BIG RED'S BARBECUE

BIG RED'S BARBECUE is a competition barbecue team with 9 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2018. Their best overall finish is 2nd of 78 at the SC Festival of Discovery (2013), and they have finished Reserve Grand Champion once. They are ranked #1838 of 6,476 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

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At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#1,838

of 6,476 rated · rankings

Rating

1546

peak 1546 · rated over 9 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Apr 19, 2013

latest Apr 28, 2018 · 5 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#578

Master 2013 · every season

Grand champs

1 reserve

Category wins

0 podiums

Overall top-10s

11% of 9 contests

Avg finish

top 38%

overall standings

Best overall

680.4572 / 720

Master · Atlanta BBQ Classic

Perfect 180s

Current form

663.40

last 5 Master vs avg 663.84 (-0.44)

Walk rate

78%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

174.8572

Pork Ribs · SC Festival of Discovery (PALMETTO BBQ SERIES)

Consistency

±11.51

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 167.86 · weakest Brisket (163.32)

Road miles

730

across 9 mapped stops · furthest 148 mi

Schedule strength

34%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1546)

Master avg

663.84 / 720

9 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (10 found in their record)

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

The heartbreaker

0.4680 points from the title

Came within 0.4680 points of the Grand Championship at SC Festival of Discovery (Jul 11, 2013).

They almost always walk

78% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 7 of 9 contests

A top-10 category call in 78% of their 9 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

680.4572 career-best overall

94.5% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 680.4572 at Atlanta BBQ Classic — 94.5% of a perfect 720.

Master
Apr 28, 2018

Their season

2013 their best year

2013 was the year it came together: 3 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 0 category wins, at an average finish in the top 19%.

3 contests
1 overall top-10
0 category wins
average top 19%

A tough matchup

7–1 behind in the head-to-head

Killer B's BBQ ahead in 88% of their meetings

Killer B's BBQ has come out ahead in 7 of their 8 shared contests.

The weak link

−4.5 points behind their best meat

Brisket is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 4.54 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 33% of the time against 33%.

Brisket avg 163.32
Chicken avg 167.86
3 calls in 9 entries

A strong matchup

6–2 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 75% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of PIG ON FIRE in 6 of their 8 shared contests.

Show 3 more storylines

The comeback

2 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 2 years, then back at SC Festival of Discovery (PALMETTO BBQ SERIES) (Jul 6, 2017).

last seen Jul 9, 2015
back Jul 6, 2017

Chicken nemesis

6 of 8 shared chicken entries lost

Killer B's BBQ ahead 75% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, Killer B's BBQ has out-cooked them in 6 of 8 shared chicken entries.

The metronome

±1.60% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±1.60% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 92.2% of a perfect score
9 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
2018 ↗	Master	#1761 (101 pts)	#1838 (96 pts)	#1767 (111 pts)	#1866 (91 pts)	#1583 (121 pts)
2017 ↗	Master	#2212 (60 pts)	#2286 (60 pts)	#1602 (165 pts)	#1773 (125 pts)	#2266 (60 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#1140 (260 pts)	#860 (420 pts)	#1416 (205 pts)	#981 (360 pts)	#1101 (290 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#578 (536 pts)	#794 (411 pts)	#813 (401 pts)	#896 (361 pts)	#660 (491 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to BIG RED'S BARBECUE, each with one reason worth a look.

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

LATE NIGHT HOGGERS

#1,843 of the rated field

1545 power rating

Contests: 9
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 22%
Peak: 1551

Careers of much the same size, 9 contests to 9, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 9 contests
last seen Oct 11, 2019

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FAST HAND BBQ Co.

#1,828 of the rated field

1546 power rating

Contests: 8
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 75%
Peak: 1546

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 8 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 8 contests
last seen Sep 26, 2025

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If You Got it Smoke It

#1,844 of the rated field

1545 power rating

Contests: 10
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 70%
Peak: 1545

They turned up 6 years after BIG RED'S BARBECUE did, first appearing in 2019.

rated over 8 contests
last seen Jun 30, 2023

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TEAM BALLINGER

#1,853 of the rated field

1545 power rating

Contests: 7
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 57%
Peak: 1545

Level with BIG RED'S BARBECUE on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 7 contests
last seen Mar 13, 2020

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403 BBQ CO

#1,831 of the rated field

1546 power rating

Contests: 13
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 46%
Peak: 1552

13 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 46% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 13 contests
last seen Sep 3, 2022

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SMOKIN FYRPIT

#1,842 of the rated field

1546 power rating

Contests: 13
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 54%
Peak: 1556

Their last contest in the data was back in 2015, 3 years before BIG RED'S BARBECUE's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 13 contests

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
PIG ON FIRE	8	6	2	75%	⚔ compare
THE SMOKEHOUSE MAFIA	8	3	5	38%	⚔ compare
MIDNIGHT BURN	8	2	6	25%	⚔ compare
Killer B's BBQ	8	1	7	13%	⚔ compare
Bald Hawg BBQ	7	5	2	71%	⚔ compare
PICKIN' PORKERS	7	4	3	57%	⚔ compare
SMOKE THIS	7	2	5	29%	⚔ compare
SAUCED! BBQ TEAM	7	0	7	0%	⚔ compare
SUE E PIGG	6	5	1	83%	⚔ compare
WAYLON'S WICKEDLY GOOD Q	6	1	5	17%	⚔ compare
Nards Backyard BBQ	5	5	0	100%	⚔ compare
THE SMOKIN' GRILL	5	5	0	100%	⚔ compare
Bubba & Son BBQ	5	5	0	100%	⚔ compare
SWEET DADDYS SMOKEHOUSE	5	4	1	80%	⚔ compare
County Line Que	5	4	1	80%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	9	3	174.2972	161.7142	167.86	top 35%
Pork Ribs	9	3	174.8572	151.9772	165.70	top 39%
Pork	9	2	173.1200	161.6684	166.96	top 37%
Brisket	9	3	174.2856	151.9428	163.32	top 46%

“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)	2	0	top 52%
Large (40+)	7	0	top 34%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	Avg finish
SC	6	top 33%
NC	2	top 43%
GA	1	top 58%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	GCs	Avg finish	Last visit
SC Festival of Discovery (PALMETTO BBQ SERIES)	4	2	0	top 30%	Jul 6, 2017

More numbers

Busiest season 2014 3 contests

Contests a season 1.8 across 5 seasons in the data

Most contests held in SC 6 of 9 contests · 3 states in all

Contests visited 6 1 of them more than once

Opponents faced 281 finished ahead 356 times, behind 185

Longest layoff 2 yrs Jul 9, 2015 → Jul 6, 2017

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

20183 milestones

Apr 28 Career-best overall score680.4572 Atlanta BBQ Classic
Apr 28 Peak power rating (1546) Atlanta BBQ Classic
Apr 28 Most recent contest Atlanta BBQ Classic

20171 milestone

Jul 6 Career-best single call (Pork Ribs)174.8572 SC Festival of Discovery (PALMETTO BBQ SERIES)

20136 milestones

Apr 19 First tracked contest Kings Mountain Firehouse BBQ Cook-off
Apr 19 First call Kings Mountain Firehouse BBQ Cook-off
Apr 19 First overall past 90% of a perfect score669.7138 Kings Mountain Firehouse BBQ Cook-off
Jul 11 First overall top-10 SC Festival of Discovery
Jul 11 First overall podium SC Festival of Discovery
Jul 11 First Reserve Championship SC Festival of Discovery

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+15.8	SC Festival of Discovery	Jul 11, 2013
+8.3	Kings Mountain Firehouse BBQ Cook-off	Apr 19, 2013
+7.1	Sooie't Relief BBQ Benefit	Aug 23, 2013
+6.8	SC Festival of Discovery (TEAMS AND JUDGES FULL)	Jul 9, 2015
+5.8	SC Festival of Discovery (PALMETTO BBQ SERIES)	Jul 6, 2017

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-3	17th Annual Firehouse BBQ Cook-off	Apr 18, 2014

Scores over time (% of a perfect score — 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	Top-10s	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2018	1	0	0%	top 58%	94.5%	94.5%
2017	1	0	100%	top 37%	93.2%	93.2%
2015	1	0	100%	top 31%	92.4%	92.4%
2014	3	0	67%	top 52%	90.7%	90.2%
2013	3	1	100%	top 19%	94.2%	93%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Apr 28, 2018	Atlanta BBQ Classic Atlanta, GA	15 / 26 (680.4572)	16 (169.6800)	13 (169.6916)	17 (169.1200)	11 (171.9656)
Jul 6, 2017	SC Festival of Discovery (PALMETTO BBQ SERIES) Greenwood, SC	33 / 89 (670.7200)	46 (165.0856)	7 (174.8572)	12 (173.1200)	55 (157.6572)
Jul 9, 2015	SC Festival of Discovery (TEAMS AND JUDGES FULL) Greenwood, SC	28 / 90 (665.5544)	6 (174.2744)	10 (170.8460)	48 (162.2284)	59 (158.2056)
Nov 14, 2014	Smoke on the Harbor BBQ Throwdown (JUDGES REGISTRATION WILL BEGIN ON 6/15/2014) Charleston, SC	14 / 30 (647.3028)	12 (162.8228)	26 (151.9772)	5 (168.5600)	9 (163.9428)
Jul 10, 2014	SC Festival of Discovery Greenwood, SC	43 / 86 (652.9712)	30 (167.4400)	63 (157.6572)	19 (168.5256)	46 (159.3484)
Apr 18, 2014	17th Annual Firehouse BBQ Cook-off Kings Mountain, NC	33 / 55 (649.0284)	4 (174.2972)	30 (161.1200)	37 (161.6684)	48 (151.9428)
Aug 23, 2013	Sooie't Relief BBQ Benefit Greer, SC	12 / 41 (660.5028)	16 (163.3828)	5 (169.1544)	9 (168.5828)	23 (159.3828)
Jul 11, 2013	SC Festival of Discovery Greenwood, SC	2 / 78 (678.2976)	4 (172.0460)	26 (165.6916)	13 (167.4172)	4 (173.1428)
Apr 19, 2013	Kings Mountain Firehouse BBQ Cook-off Kings Mountain, NC	14 / 55 (669.7138)	38 (161.7142)	13 (170.2856)	29 (163.4284)	6 (174.2856)

BIG RED'S BARBECUE

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

Rating

Contests

First seen

Best ToY finish

Grand champs

Category wins

Overall top-10s

Avg finish

Best overall

Perfect 180s

Current form

Walk rate

Best single call

Consistency

Strongest meat

Road miles

Schedule strength

Master avg

Storylines (10 found in their record)

The heartbreaker

They almost always walk

High-water mark

Their season

A tough matchup

The weak link

A strong matchup

The comeback

Chicken nemesis

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 — 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)