| Year: | 2002 |
| Team: | Western Illinois Leathernecks |
| Sport: | football |
| Conference: | Gateway Football Conference |
| Short Conf: | Gateway |
| Tsnrank: | 5 |
| Record: | 11–2 |
| Conf Record: | 6–1 |
| Head Coach: | Don Patterson |
| Hc Year: | 4th |
| Stadium: | Hanson Field |
| Champion: | Gateway co-champion |
| Bowl: | NCAA Division I-AA Quarterfinal |
| Bowl Result: | L 28–31 vs. Western Kentucky |
The 2002 Western Illinois Leathernecks football team represented Western Illinois University as a member of the Gateway Football Conference during the 2002 NCAA Division I-AA football season. They were led by fourth-year head coach Don Patterson and played their home games at Hanson Field. The Leathernecks finished the season with an 11–2 record overall and a 6–1 record in conference play, making them conference co-champions. The team received an automatic bid to the NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship playoffs, where they defeated Eastern Illinois in the first round and lost to Western Kentucky in the quarterfinal.[1] The team was ranked No. 5 in The Sports Network's postseason ranking of Division I-AA.[2]