1942 Western Illinois Leathernecks football team

The 1942 Western Illinois Leathernecks football team represented Western Illinois University as a member of the Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) during the 1942 college football season. They were led by first-year head coach Wix Garner and played their home games at Morgan Field. The Leathernecks finished the season with a 5–0–2 record overall and a 3–0–1 record in conference play, winning the IIAC title.

Western Illinois was ranked at No. 357 (out of 590 college and military teams) in the final rankings under the Litkenhous Difference by Score System for 1942.