OXFORD, Miss. -- A big chunk of Mississippi stars power from last season is gone, off to the NFL after helping push the program into the upper tier of the Southeastern Conference.But the Rebels who remain are pretty good, too.And thats exactly the reason Ole Miss feels it can be even better than last season, when the team won 10 games and took home the Sugar Bowl trophy for the first time since 1970.But players and coaches say there is plenty more to prove for a program that hasnt won a Southeastern Conference title since 1963.We could talk a long time on that one, Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze said. I assure you theres motivation.The Rebels do have one legitimate star still on the roster. Senior quarterback Chad Kelly is viewed as a long-shot Heisman Trophy candidate after throwing for more than 4,000 yards and running for 500 more in his first season as the teams starter.But Ole Miss must replace standouts like offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil, receiver Laquon Treadwell and defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche, who were all selected in the first round of the NFL draft in April.Freeze is confident in the internal replacements.Freshman left tackle Greg Little was one of the nations top recruits last season -- though he may not start right away. Receivers Damoreea Stringfellow and Quincy Adeboyejo, along with tight end Evan Engram, are back after being important parts of last years passing game. And veteran defensive linemen like Fadol Brown, Marquis Haynes and D.J. Jones -- along with the arrival of touted freshman Benito Jones -- could make the Rebels even deeper at that spot this season.Ole Miss needs to be ready right away. The Rebels have a brutal September schedule that starts with a neutral site game against Florida State on Sept. 5 in Orlando. There are also back-to-back home games against Alabama and Georgia later in the month.Ive never been on a staff that faced a September quite like what were facing, Freeze said. Its not hard to motivate our kids. They understand whats in front of them, so thats a positive.Here are a few things to watch for the Rebels this season:KEEP MOVING UP: Freeze is in his fifth season has improved the program by one win each season. The Rebels had a 7-6 record in 2012 before eight wins in 13, nine wins in 14 and finally 10 last season. Considering the Rebels difficult schedule, 11 wins in 2016 would be quite a feat.PATTERSON IN WAITING: Kelly will run the show at quarterback this season, but the Rebels hope his eventual replacement will be just as good. Freshman Shea Patterson was one of the nations top quarterback recruits and both Freeze and Kelly have raved about his quick release and ability to learn the playbook.NCAA DISTRACTION: Ole Miss might be good on the field, but a four-year NCAA investigation into the athletic program, including football, continues to fester. Freeze and the players say the investigation wont be a distraction but its certainly something to watch if big news happens in the case during mid-season.CONNERS BACK: The Ole Miss defense is welcoming the return of senior safety Tony Conner, who missed a big chunk of last season because of a knee injury. Conner had 69 tackles, which ranked second on the team, as a sophomore in 2014.TRYING FOR BALANCE: Ole Miss was one of the nations elite passing teams last season, but sometimes struggled to run the ball. The Rebels hope a combo of veterans like Jordan Wilkins and Akeem Judd can help the team improve after averaging 183 yards on the ground last season, which ranked 7th in the SEC.KEY GAMES: If Ole Miss can get past its difficult September schedule, there are still a lot of tough games, including back-to-back road trips to Arkansas and LSU in October. And, of course, theres always the Egg Bowl against rival Mississippi State on Nov. 26.PREDICTION: Ole Miss is good, but the schedule is nasty and its hard to see a scenario where the Rebels are able to roll through September unscathed. Look for Ole Miss to win a few big games and lose a few, too, putting them in the middle of the pack in the SECs Western Division.SEASON OPENER: A neutral site game against Florida State in Orlando on Sept. 5.-----Follow David Brandt on Twitter: www.twitter.com/davidbrandtAP-----AP College Football website: www.collegefootball.ap.org Bryce Harper Jersey . 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Three came down to the fourth quarter while quarterbacks continued to shine in all four games; so important to the overall quality of the game. ATLANTA -- Nick Saban rolled into the room with all the warmth of a tray of ice cubes you just pulled from the freezer.The pursed lips, the tightened jaw, the forced smile -- tell-tale signs that made it clear he preferred to be anywhere but here, sitting in front of a group of reporters on the eve of another Southeastern Conference championship game.Then, over the course of a half-hour Friday, the coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide provided some tantalizing glimpses into the World According To Nick.A world where failure is not an option, complacency is treated like some sort of horrific disease, and no one talks about what they did a year ago, a day ago, even a few minutes ago.Be where your feet are, Saban said. Im right here, right now. This is whats important, and this is what we have to focus on.To some degree, all coaches have that sort of single-minded drive. But Saban takes it to an entirely different level. Thats why hes left everyone in his wake, from those who came long before (sorry, Knute Rockne and Bud Wilkinson) to contemporaries faced with the unenviable task of trying to beat him now (sorry, rest of the SEC).This much is clear: As along as Saban reigns in Tuscaloosa, college football is his world.Everyone else is just fighting over the crumbs.I hate to lose more than I like winning, Saban said. Im not in love with what we did last week or the week before that or the whole season. The challenge is the next game because thats the game we can lose.It seems a joyless existence, but its one that makes perfect sense to Saban.Dont bring up the crazy, amazing run -- as former Florida quarterback Tim Tebow described it -- that Alabama has been on since the beginning of the 2008 season. During that span, the Crimson Tide has won 110 of 122 games, captured four national titles and gone to the last week of November four other times with a shot at winning it all.Dont bring up the fact that Saban has five national titles overall, counting the BCS crown he won at LSU, and is just one away from tying Bear Bryants mark for the most national titles by any coach.I havent thought about it. Im not thinking about it, Saban insisted. Im focusing on what can I do for our players so we have a chance to win the SEC championship.Top-ranked Alabama (12-0) shouldnt have any trouble with this game, going in as a whopping 24-point favorite over No. 15 Florida (8-3). The Gators are a team with all sorts of offensive limitations, which doesnt bode well against Sabans latest stellar defense, a group that hasnt given up a touchdown since October. After this little formality in Atlanta, its on to the College Football Playoff for a shot at a second straight national title and fifth in the last nine seasons.By any objecctive standard, Sabans tenure at Alabama makes him the greatest coach in college football history.dddddddddddd This nearly decade-long run is almost beyond belief in what should be an era of enhanced parity, when there are plenty of schools that can match Alabamas resources but dont have the right guy at the top.Florida coach Jim McElwain got a firsthand look at Sabans genius while serving as his offensive coordinator.Alabamas success goes far beyond the Xs and Os.I was able to see a commitment and understanding of the organization and what it takes on a daily basis to help yourself have the opportunity to be successful, McElwain said. Its about being in the line. Everythings got to be in alignment. Everythings got to be aligned. Thats one thing he was ahead of his time as far as making sure everybody was aligned. It was a fascinating working experience.In some ways, Sabans dominance may be hurting the reputation of the SEC, long regarded as the nations best football conference. Everyone is playing catch-up, which has led to some hasty coaching changes and an air of desperation among the other 13 schools.In the long run, SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey believes it will have a positive impact.Around this league, there are coaches trying to figure out how to beat Alabama, he said. When a team is ranked first and has had the sustained success, I think that effort makes everyone better. I would use the phrase you often hear, `a rising tide lifts all boats.Sankey quickly caught himself.I want to be careful about using the word `tide, he said with a smile, but I think you understand.Actually, the only thing we can see is Alabama ruling the SEC as long as Saban is around. At 65, hes certainly got more seasons behind him than in front of him, which provides a glimmer of hope to the rest of the league.We all have fears sometimes, he said, revealing a bit of vulnerability. When you start getting up there, you say, `I wonder how long Im going to be able to do this?Then, just like that, he got back on point.There are no plans to ease into retirement.Not anytime soon.I love coaching, Saban said. Im going to do it as long as I feel like I can do a good job of it, and Im healthy enough to do it. Thats always been what Ive wanted to do, and as long as I can keep doing it, Ill be happy doing it.Sorry, everybody else.---Paul Newberry is a sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at pnewberry(at)ap.org or at www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963 . His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/paul-newberry .---For more AP college football coverage: www.collegefootball.ap.org ' ' '