2021 Colorado Buffaloes football team

The 2021 Colorado Buffaloes football team represented the University of Colorado Boulder during the 2021 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Buffaloes were led by second-year head coach Karl Dorrell. They played their home games on campus at Folsom Field as a member of the South Division of the Pac-12 Conference.

2021 Colorado Buffaloes football
Conference	Pac-12 Conference
Division	South Division
Record	4–8 (3–6 Pac-12)
Head coach	Karl Dorrell (2nd season)
Offensive coordinator	Darrin Chiaverini (2nd season)
Offensive scheme	Pro-style
Defensive coordinator	Chris Wilson (1st season)
Base defense	4–3
Home stadium	Folsom Field
Uniform

2021 Pac-12 Conference football standings

	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
North Division
No. 22 Oregon xy		7	–	2					10	–	4
Washington State		6	–	3					7	–	6
Oregon State		5	–	4					7	–	6
California		4	–	5					5	–	7
Washington		3	–	6					4	–	8
Stanford		2	–	7					3	–	9
South Division
No. 12 Utah xy$		8	–	1					10	–	4
UCLA		6	–	3					8	–	4
Arizona State†		0	–	3					0	–	5
USC		3	–	6					4	–	8
Colorado		3	–	6					4	–	8
Arizona		1	–	8					1	–	11
Championship: Utah 38, Oregon 10
$ – Conference champion x – Division champion/co-champions y – Championship game participant Rankings from AP Poll

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
September 3	7:00 p.m.	Northern Colorado*	Folsom Field Boulder, CO	P12N	W 35–7	44,153
September 11	1:30 p.m.	vs. No. 5 Texas A&M*	Empower Field at Mile High Denver, CO	FOX	L 7–10	61,203
September 18	11:00 a.m.	Minnesota*	Folsom Field Boulder, CO	P12N	L 0–30	47,482
September 25	8:30 p.m.	at Arizona State	Sun Devil Stadium Tempe, AZ	ESPNU	L 13–35	44,803
October 2	12:00 p.m.	USC	Folsom Field Boulder, CO	P12N	L 14–37	48,197
October 16	1:30 p.m.	Arizona	Folsom Field Boulder, CO	P12N	W 34–0	49,806
October 23	1:30 p.m.	at California	California Memorial Stadium Berkeley, CA	P12N	L 3–26	36,264
October 30	1:30 p.m.	at No. 7 Oregon	Autzen Stadium Eugene, OR	FOX	L 29–52	51,449
November 6	5:00 p.m.	Oregon State	Folsom Field Boulder, CO	P12N	W 37–34 2OT	47,984
November 13	7:00 p.m.	at UCLA	Rose Bowl Pasadena, CA	P12N	L 20–44	36,573
November 20	1:00 p.m.	Washington	Folsom Field Boulder, CO	P12N	W 20–17	41,284
November 26	2:00 p.m.	at No. 19 Utah	Rice Eccles Stadium Salt Lake City, UT (Rumble in the Rockies)	FOX	L 13–28	51,538
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from AP Poll (and CFP Rankings, after November 2) - Released prior to game All times are in Mountain time

Coaching staff

Name	Title
Karl Dorrell	Head coach
Chris Wilson	Defensive coordinator/ defensive line coach
Darrin Chiaverini	Offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach
Danny Langsdorf	Pass game coordinator/ quarterbacks coach
Brett Maxie	Safeties coach/defensive passing game coordinator
Bryan Cook	Tight ends coach
Darian Hagan	Running backs coach
Demetrice Martin	Cornerbacks coach
Brian Michalowski	Outside linebackers coach
Mitch Rodrigue (fired mid season)	Offensive line coach
Mark Smith	Inside linebackers coach

• William Vlachos took over as the offensive line coach when Rodrigue was fired