The 2018 Eastern Illinois Panthers football team represented Eastern Illinois University as a member of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) during the 2018 NCAA Division I FCS football season.

Led by Kim Dameron in his fifth and final season as head coach, the Panthers compiled an overall record of 3–8 overall with a mark of 3–5 in conference play, tying for sixth place in the OVC.

[1] He finished his tenure at Eastern Illinois with a five-year record of 27–30.

On July 20, 2018, the media covering the OVC released their preseason poll with the Panthers predicted to finish in fifth place.

[2] On July 23, the OVC released their coaches poll with the Panthers predicted to finish in fourth place.