The Buckeyes were No. 1 from start to finish and their star quarterback had no real challenger in winning the Heisman Trophy.

Arkansas running back Darren McFadden was second and Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn third in the voting.

Hawai'i quarterback Colt Brennan finished sixth with six first-place votes and 202 points. West Virginia's Steve Slaton finished fourth (214 points) and Mike Hart of Michigan fifth (210).

Smith was a runaway winner Saturday night as the best player in college football, just two years after nearly derailing his career by taking money from a booster.

The senior quarterback moved to the front of the Heisman race in September with a flawless performance against Texas and finished off a perfect regular season by throwing four touchdown passes against Michigan.

Now, there's only one thing left for Smith to do: Beat Florida for the national championship on Jan. 8.

"Normally, I'm pretty cool in pressure situations, but my heart is pounding really fast now," Smith said.

"I'm at a loss for words. I just can't believe this is happening. ... It means everything. Just to be here in this situation. I love everybody back home in Columbus."

Like so many of the victories Smith has led the Buckeyes to this season, the Heisman win was a rout.

He received 801 first-place votes, the second most ever, and 1,662 points more than second-place finisher McFadden, making it the second-most lopsided Heisman vote. Only O.J. Simpson's 1,750-point victory in 1968 was more onesided.

Heisman Trophy voting

Voting for the 2006 Heisman Trophy, with first-, second- and third-place votes and total points (voting on 3-2-1 basis):

Player, 1st, 2nd, 3rd—Total

Troy Smith, Ohio State, 801, 62, 13—2,540

Darren McFadden, Arkansas, 45, 298, 147—878

Brady Quinn, Notre Dame, 13, 276, 191—782

Steve Slaton, West Virginia, 6, 51, 94—214

Mike Hart, Michigan, 5, 58, 79 —210

Colt Brennan, Hawai'i, 6, 44, 96—202

Ray Rice, Rutgers, 1, 16, 44—79

Ian Johnson, Boise State, 1, 13, 44—73

Dwayne Jarrett, Southern Cal, 1, 11, 22—47