The 1973 Western Illinois Leathernecks football team represented Western Illinois University as an independent during the 1973 NCAA Division II football season.
They were led by fifth-year head coach Darrell Mudra and played their home games at Hanson Field.
The Leathernecks finished the season with a 7–4 record.
The team received a bid to the inaugural NCAA Division II Football Championship, where they lost to Louisiana Tech in the quarterfinal.
This college football 1970s season article is a stub.