The game featured the
Eastern Michigan Eagles from the
Mid-American Conference (MAC) and the
Georgia Southern Eagles of the
Sun Belt Conference. This was the first meeting between the two programs.
Georgia Southern Eagles On November 28, Georgia-based news organizations reported that Georgia Southern would play in the Camellia Bowl, which was confirmed via an official announcement on December 2. They entered the bowl with a 9–3 record (6–2 in conference). The Eagles had previously played in one bowl game, winning the
2015 GoDaddy Bowl over
Bowling Green; before 2014, the team competed in the
Football Championship Subdivision (formerly known as Division I-AA).
Eastern Michigan Eagles Eastern Michigan received and accepted a bid to the Camellia Bowl on December 2. The Eagles entered the bowl with a 7–5 record (5–3 in conference). This was the Eagles' second bowl game in the last three years, having also played in the
2016 Bahamas Bowl where they were defeated by
Old Dominion, 24–20. ==Game summary==