The Erie Explosion joined the UIFL in 2012. The team was quarterbacked by indoor veteran A.J. McKenna, who threw for 2,043 yards, 43 touchdowns and 11 picks during the regular season. His top target was Tirone Morris, who caught 32 touchdowns. A.J. Harris caught 72 balls for 1,106 yards and 18 scores. The Erie defense picked 35 passes, returning 8 for otuchdowns. Four of the team's eleven regular season games were played against replacement/semi-pro teams. Erie won by an average of 35 points per game on the season. In its only regular season meeting with Marion, the Explosion dropped a 65-64 overtime decision on the final week of the year. However, Erie would host Marion the following week in the postseason and defeated them 56-47. In the conference championship game at Cincinnati, the Commandos blew out the Explosion 62-40.