| Year: | 2023 |
| Team: | Eastern Illinois Panthers |
| Sport: | football |
| Conference: | Big South–OVC |
| Short Conf: | Big South–OVC |
| Fcscoachrank: | 24 |
| Record: | 8–3 |
| Conf Record: | 4–2 |
| Head Coach: | Chris Wilkerson |
| Hc Year: | 2nd |
| Off Coach: | Joe Davis |
| Oc Year: | 2nd |
| Def Coach: | Clay Bignell |
| Dc Year: | 1st |
| Stadium: | O'Brien Field |
The 2023 Eastern Illinois Panthers football team represented Eastern Illinois University as a member of the Big South–OVC Football Association during the 2023 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by second-year head coach Chris Wilkerson, the Panthers played home games at O'Brien Field in Charleston, Illinois.
The Big South-OVC released their preseason coaches' poll on July 25, 2023. The Panthers were picked to finish in eighth place.[1]
| 1 | Southeast Missouri | 96 (6) |
| 2 | Gardner-Webb | 86 (2) |
| 3 | UT Martin | 85 (1) |
| 4 | Tennessee Tech | 58 (1) |
| 5 | Tennessee State | 57 |
| 6 | Bryant | 48 |
| 7 | Lindenwood | 45 |
| 8 | Eastern Illinois | 33 |
| 9 | Charleston Southern | 30 |
| 10 | Robert Morris | 12 |
The Panthers had ten players selected to the preseason Big South-OVC watchlist.[2]
See also: 2023 Bowling Green Falcons football team.
See also: 2023 Northwestern State Demons football team.
| Statistics | EIU | NWST |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | 18 | 19 |
| Total yards | 349 | 350 |
| Rushing yards | 75 | 69 |
| Passing yards | 274 | 281 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 3 |
| Time of possession | 28:25 | 31:35 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Illinois | Passing | Pierce Holley | 19/37, 274 yards, TD |
| Rushing | M. J. Flowers | 15 rushes, 48 yards | |
| Receiving | Justin Bowick | 4 receptions, 130 yards, TD | |
| Northwestern State | Passing | Quaterius Hawkins | 27/44, 281 yards, INT |
| Rushing | Scooter Adams | 9 rushes, 29 yards | |
| Receiving | Zach Patterson | 7 receptions, 74 yards |