| Year: | 1955 |
| Team: | Western Illinois Leathernecks |
| Sport: | football |
| Conference: | Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference |
| Short Conf: | IIAC |
| Record: | 5–4–1 |
| Wins Forfeited: | 1 |
| Conf Record: | 2–3–1 |
| Conf Wins Forfeited: | 1 |
| Head Coach: | Wes Stevens |
| Hc Year: | 2nd |
| Stadium: | Hanson Field |
| Bowl: | Corn Bowl |
| Bowl Result: | L 20–24 vs. |
The 1955 Western Illinois Leathernecks football team represented Western Illinois University as a member of the Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) during the 1955 college football season. Led by second-year head coach Wes Stevens, the Leathernecks finished the season with an overall record of 6–3–1 and a mark of 3–2–1 in conference play, placing fourth in the IIAC.[1] Western Illinois later forfeited its win over Illinois State Normal, dropping its season record to 5–4–1 overall and 2–3–1 in the IIAC, putting the team into a fourth-place tie with Illinois State.[2] The forfeit came as a result of Western Illinois using an ineligible player, quarterback Sam Esposito; while Esposito also played in other games for the team, Illinois State Normal was the only school to protest their result.[3]
Western Illinois back Don Lashmet was selected by the Associated Press as a first-team player on the 1955 All-Interstate Conference football team.[4] Lashmet led the conference in pass receiving with 16 catches for 299 yards and two touchdowns. As a team, Western Illinois led the conference with 40 pass completions for 611 yards. Bill Vandermerkt was credited with 30 of the team's completed passes.[5]