PHILADELPHIA – Eastern Illinois will learn its first round FCS playoff opponent at 12:30 p.m. (central) today when this year's playoff field is announced on ESPNU.  What the Panthers have already learned is that they will carry a No. 25 national ranking into the field as the Sports Network released its regular season final poll.

EIU enters at 7-4 overall after winning the Ohio Valley Conference.  The Panthers lost at No. 10 Central Arkansas on the road to end the regular season.  In the game Walter Payton Award candidate Erik Lora set the FCS record for single season receptions with 124 while Chris Wright set the OVC career receiving touchdown record with three touchdown grabs.

North Dakota State ended the regular season ranked No. 1 followed by Montana State, Old Dominion, Eastern Washington and Sam Houston State in the top five.

Georgia Southern was sixth with Appalachian State, Central Arkansas, Wofford and Stony Brook rounding out the top ten. 

The next ten were New Hampshire, Cal Poly, Lehigh, Villanova, Towson, Illinois State, James Madison, Richmond, South Dakota State and Northern Arizona.

Eastern Kentucky was No. 21 followed by Bethune-Cookman, Indiana State, Colgate and Eastern Illinois.

The following schools have locked up automatic bids in this year's FCS playoffs:  Eastern Illinois (Ohio Valley), North Dakota State (Missouri Valley), Montana State (Big Sky), Central Arkansas (Southland), Georgia Southern (Southern), Villanova (Colonial), Bethune-Cookman (MEAC), Colgate (Patriot), Coastal Carolina (Big South) and Wagner (Northeast).