NEW YORK — Troy Smith, Ted Ginn Jr. and the rest of Ohio State's blazing Buckeyes provided a peek into the future at the Fiesta Bowl with a warp-speed win that left a lasting impression.

With a flurry of quick-strike scores, Ohio State took out Notre Dame 34-20 and served notice that big things could be in store for 2006.

For the first time since 1998, Ohio State is preseason No. 1 in The Associated Press Top 25 football poll.

"I think that anytime we're ranked No. 1, it puts a bull's-eye on us," center Doug Datish said after practice Friday night. "But on that same note, we're Ohio State and we always have the big bull's-eye on us anyway."

The Buckeyes received 35 of a possible 65 first-place votes from a panel of media members in the poll released Friday. Notre Dame was No. 2, the best preseason showing for the Fighting Irish since they were second in 1994.

Texas will start the defense of its national title as the No. 3 team in the country. Auburn was fourth and West Virginia fifth.

Southern California, preseason No. 1 the past two years, was No. 6.

"It's not a problem," USC receiver Dwayne Jarrett said when he found out about the Trojans' ranking. "We're just going to take that and roll with it."

Florida, LSU, California and Oklahoma rounded out the top 10.

No. 11 Florida State and No. 12 Miami will renew their rivalry on Labor Day night in the Orange Bowl.

No. 13 was Louisville, followed by Michigan, Georgia, Iowa, Virginia Tech, Clemson, Penn State and Nebraska.

The final five were Oregon, TCU, Tennessee, Arizona State and Texas Tech.