Oftentimes winning games actually comes down to 'beating yourself.' In other words, a dumb penalty or especially egregious turnover at the wrong time can often prove to be the undoing. This becomes particularly true when compiled over the course of four quarters. A seemingly insignificant mistake early on can end up having massive ripple effects later on.
This is arguably the main aspect that USC fans are looking to avoid in 2025. If the Trojans and any of the upper Big Ten teams go toe-to-toe and the opponent on the day just happens to make one more play in an otherwise good game, that would be the type of result that most USC fans would be able to live with.