)	—	—
Mar 25, 2023	BBQ Gives Back (Day 2) (Masters and Backyard) 🏅 Urbanna, VA	7 / 46 (508.5028)	5 (170.8228)	12 (165.6800)	5 (172)	—
Mar 24, 2023	BBQ Gives Back (Day 1) (Masters and Backyard) 🏅 Urbanna, VA	10 / 53 (502.7656)	8 (170.8228)	19 (158.8228)	2 (173.1200)	—
Mar 24, 2023	BBQ Gives Back (One Meat Ribs) Urbanna, VA	—	—	22 (167.3944)	—	—
Mar 24, 2023	BBQ Gives Back (One Meat Chicken) Urbanna, VA	—	—	—	—	—
Sep 24, 2022	Americamps BBQ Throwdown - Day 2 (BACKYARD ONLY) Ashland, VA	7 / 18 (517.7032)	4 (177.7144)	1 (176.5716)	12 (163.4172)	—
Sep 23, 2022	Americamps BBQ Throwdown - Day 1 (BACKYARD ONLY) Ashland, VA	15 / 20 (504.5032)	7 (174.2744)	18 (162.2516)	16 (167.9772)	—
Sep 23, 2022	Americamps BBQ Throwdown (One Meat Ribs) Ashland, VA	—	—	1 (176.5716)	—	—
Apr 22, 2022	Downtown BBQ Throwdown 🏅 Ripley, WV	3 / 17 (508.0344)	4 (168.6172)	7 (167.4172)	4 (172)	—
Apr 8, 2022	Jimbo's Annual BBQ Competition 🏅 Stem, NC	10 / 36 (334.2172)	11 (166.8112)	9 (167.4060)	—	—
Mar 26, 2022	BBQ Gives Back (Day 2) (Masters and Backyard) 🏅 Urbanna, VA	1 / 50 (527.4172)	1 (178.8800)	7 (170.8228)	2 (177.7144)	—
Mar 25, 2022	BBQ Gives Back (Day 1) (Masters and Backyard) 🏅 Urbanna, VA	18 / 53 (479.2688)	14 (167.3944)	19 (147.9316)	16 (163.9428)	—
Mar 25, 2022	BBQ Gives Back (Day 1) (Masters and Backyard) (One Meat Ribs) Urbanna, VA	—	—	20 (165.6800)	—	—
Mar 25, 2022	BBQ Gives Back (Day 1) (Masters and Backyard) (One Meat Chicken) Urbanna, VA	—	—	—	—	—
Sep 25, 2021	Rufus Teague BBQ Throwdown at Americamps - Day 2 (BACKYARD ONLY) Ashland, VA	3 / 18 (518.2172)	3 (177.7144)	7 (170.8228)	3 (169.6800)	—
Sep 24, 2021	Rufus Teague BBQ Throwdown at Americamps - Day 1 (BACKYARD ONLY) Ashland, VA	10 / 19 (498.7544)	6 (170.8228)	8 (163.9888)	9 (163.9428)	—
May 14, 2021	Twin Valley Fire and Smoke 🏅 Morgantown, PA	11 / 46 (321.0744)	13 (156.5372)	7 (164.5372)	—	—
Apr 17, 2021	Interstate BBQ Festival - Day 2 🏅 Hagerstown, MD	9 / 34 (337.0972)	13 (166.8344)	7 (170.2628)	—	—
Apr 16, 2021	Interstate BBQ Festival - Day 1 🏅 Hagerstown, MD	16 / 47 (323.8972)	11 (169.1200)	22 (154.7772)	—	—
Mar 27, 2021	BBQ Gives Back (Day 2) 🏅 Urbanna, VA	3 / 40 (511.3828)	1 (179.4400)	12 (164.5600)	8 (167.3828)	—
Mar 26, 2021	BBQ Gives Back (Day 1) 🏅 Urbanna, VA	10 / 46 (498.7772)	14 (163.4056)	10 (166.8344)	6 (168.5372)	—
Oct 5, 2018	Que & Cruz Louisa, VA	6 / 25 (665.5768)	4 (170.2744)	10 (164.5256)	11 (162.7884)	5 (167.9884)
Sep 28, 2018	Smithfield BBQ Classic Richmond, VA	20 / 41 (654.7772)	19 (166.2628)	4 (174.2628)	28 (159.4060)	35 (154.8456)
Sep 7, 2018	14th Annual Recovery Fest/8th Annual BBQ State Championship 🏅 Richmond, VA	13 / 29 (672.5372)	9 (170.8916)	19 (161.0856)	12 (169.1200)	7 (171.4400)
May 12, 2018	BBQ Jamboree Double Day 2 Fredericksburg, VA	34 / 38 (640.9024)	6 (174.2628)	36 (148.4684)	20 (166.2628)	33 (151.9084)
May 11, 2018	BBQ Jamboree Double Day 1 Fredericksburg, VA	29 / 45 (656.9712)	16 (170.8228)	27 (163.9656)	35 (160.5028)	30 (161.6800)
May 5, 2018	Naptown barBAYq Cooking Contest Crownsville, MD	10 / 37 (667.9084)	12 (169.1200)	18 (161.1316)	4 (172.5484)	12 (165.1084)
Apr 27, 2018	Pickin N Pullin BBQ competition Lenexa, VA	15 / 45 (663.3372)	5 (176)	20 (166.8344)	37 (157.6456)	26 (162.8572)
Apr 6, 2018	The Ironman Greencastle, PA	24 / 60 (656.4232)	33 (163.9428)	33 (159.3944)	16 (166.8460)	24 (166.2400)
Mar 23, 2018	BBQ Gives Back Urbanna, VA	19 / 75 (666.2172)	10 (173.1544)	58 (155.9656)	17 (166.8344)	13 (170.2628)
Oct 6, 2017	Que & Cruz Louisa, VA	19 / 28 (634.0800)	4 (171.9656)	27 (146.2060)	11 (161.6800)	19 (154.2284)
Sep 8, 2017	13th Annual Recovery Fest/8th Annual BBQ State Championship 🏅 Richmond, VA	7 / 35 (674.2628)	5 (172.5944)	5 (171.4056)	18 (163.4172)	11 (166.8456)
Jun 16, 2017	Almost Heaven BBQ Bash Weston, WV	41 / 57 (643.2452)	39 (162.2284)	52 (147.9656)	25 (166.8228)	22 (166.2284)
Jun 9, 2017	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Harrisburg, PA	21 / 29 (640.4116)	22 (161.0972)	17 (160.5488)	15 (160.5600)	22 (158.2056)
May 12, 2017	BBQ Jamboree- Day 2 (JUDGES FULL) Fredericksburg, VA	36 / 43 (636.9144)	30 (165.0972)	40 (149.6572)	26 (161.6572)	29 (160.5028)
May 12, 2017	BBQ Jamboree-Day 1 (JUDGES FULL) Fredericksburg, VA	13 / 54 (669.0628)	18 (168.5256)	21 (165.7028)	9 (169.1316)	17 (165.7028)
Apr 28, 2017	4th Annual Pickin N Pullin BBQ competition Lanexa, VA	24 / 46 (643.7712)	30 (161.6572)	11 (166.8228)	33 (157.0512)	23 (158.2400)
Mar 24, 2017	BBQ Gives Back Urbanna, VA	50 / 64 (631.8972)	24 (169.7372)	58 (150.2516)	60 (151.9428)	29 (159.9656)

LOVE-N-SMOKE

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

Backyard avg

Backyard (3-meat) avg

Storylines (14 found in their record)

Giant slayer

Happy hunting ground

They almost always walk

High-water mark

State champions

The one to beat

A tough matchup

The weak link

The drought

A strong matchup

The comeback

Looking over their shoulder

A March team

The metronome

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)