| Year: | 2021 |
| Team: | Eastern Illinois Panthers |
| Sport: | football |
| Conference: | Ohio Valley Conference |
| Short Conf: | OVC |
| Record: | 1–10 |
| Conf Record: | 1–5 |
| Head Coach: | Adam Cushing |
| Hc Year: | 3rd |
| Off Coach: | John Kuceyeski |
| Oc Year: | 3rd |
| Def Coach: | Chris Bowers |
| Dc Year: | 3rd |
| Stadium: | O'Brien Field |
The 2021 Eastern Illinois Panthers football team represented Eastern Illinois University as a member of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) during the 2021 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by Adam Cushing in his third and final season as head coach, the Panthers compiled an overall record of 1–10 with a mark of 1–5 in conference play, tying for sixth place in the OVC. The team played home games at O'Brien Field in Charleston, Illinois.
The OVC released their preseason coaches' poll on July 19, 2021. The Panthers were picked to finish in last place.[1]
| 1 | Murray State | 64 (7) |
| 2 | Austin Peay | 60 (4) |
| Southeast Missouri | 60 (3) | |
| 4 | UT Martin | 38 |
| 5 | Tennessee State | 32 |
| 6 | Tennessee Tech | 28 |
| 7 | Eastern Illinois | 12 |
The Panthers had two players selected to the preseason all-OVC team.[2]
Defense
Jason Johnson – LB
Special teams
Matt Judd – KR
See also: 2021 Indiana State Sycamores football team.
See also: 2021 South Carolina Gamecocks football team.