| Year: | 1988 |
| Team: | Northern Iowa Panthers |
| Sport: | football |
| Conference: | Gateway Collegiate Athletic Conference |
| Short Conf: | GCAC |
| Record: | 5–6 |
| Conf Record: | 3–3 |
| Head Coach: | Earle Bruce |
| Hc Year: | 1st |
| Stadium: | UNI-Dome |
The 1988 Northern Iowa Panthers football team represented the University of Northern Iowa as a member of the Gateway Collegiate Athletic Conference (GCAC) during the 1988 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by Earle Bruce in his first and only season as head coach, Panthers compiled an overall record of 5–6 with a mark of 3–3 in conference play, placing fourth in the GCAC. Northern Iowa played home games at UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls, Iowa.