The Bandits' 2022 schedule was announced on March 7. They opened the season against the Pittsburgh Maulers.[2]
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text. * mean that they host the game, since all eight teams play at the same stadium
Week 1: Tampa Bay Bandits at Pittsburgh Maulers – Game summary
at Protective Stadium, Birmingham, Alabama
- Date: April 18 (delayed)
- Game time: 7:00 p.m.
- Referee: Bryan Banks
- TV announcers (FS1): Curt Menefee, Joel Klatt, Brock Huard
- Recap
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First quarter
- TB – B. J. Emmons 3-yard run (Tyler Rausa kick), 10:49. Bandits 7–0. Drive: 8 plays, 68 yards, 4:11.
- TB – Tyler Rausa 23-yard field goal, 1:06. Bandits 10–0. Drive: 10 plays, 54 yards, 4:50.
Second quarter
Third quarter
- PIT – Ramiz Ahmed 28-yard field goal, 4:25. Bandits 17–3. Drive: 10 plays, 46 yards, 4:55.
Fourth quarter
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Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
- TB – Cheyenne O'Grady – 8 receptions, 86 yards
- PIT – Jeff Thomas – 4 receptions, 43 yards
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The Bandits started their season against the Pittsburgh Maulers. The Bandits dominated the first half, scoring 17 unanswered points with 2 touchdowns and a 23 yard field goal. On the Bandits first drive of the game, they drove downfield 68 yards to score with a B. J. Emmons 3 yard rushing touchdown. The teams would trade punts until what would be the Bandits last drive of the first quarter saw them drive 54 yards down field and kick a 23 yard field goal to put them up 10-0 at the end of the first. The teams traded punts again until near the end of the second quarter when a short punt by the Maulers put them at the Pittsburgh's 38 yard line. The drive ended when Jordan Ta'amu threw a 3 yard touchdown pass to Jordan Lasley to put the Bandits up 17-0 heading into the half, which would be the only points Tampa would score. The second half saw the Maulers drive 46 yards to hit a 28 yard field goal to put the Bandits at 17-3, which would be the final score.
Week 2: New Orleans Breakers at Tampa Bay Bandits – Game summary
at Protective Stadium, Birmingham, Alabama
- Date: April 24
- Game time: 3:00 p.m. EDT
- Referee: Alex Moore
- TV announcers (NBC/Peacock): Jac Collinsworth, Jason Garrett, Lewis Johnson
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First quarter
- NO – Kyle Sloter 1-yard rush (Austin MacGinnis kick no good), 7:32. Breakers 6–0. 13 plays, 79 yards, 5:44.
- NO – T. J. Logan 5-yard rush (Kyle Sloter pass good), 0:15. Breakers 14–0. 12 plays, 70 yards, 5:42.
Second quarter
- BIRM – Tyler Rausa 21-yard field goal, 5:54. Breakers 14–3. 11 plays, 69 yards, 6:20.
- NO – Shawn Poindexter 18-yard pass from Kyle Sloter (Austin MacGinnis kick good), 2:28. Breakers 21–3. 7 plays, 56 yards, 3:23.
Fourth quarter
- NO – Austin MacGinnis 22-yard field goal, 14:49. Breakers 24–3. 10 plays, 55 yards, 2:54.
- NO – Johnnie Dixon 4-yard pass from Kyle Sloter (Austin MacGinnis kick good), 11:33. Breakers 31–3. 5 plays, 31 yards, 1:50.
- NO – Austin MacGinnis 30-yard field goal, 1:11. Breakers 34–3. 4 plays, 7 yards, 1:44.
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The Bandits faced their division rival New Orleans Breakers. The Breakers struck first on a 79 yard touchdown drive, but the extra point was missed, putting the Bandits down at 0-6. After a Bandits punt, the Breakers marched 65 yards downfield to score another touchdown, converting a 2-point conversion to bring the Bandits down 0-14. The Bandits responded in the second quarter with a 69 yard field goal drive capped off by a 21-yard field goal by Tyler Rausa to bring the Bandits to 3-14. The Breakers responded with a 56 yard touchdown drive to put the Bandits down two scores at 3-21.
In the second half, the Bandits turned it over on downs while the Breakers were unable to score. In the fourth quarter, the Breakers extended to a 3 score lead after a 22 yard field goal. They triumphed more, scoring a touchdown off a Ta'amu interception, putting them at a commanding 3-31 margin. They then made a 30-yard field goal to put them at 3-34 with a little over a minute, which would be the final score.
Week 3: Tampa Bay Bandits at Houston Gamblers – Game summary
at Protective Stadium, Birmingham, Alabama
- Date: April 30
- Game time: 4:00 p.m. EDT
- Referee: James Carter
- TV announcers (Fox): Kevin Kugler, Mark Sanchez, Brock Huard
The Bandits will play against division rival Houston Gamblers.