Western Illinois had an unofficial football team in 1902, the year the school was established.

The team played four games against regional high schools and the Western Illinois Normal & Business Institute going 2–2.

[4] The team adopted its nickname in 1927 when coach Ray Hanson, a decorated officer in the United States Marine Corps, asked the U.S. Navy for permission to use the Corps' Fighting Leathernecks nickname and logo for his team.

The university announced on May 12, 2023 that its football program would remain in the MVFC through the autumn of 2023 before joining the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) in 2024.

The remainder of the Leathernecks' athletic programs transitioned to the OVC one year prior, on July 1, 2023.