2021 Cal Poly Mustangs football team
{{short description|American college football season}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox college sports team season
| year = 2021
| team = Cal Poly Mustangs
| sport = football
| image = Cal Poly Mustangs logo.svg
| image_size = 150
| conference = Big Sky Conference
| short_conf = Big Sky
| record = 2–9
| conf_record = 1–7
| head_coach = Beau Baldwin
| hc_year = 2nd
| off_coach = Nick Edwards
| oc_year = 2nd
| off_scheme = Multiple
| def_coach = J. C. Sherritt
| dc_year = 2nd
| def_scheme = 3–4
| captain =
| stadium = Alex G. Spanos Stadium
}}
{{2021 Big Sky Conference football standings}}
The 2021 Cal Poly Mustangs football team represented California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo as member of the Big Sky Conference during the 2021 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by second-year head coach Beau Baldwin, the Mustangs compiled an overall record of 2–9 with a mark of 1–7 in conference play, tying for 11th place in the Big Sky. Cal poly played home games at Mustang Stadium in San Luis Obispo, California.
Preseason
=Polls=
On July 26, 2021, during the virtual Big Sky Kickoff, the Mustangs were predicted to finish twelfth in the Big Sky by the coaches and last in the media.{{cite web|title= Weber State Picked to Win Big Sky by Coaches and Media|url= https://bigskyconf.com/news/2021/7/26/football-weber-state-picked-to-win-big-sky-by-coaches-and-media.aspx|date=July 26, 2021|access-date=July 26, 2021}}
| class="wikitable" style="display: inline-table;"
|+Coaches poll |
| align="center"
{{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=Cal Poly Mustangs|Predicted finish|Team|Votes (1st place)}} |
| align="center"
| 1 | Weber State | (7) |
| align="center"
| 2 | Montana | (3) |
| align="center"
| 3 | Eastern Washington | (2) |
| align="center"
| 4 | Montana State | (1) |
| align="center"
| 5 | Sacramento State | (1) |
| align="center"
| 6 | UC Davis | |
| align="center"
| 7 | Northern Arizona | |
| align="center"
| 8 | Idaho | |
| align="center"
| 9 | Idaho State | |
| align="center"
| 10 | Portland State | |
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| 11 | Southern Utah | |
| align="center"
| 12 | Cal Poly | |
| align="center"
| 13 | Northern Colorado | |
| class="wikitable" style="display: inline-table;"
|+Media poll |
| align="center"
{{CollegeSecondaryHeader|team=Cal Poly Mustangs|Predicted finish|Team|Votes (1st place)}} |
| align="center"
| 1 | Weber State | (14) |
| align="center"
| 2 | Montana | (4) |
| align="center"
| 3 | Eastern Washington | (3) |
| align="center"
| 4 | Montana State | (3) |
| align="center"
| 5 | Sacramento State | |
| align="center"
| 6 | UC Davis | |
| align="center"
| 7 | Northern Arizona | |
| align="center"
| 8 | Idaho | |
| align="center"
| 9 | Idaho State | |
| align="center"
| 10 | Portland State | |
| align="center"
| 11 | Southern Utah | |
| align="center"
| 12 | Northern Colorado | |
| align="center"
| 13 | Cal Poly | |
=Preseason All–Big Sky team=
The Mustangs did not have any players selected to the preseason all-Big Sky team.{{cite web|title= 2021 Preseason All-Big Sky Conference Teams Announced|url= https://bigskyconf.com/news/2021/7/26/football-2021-preseason-all-big-sky-conference-teams-announced.aspx|date=July 26, 2021|access-date=July 26, 2021}}
Schedule
{{CFB schedule
| rankyear = 2021
| rankdivision = NCAA Division I FCS
| poll = STATS
| timezone = Pacific
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 4
| time = 2:05 p.m.
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| away = y
| opponent = San Diego
| stadium = Torero Stadium
| cityst = San Diego, CA
| tv =
| score = 28–17
| attend = 2,966
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 11
| time = 7:05 p.m.
| w/l = l
| nonconf = y
| away = y
| opponent = Fresno State
| stadium = Bulldog Stadium
| cityst = Fresno, CA
| tv = CW59
| score = 10–63
| attend = 30,119
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 18
| time = 5:05 p.m.
| w/l = l
| nonconf = y
| opponent = South Dakota
| stadium = Alex G. Spanos Stadium
| cityst = San Luis Obispo, CA
| tv = ESPN+
| score = 14–48
| attend = 11,075
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 25
| time = 12:00 p.m.
| w/l = l
| away = y
| opponent = Montana
| opprank = 4
| stadium = Washington–Grizzly Stadium
| cityst = Missoula, MT
| tv = ESPN+
| score = 7–39
| attend = 25,600
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 2
| time = 5:05 p.m.
| w/l = l
| homecoming = y
| opponent = Weber State
| opprank = 19
| stadium = Alex G. Spanos Stadium
| cityst = San Luis Obispo, CA
| tv = ESPN+
| score = 7–38
| attend = 7,089
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 9
| time = 1:00 p.m.
| w/l = l
| away = y
| opponent = Montana State
| opprank = 10
| stadium = Bobcat Stadium
| cityst = Bozeman, MT
| tv = RTNW
| score = 7–45
| attend = 19,847
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 23
| time = 5:05 p.m.
| w/l = l
| opponent = UC Davis
| opprank = 10
| stadium = Alex G. Spanos Stadium
| cityst = San Luis Obispo, CA
| gamename = Battle for the Golden Horseshoe
| tv = ESPN+
| score = 13–24
| attend = 9,573
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 30
| time = 2:05 p.m.
| w/l = l
| away = y
| opponent = Portland State
| stadium = Hillsboro Stadium
| cityst = Hillsboro, OR
| tv = ESPN+
| score = 21–42
| attend = 3,245
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 6
| time = 6:00 p.m.
| w/l = l
| away = y
| opponent = Sacramento State
| opprank = 16
| stadium = Hornet Stadium
| cityst = Sacaramento, CA
| tv = ESPN+
| score = 9–41
| attend = 7,287
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 13
| time = 5:05 p.m.
| w/l = w
| opponent = Idaho State
| stadium = Alex G. Spanos Stadium
| cityst = San Luis Obispo, CA
| tv = ESPN+
| score = 32–29
| attend = 5,651
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 20
| time = 5:05 p.m.
| w/l = l
| opponent = Northern Arizona
| stadium = Alex G. Spanos Stadium
| cityst = San Luis Obispo, CA
| tv = ESPN+
| score = 21–45
| attend = 6,371
}}
}}
{{cite web |author= |title=Cal Poly Mustangs Schedule 2021 |url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/team/schedule/_/id/13/season/2021 |publisher=ESPN |access-date=September 28, 2024 }}{{cite web |author= |title=2021 Football Schedule |url=https://gopoly.com/sports/football/schedule/2021 |publisher=Cal Poly Athletics |access-date=September 28, 2024 }}
Game summaries
=At San Diego=
{{Linescore Amfootball
|Road=Mustangs
|R1=7
|R2=7
|R3=0
|R4=14
|Home=Toreros
|H1=7
|H2=0
|H3=3
|H4=7
}}
{{see also|2021 San Diego Toreros football team}}
{{Clear}}
=At Fresno State=
{{Linescore Amfootball
|Road=Mustangs
|R1=0
|R2=10
|R3=0
|R4=0
|Home=Bulldogs
|H1=7
|H2=28
|H3=21
|H4=7
}}
{{see also|2021 Fresno State Bulldogs football team}}
{{Clear}}
=South Dakota=
{{Linescore Amfootball
|Road=Coyotes
|R1=21
|R2=20
|R3=0
|R4=7
|Home=Mustangs
|H1=7
|H2=0
|H3=0
|H4=7
}}
{{see also|2021 South Dakota Coyotes football team}}
{{Clear}}
=At No. 4 Montana=
{{Linescore Amfootball
|Road=Mustangs
|R1=0
|R2=0
|R3=0
|R4=7
|Home=No. 4 Grizzlies
|H1=15
|H2=3
|H3=21
|H4=0
}}
{{see also|2021 Montana Grizzlies football team}}
{{Clear}}
=No. 19 Weber State=
{{Linescore Amfootball
|Road=No. 19 Wildcats
|R1=7
|R2=21
|R3=10
|R4=0
|Home=Mustangs
|H1=7
|H2=0
|H3=0
|H4=0
}}
{{see also|2021 Weber State Wildcats football team}}
{{Clear}}
=At No. 10 Montana State=
{{Linescore Amfootball
|Road=Mustangs
|R1=0
|R2=0
|R3=7
|R4=0
|Home=No. 10 Bobcats
|H1=7
|H2=28
|H3=7
|H4=3
}}
{{see also|2021 Montana State Bobcats football team}}
{{Clear}}
=No. 10 UC Davis=
{{Linescore Amfootball
|Road=No. 10 Aggies
|R1=0
|R2=10
|R3=14
|R4=0
|Home=Mustangs
|H1=0
|H2=7
|H3=6
|H4=0
}}
{{see also|2021 UC Davis Aggies football team|Battle for the Golden Horseshoe}}
{{Clear}}
=At Portland State=
{{Linescore Amfootball
|Road=Mustangs
|R1=6
|R2=0
|R3=8
|R4=7
|Home=Vikings
|H1=14
|H2=0
|H3=7
|H4=21
}}
{{see also|2021 Portland State Vikings football team}}
{{Clear}}
=At No. 16 Sacramento State=
{{Linescore Amfootball
|Road=Mustangs
|R1=0
|R2=9
|R3=0
|R4=0
|Home=No. 16 Hornets
|H1=14
|H2=10
|H3=10
|H4=7
}}
{{see also|2021 Sacramento State Hornets football team}}
{{Clear}}
=Idaho State=
{{Linescore Amfootball
|Road=Bengals
|R1=7
|R2=7
|R3=0
|R4=15
|Home=Mustangs
|H1=7
|H2=7
|H3=12
|H4=6
}}
{{see also|2021 Idaho State Bengals football team}}
{{Clear}}
=Northern Arizona=
{{Linescore Amfootball
|Road=Lumberjacks
|R1=7
|R2=31
|R3=7
|R4=0
|Home=Mustangs
|H1=7
|H2=7
|H3=0
|H4=7
}}
{{see also|2021 Northern Arizona Lumberjacks football team}}
{{Clear}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Cal Poly Mustangs football navbox}}
Category:Cal Poly Mustangs football seasons
{{collegefootball-2020s-season-stub}}