Marcus Mariota vs. Arizona: Stats, Highlights and Twitter Reaction

A potential shootout against Arizona Thursday night was expected to help Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota increase the gap between himself and every other Heisman hopeful.

Instead, the perceived leader's candidacy took a significant hit in a 31-24 upset loss.

Mariota's final numbers weren't quite on par with his gaudy 2014 pace, but they weren't exactly pedestrian, either: 276 yards on 20-of-32 throwing, two passing touchdowns, nine rushing yards and a 26-yard touchdown reception.

However, there's one more important stat: two lost fumbles, including one in the final two minutes that sealed the win for the Wildcats.

As CBS Sports' Dane Brugler noted after Mariota coughed it up the first time, that has been a persistent problem for him:

For most of the opening three quarters, not much was going right for the junior quarterback. In a game in which the oddsmakers set the over/under in the 80s, Mariota and the Ducks had put just 14 points on the board through the first 45 minutes.

Among other things, he wasn't connecting on the downfield throws, per ESPN Stats & Info:

But it would be completely unjustified and lazy to place the blame entirely on Mariota. His offensive line, which has been an evident problem for much of the season, had him under pressure all night. ESPN.com's Ivan Maisel and the National Football Post's Dave Miller put it simply:

USA Today's Paul Myerberg added an apt comparison:

With the Ducks down by 10 points, Mariota finally began to take things into his own hands and move the ball, orchestrating two consecutive drives that went 138 total yards in less than six minutes. The first ended in a field goal, while the second resulted in a nine-yard touchdown throw to Keanon Lowe.

NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah praised the Honolulu native:

The comeback wasn't meant to be, though. Arizona responded with a touchdown drive, and as Mariota was driving back down the field for a potential "Heisman moment," a sack, strip and recovery from Scooby Wright ended the game.

STEVE DYKES/Associated Press

Ultimately, while the loss shouldn't be placed anywhere near Mariota's shoulders, it's going to hurt his Heisman chances regardless. That's just the way it goes. Two turnovers in a home upset won't look good in the eyes of the voters, especially two months from now when details of the game aren't fresh on the mind.

That said, he's still firmly in the Heisman race. It's not impossible to win the prestigious award with a loss on his resume, especially if he continues to produce at the same level and the Ducks win the rest of their games.

With the way Mariota's offensive line is failing to provide adequate protection, though, there's reason for concern as Oregon moves through the Pac-12 schedule.