No Mandela Effect: Notre Dame putting names on jerseys is new for special reason

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish have one of the most iconic uniforms in all of sports, the golden helmets instantly recognizable all around the country. But for the first home game of the new 12-team College Football Playoff, the team looked a little bit different than usual: Unlike in their 12 regular-season games, Notre Dame players had their last names on the backs of their jerseys on Friday night against Indiana.

But this is hardly an instance of a program forsaking tradition ahead of a big game. In fact, it's embracing tradition, one with as much history at Notre Dame as Touchdown Jesus or anything else.

Why does Notre Dame have names on its jerseys for CFP showdown against Indiana?

Notre Dame's typical look, blue or white uniforms with gold helmets, gold pants and no last names anywhere to be found, is the one you have in your head when you picture the Irish taking the field. But it turns out that's just a regular-season thing; once the postseason begins, things change.

In every postseason game, whether a bowl game or a playoff game, Irish players have their names on the backs of their jerseys. That goes even when playing for a national title, as you can see with former Notre Dame quarterback Everett Golson during the 2012 BCS title game against Alabama. (We apologize in advance to Irish fans for offering any reminder of that game.)

Which is a fun twist, if we're being honest. It maintains the classic Notre Dame look — there are no alternate color schemes, no wacky patterns involved — but with a little flourish that lets everyone know that this game is truly special. It also offers a bit of an incentive for players, like another version of a helmet sticker; if you want your name on the back of a Notre Dame jersey, you need to earn it with a postseason appearance.