2021 Texas Tech Red Raiders football team
The 2021 Texas Tech Red Raiders football team represented Texas Tech University during the 2021 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Red Raiders play their home games at the Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas, and compete in the Big 12 Conference. With a 41–38 win over Iowa State on November 13, Texas Tech became bowl eligible for the first time since the 2017 season. The team finished the season with an overall record of 7–6 for the Red Raiders' first winning season since 2015.
| 2021 Texas Tech Red Raiders football | |
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Liberty Bowl champion | |
Liberty Bowl, W 34–7 vs. Mississippi State | |
| Conference | Big 12 Conference |
| Record | 7–6 (3–6 Big 12) |
| Head coach |
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| Offensive coordinator | Sonny Cumbie (2nd season) |
| Offensive scheme | Spread |
| Defensive coordinator | Keith Patterson (3rd season) |
| Co-defensive coordinator | Derek Jones (2nd season) |
| Base defense | 3–4/3–3–5 hybrid |
| Captain | 13
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| Home stadium | Jones AT&T Stadium |
| Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Team | W | L | W | L | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 7 Oklahoma State y | 8 | – | 1 | 12 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 5 Baylor y$ | 7 | – | 2 | 12 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 10 Oklahoma | 7 | – | 2 | 11 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Iowa State | 5 | – | 4 | 7 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kansas State | 4 | – | 5 | 8 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| West Virginia | 4 | – | 5 | 6 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Texas | 3 | – | 6 | 5 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| TCU | 3 | – | 6 | 5 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Texas Tech | 3 | – | 6 | 7 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kansas | 1 | – | 8 | 2 | – | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Championship: Baylor 21, Oklahoma State 16 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The team was led by third-year head coach Matt Wells for the first eight games. Wells was fired on October 25, with offensive coordinator Sonny Cumbie being named interim head coach. Baylor associate head coach/outside linebackers coach Joey McGuire was named as Texas Tech's 17th head coach on November 8; Cumbie continued to serve as interim head coach for the remainder of the season. On November 24, McGuire announced that he would be retaining Cumbie as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. However, on November 30, it was announced that Cumbie would become the head coach at Louisiana Tech; Cumbie would coach Texas Tech for its bowl game.
Following the regular season, kicker Jonathan Garibay was elected to the All-Big 12 Football First Team, while wide receiver Erik Ezukanma, offensive lineman Dawson Deaton, linebacker Colin Schooler, defensive back DaMarcus Fields, and punter Austin McNamara were selected to the second team.