Southern defense key in Bayou Classic victory Coach Pete Richardson wins for second straight year SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE As big a game as the Bayou Classic is. perhaps Grumbling was looking past Southern and to their match up in the SWAC champi onship against Jackson State in three weeks. The Tiger defense, which came into the contest ranked second in the SWAC in total defense. couldn't stop Southern en route to a 22-13 win in front of an announced crowd of 53,297 at the Louisiana Superdome over the weekend. The win gave Southern its' second straight Bayou Classic victory. "They were better than us," said Grambling first year head coach Rod Broadway. "They played better than us, they were better prepared and it's embarrassing." ? Southern (8-3) opened up the game putting together a methodical nine-play, 80-yard drive as running back Darren Coates gained 45 of those yards including capping off the drive with a 1-yard dive to put the Jaguars ahead 7-0. The Tigers used a mix of pass and run on (he ensuing drive and Cornelius Walker's 1 yard run tied the game at 7-7. The Jaguars came right back, moving the ball against the much acclaimed Grambling defense with ease Late in the drive on 2nd and 12 Gerard Landry's one-handed 27-yard catch and run from Bryant Lee kept the Southern drive alive. Two plays later Lee found Coates for an easy 10 yard touchdown reception and the Jaguars led 14-7. There would not be a third straight score on Southern's next possession as the Tiger defense began to settle down, forcing the Jaguars to punt, into an interception and a punt on its next three possessions. Grambling ended the half with quarterback Brandon Landers throwing an intercep tion, and a punt as Southern held the 14-7 halftime lead. In the second half the Jaguar defense put more pres sure on Landers, the league's second best passing quarter back. He threw for 96 yards in the half finishing the day 22-of-36 for 192 yards with 1 touchdown and 2 intercep tions. Lee. injured in the first half, did not play in the sec ond half and back-up Warren Matthews was efficient com pleting 9-of-13 passes for 94 yards. FA Ml; photo FAMU's Iva Lakic will lead the Rattlers into the first round of the NCAA tournament. Florida A&M to face Oklahoma Rattlers set to start NCAA D-I Volleyball Championships CHRONICLE STAFF REPORT The Florida A&M Lady Rattlers will face the No. 21 Oklahoma Sooners in the opening' round of the 2007 NCAA Division I Volleyball Championship today (Thursday) beginning at 5 p.m. at the Stephen O'Connell Center on the campus of the University of Florida (^ainesville). As the 2007 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) champion, the Lady Rattlers received the leagues' automat ic bid to the NCAA champi onship. Florida A&M finished the season with an 18-7 over all record and 8-0 mark in conference play. This year's championship marks the Lady Rattlers' seventh straight trip to the NCAA Volleyball Ch?rtvj>ionsKt|> and their ninth appearance in the last ten years. * Oklahoma earned an at large selection and is making its second consecutive NCAA appearance after advancing to the Sweet 16 last season. The Sooners were 21-9 overall record and finished fourth in the Big 12 Conference with a 17-3 mark. The Big 12 Conference was among three conferences with six teams selected to this year's champi onship tournament. This is the first-ever meeting between the two schools. Florida A&M will join host No. 13 Florida (27-2), the College of Charleston (26 7) an