The 1949 Western Illinois Leathernecks football team represented Western Illinois University as a member of the Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) during the 1949 college football season.
They were led by first-year head coach Vince DiFrancesca and played their home games at Morgan Field.
The Leathernecks finished the season with a 9–1 record overall and a 4–0 record in conference play, winning the IIAC title.
They were invited to the postseason Corn Bowl, where they defeated the Wheaton Crusaders, 13–0.
This college football 1940s season article is a stub.