2021 SMU Mustangs football team

2021 SMU Mustangs football
Fenway Bowl, vs. Virginia, Canceled
ConferenceAmerican Athletic Conference
Record8–4 (4–4 The American)
Head coach
Co-offensive coordinatorGarrett Riley (2nd season)
Co-offensive coordinatorA. J. Ricker (2nd season)
Offensive schemeAir raid
Defensive coordinatorJim Leavitt (1st season)
Base defense3–4
Home stadiumGerald J. Ford Stadium
Uniform
Seasons
← 2020
2022 →
2021 American Athletic Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 4 Cincinnati y$^   8 0     13 1  
No. 17 Houston y   8 0     12 2  
UCF   5 3     9 4  
East Carolina   5 3     7 5  
Tulsa   5 3     7 6  
SMU   4 4     8 4  
Memphis   3 5     6 6  
Navy   3 5     4 8  
Tulane   1 7     2 10  
South Florida   1 7     2 10  
Temple   1 7     3 9  
Championship: Cincinnati 35, Houston 20
  • ^ – College Football Playoff participant
  • $ – Conference champion
  • y – Championship game participant
Rankings from AP Poll

The 2021 SMU Mustangs football team represented Southern Methodist University during the 2021 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Mustangs played their home games at Gerald J. Ford Stadium in University Park, Texas, a separate city within the city limits of Dallas, competed as members of the American Athletic Conference (AAC). The Mustangs were led by fourth-year coach Sonny Dykes—on November 29, it was announced that Dykes would leave the program to become the head coach at TCU.[1] He finished at SMU with an overall record of 30–18.

After finishing their regular season with an 8–4 record, the Mustangs accepted a bid to play in the Fenway Bowl, where they were due to face the Virginia Cavaliers. On December 26, the Cavaliers withdrew from the game, due to COVID-19 issues; the bowl was subsequently canceled.[2]

  1. ^ "TCU announces SMU's Dykes as new coach after campus arrival". Fort Worth Business Press. November 30, 2021. Retrieved December 5, 2021.
  2. ^ Adelson, Andrea (December 26, 2021). "Military, Fenway Bowls Canceled Because of COVID-19 Issues". ESPN. Retrieved December 26, 2021.