| Year: | 2001 |
| Team: | Northern Iowa Panthers |
| Sport: | football |
| Conference: | Gateway Football Conference |
| Short Conf: | Gateway |
| Tsnrank: | 4 |
| Record: | 11–3 |
| Conf Record: | 6–1 |
| Head Coach: | Mark Farley |
| Hc Year: | 1st |
| Off Coach: | Bill Salmon |
| Oc Year: | 1st |
| Stadium: | UNI-Dome |
| Champion: | Gateway champion |
| Bowl: | NCAA Division I-AA Semifinal |
| Bowl Result: | L 0–38 vs. Montana |
The 2001 Northern Iowa Panthers football team represented the University of Northern Iowa as a member of the Gateway Football Conference during the 2001 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by first-year head coach Mark Farley, the Panthers compiled an overall record of 11–3 with a mark of 6–1 in conference play, winning the Gateway title. Northern Iowa advanced to the NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship playoffs, where they beat Eastern Illinois in the first round and Maine in the quarterfinals, before falling to eventual national champion Montana in the semifinals.