Conforto homers, Hoerner has 3 hits to lead the Cubs past the Marlins, 6-5

MIAMI (AP) — Michael Conforto homered and singled, Nico Hoerner had three hits and an RBI and the Chicago Cubs beat the Miami Marlins 6-5 on Saturday.

Michael Busch and Miguel Amaya each doubled and singled for the Cubs, who finished with 13 hits. Cubs star outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong singled, walked and drove in a run, while Ian Happ had two hits and two RBIs.

Kyle Stowers and Griffin Conine homered for two of the Marlins’ six hits.

Ryan Rolison (8-1) got the final out in the seventh and first in the eighth for the win. Ryan Zeferjahn pitched the last 1 2/3 innings for his fifth save. After a 3-2 called third strike with two out to Conine in the ninth was overturned on the ABS review, Zeferjahn retired Otto Lopez on a flyout to right.

Cubs starter Javier Assad allowed three runs and three hits over 4 2/3 innings. Recalled from Triple-A Saturday, Assad walked five and struck out three.

Caleb Thielbar relieved Assad with a runner on in the fifth and allowed Conine’s drive into the upper deck in right that got Miami within 5-4.

Busch singled in a run in the sixth to make it 6-4 before Miami narrowed it to one again on Stowers’ solo homer in the seventh.

Conforto’s solo homer and Happ’s two-run single in the third off Marlins starter Ryan Gusto (1-4) in the third put the Cubs ahead 3-0.

Chicago padded the lead on Crow-Armstrong’s RBI single in the fourth.

Cubs RHP Clay Holmes (6-6, 2.09 ERA) was set to oppose RHP Tyler Phillips (4-6, 3.43) on Sunday in the series finale.

See AP’s full MLB coverage here

Chicago Cubs' Ian Happ hits a single to bring in two runs during the third inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

Chicago Cubs' Ian Happ runs to first base after hitting a single to bring in two runs during the third inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell talks to referees Ben May and Chris Conroy (98) about a call during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

Chicago Cubs' Seiya Suzuki and Miguel Amaya celebrate after scoring on a single by Ian Happ during the third inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

Chicago Cubs' Michael Busch hits a double during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

Week 1 in the AP Top 25 has been heavy on blowouts thanks to a schedule that was light on marquee matchups.

But there’s been one exception.

No. 2 Oregon faced an early 10-point deficit before rallying to beat Boise State 34-27 on Saturday. Dante Moore threw for 388 yards and three touchdowns, including a tiebreaking 62-yard TD to Dakorien Moore with 8:45 left.

The game was reminiscent of their 2024 matchup, when Oregon needed a field goal as time expired to eke out a 37-34 home victory over a Boise State team featuring Heisman Trophy runner-up Ashton Jeanty.

That Broncos team went on to reach the College Football Playoff, and Oregon remained unbeaten until a Rose Bowl quarterfinal loss to eventual national champion Ohio State.

It wouldn’t be a surprise if both teams are back in the playoff this year. Boise State hosts Memphis next Saturday in a matchup of Group of Six playoff contenders.

The Oregon-Boise State game highlighted an otherwise uneventful weekend, with only one matchup between Top 25 teams — No. 9 Mississippi faces No. 24 Louisville in Nashville, Tennessee, on Sunday. The only other Saturday afternoon game involving a Top 25 team that had a margin below 36 points was No. 23 Houston’s 33-20 victory over Oregon State.

No. 6 Indiana’s new faces helped the defending national champions roll to a 52-16 victory over North Texas in their opener.

Former TCU quarterback Josh Hoover went 13 of 16 for 231 yards with four touchdowns in his first game stepping in for Heisman Trophy winner and No. 1 overall draft pick Fernando Mendoza. Boston College transfer Turbo Richard scored twice and Michigan State transfer Nick Marsh got the Hoosiers’ first touchdown with a one-handed grab.

One sign of concern for Indiana is that a defense that allowed the second-fewest points per game of any FBS team last year struggled to slow down North Texas, which had to overhaul its roster after former Mean Green coach Eric Morris left for Oklahoma State.

Morris' first Oklahoma State team features an astounding 91 newcomers, including 21 players from North Texas. That crew included Drew Mestemaker, who threw for a Bowl Subdivision-leading 4,379 yards last season.

All those new faces led to speculation Oklahoma State could make a dramatic improvement from its 2-10 finish last year. But the Cowboys lost 24-10 to Tulsa in Morris' debut, with Mestemaker going 29 of 49 for 241 yards with two interceptions and one touchdown.

Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith and Miami’s Malachi Toney have wasted no time launching their respective Heisman Trophy campaigns.

Smith caught eight passes for 151 yards and two touchdowns in the first half alone as No. 1 Ohio State opened its season with a 56-3 blowout of Ball State on Saturday. Smith celebrated his second touchdown by doing a Heisman pose.

One night earlier, Toney performed a similar celebration during his three-touchdown performance in the seventh-ranked Hurricanes’ 45-6 victory at Stanford. Toney set a school single-game record with 234 yards receiving.

Here's a look at how some other potential Heisman contenders fared this weekend.

— Ohio State QB Julian Sayin, who finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy voting last season, went 21 of 25 for 320 yards with three touchdowns. He also ran for a touchdown.

— Miami QB Darian Mensah, who led Duke to an Atlantic Coast Conference title last year, threw five touchdown passes in his first game with his new team.

— Gunner Stockton went 15 of 16 for 202 yards with three touchdowns as No. 3 Georgia trounced Tennessee State 63-3.

— South Carolina QB LaNorris Sellers was 19 of 23 for 270 yards with three touchdowns in a 57-0 victory over Kent State.

— Southern California QB Jayden Maiava, the reigning AP national player of the week, went 25 of 29 for 286 yards with two touchdown passes in a 39-0 win over Fresno State on Friday night. Maiava has thrown five touchdown passes and six incompletions through No. 14 USC’s first two games of the season.

— Maybe it’s too soon to put Pitt QB Mason Heintschel on this list, but he set an Atlantic Coast Conference single-game record by throwing seven touchdown passes in a 59-14 rout of Miami (Ohio). He went 31 of 41 for 459 yards.

These freshmen made major impacts in their college debuts.

— Faizon Brandon threw three touchdown passes and ran for two more scores in No. 20 Tennessee's 56-9 rout of Furman.

— Nebraska's Jamal Rule rushed for 122 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries and caught two passes for 47 yards and another score in the Cornhuskers' 49-21 win over Ohio.

— Syracuse's Shavane Anderson Jr. ran for 102 yards and three touchdowns in a 66-3 blowout of New Hampshire.

Saturday night's game featuring Clemson at No. 11 LSU took on a lot more meaning when the NCAA's new eligibility rules blew up in courtrooms all over the country and LSU made no secret of its interest in bringing back not just fifth-year players who went to court but players who had signed professional contracts.

This issue lingered late into the week, including the surreal spectacle of the SEC battling LSU in multiple courtrooms. LSU eventually decided against placing onetime pros Dae’Quan Wright and Zxavian Harris on its roster in advance of its season opener.

Sunday's lineup includes an early Apple Cup between No. 17 Washington and Washington State before prime-time showdowns: No. 4 Notre Dame against Wisconsin at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and the Ole Miss-Louisville matchup. The Labor Day capper sees Mike Norvell and Florida State hosting No. 19 SMU and dynamic quarterback Kevin Jennings.

The next AP Top 25 rankings to sort it all out will be released Tuesday.

Sign up for Top 25 poll alerts here, visit the Top 25 here and see AP’s full college football coverage here

Oregon wide receivers Evan Stewart (7) and Dakorien Moore (1) celebrate Moore's touchdown during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026, in Eugene, Ore. (AP Photo/Lydia Ely)

Oregon wide receiver Dakorien Moore (1) celebrates his touchdown run during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Boise State, Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026, in Eugene, Ore. (AP Photo/Lydia Ely)

Indiana quarterback Josh Hoover (10) hands off to running back Turbo Richard (1) during the first half of an NCAA college football game against North Texas, Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026, in Bloomington, Ind. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)

Missouri wide receiver Cayden Lee, left, scores past Arkansas-Pine Bluff defensive back Na'il Johnson (38) during the first half of an NCAA college football game Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026, in Columbia, Mo. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

The Colorado team celebrates a win over Georgia Tech after an NCAA college football game, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)