The best quarterback in the Atlantic Coast Conference born and raised in Miami might not be the Hurricanes' Jacory Harris.

The best receiving duo in the ACC born and raised in South Florida might not be Miami's Travis Benjamin and Leonard Hankerson.

Miami coach Randy Shannon prides himself on building the Hurricanes' program with homegrown talent, but there are probably a few people in Miami right now who are equally proud of three players who were overlooked by the Canes. It seems a little odd to be writing this, but three Miamians currently have the Duke Blue Devils in position to possibly win the ACC Coastal Division.

Duke senior quarterback Thaddeus Lewis of Hialeah-Miami Lakes is finally having the type of season he knew was possible when he committed to Duke in February 2006. In his second year under the tutelage of Duke coach David Cutcliffe, Lewis is the leader of the ACC's top-ranked passing offense (325.1 yards per game).

Lewis' top targets are receivers Conner Vernon and Donovan Varner, a pair of Miami Gulliver Prep grads. Vernon, a freshman, leads the ACC in receptions per game (5.4) and ranks third in the ACC in receiving yards per game (80.3) behind Varner, a sophomore who is second in the league in receiving yards per game (82.5) and tied for first in receptions (42).

THRIVING TRIO

Duke's Miami connection currently has the Blue Devils (5-3, 3-1) second in the Coastal Division behind Georgia Tech (8-1, 5-1) after consecutive wins against N.C. State, Maryland and Virginia. The Blue Devils can move one game closer to bowl eligibility with a win against rival North Carolina (5-3, 1-3) at 3:30 p.m. Saturday in Chapel Hill, N.C.

For at least one more day, let's bask in the glory of Duke's current winning streak, a testament to the strength (or weakness) of the ACC.

Duke, which last played in a bowl game in 1994, needs seven wins to become bowl eligible. When was the last time Duke won the ACC? Duke split the ACC title with Virginia in 1989, Steve Spurrier's final season as the Blue Devils' coach.

Can Duke actually win the ACC this season? The ACC has been unpredictable, but let's not get crazy.

Lewis currently is playing like an All-American, but Duke's final four games of the season -- at North Carolina, No. 10 Georgia Tech, at No. 17 Miami and Wake Forest -- pose a daunting challenge.

Realistically, it seems more likely that Duke will miss out on a bowl than play for the ACC championship on Dec. 5 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.

Lewis never has defeated North Carolina, losing to his team's primary rival 45-44 in 2006, 20-14 in overtime in 2007 and 28-20 last season. Duke is a 10-point underdog to the Tar Heels, who are ranked at the bottom of the Coastal Division, but defeated Virginia Tech last Thursday and have had more than a week to prepare for Duke's pass-happy offense.

But wait. Let's not get sidetracked. This week's college football column wasn't about writing off Duke's chances of shocking college football. It was about celebrating Duke's Miami boys during Lewis' best three-game stretch of his career. Let's return to patting Lewis on the back.

In his first three years away from home, Lewis, now a four-year starter, suffered through a combined 5-31 record.

His senior season started out badly with a loss to Richmond, but since then Lewis and Duke steadily have improved. Lewis played well against Virginia Tech on Oct. 3, then exploded for five touchdown passes in a win against N.C. State a week later.

Duke followed its first win against N.C. State in 12 years with back-to-back victories against Maryland and Virginia.

TOUCHING TRIBUTE

Along the way, Lewis offered a touching tribute to Connecticut defensive back Jasper Howard, the Miami-born football player who was tragically murdered in October.

Like Harris of the Hurricanes, Lewis honored Howard's life with the words ``RIP'' and ``Jazz'' written into his eye black on Oct. 24.

Lewis was a year older than Howard, but the two friends grew up together in the same apartment complex.

Yes, Harris isn't the only quarterback in the ACC born and raised in Miami who South Florida college football fans will be rooting for during the final month of the season.