The Georgia Southern Eagles earned the No. 5 overall seed in the 20-team Football Championship Subdivision playoffs, earning a bye during the play-in round Saturday.

            The bracket was released Sunday by the NCAA.

            The Eagles (8-3, 6-2 Southern Conference) will open the playoffs at 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 1 at Paulson Stadium against Central Arkansas (9-2, 6-1 Southland Conference).

            All three 2012 Southern Conference co-champions made the playoff field.

            Wofford plays host to New Hampshire on Dec. 1, and Appalachian State will host Illinois State on the same day.

            The Eagles are on the same side of the bracket as No. 1 seed North Dakota State and No. 4 Old Dominion, and could end up traveling to both schools on the path to the national championship game, which takes place on Jan. 5 in Frisco, Texas.

            The Eagles defeated ODU, 55-48, at Paulson Stadium in the opening game of the 2011 playoffs, and lost to North Dakota State, 35-7, in last year’s semifinal in Fargo, N.D.