| Year: | 2012 |
| Team: | Eastern Illinois Panthers |
| Sport: | football |
| Conference: | Ohio Valley Conference |
| Short Conf: | OVC |
| Tsnrank: | 25 |
| Record: | 7–5 |
| Conf Record: | 6–1 |
| Head Coach: | Dino Babers |
| Hc Year: | 1st |
| Off Coach: | Sterlin Gilbert |
| Oc Year: | 1st |
| Def Coach: | Kim McCloud |
| Dc Year: | 1st |
| Stadium: | O'Brien Field |
| Champion: | OVC champion |
| Bowl: | NCAA Division I First Round |
| Bowl Result: | L 10–58 vs. South Dakota State |
The 2012 Eastern Illinois Panthers football team represented Eastern Illinois University as a member of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) during the 2012 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by first-year head coach Dino Babers, the Panthers compiled an overall record of 7–5 overall with a mark of 6–1 in conference play, winning the OVC title. Eastern Illinois earned the conference's automatic bid into the NCAA Division I Football Championship playoffs, where they lost in the first round to South Dakota State. The team played home games at O'Brien Field in Charleston, Illinois.