The 1971 Sonoma State Cossacks football team represented Sonoma State College—now known as Sonoma State University—as a member of the Far Western Conference (FWC) during the 1971 NCAA College Division football season.
Led by Carl Peterson in his second and final season as head coach, Sonoma State compiled an overall record of 2–8 with a mark of 0–6 in conference play, placing last out of sevens teams in the FWC.
The played Cossacks played home games at Cossacks Stadium[note 1] in Rohnert Park, California.
Peterson finished his stint as Sonoma State with an overall record of 6–12–1, for a .342 winning percentage.
In April 1972, Sonoma State announced it no longer field a football team due to financial issues.