Georgia Football countdown to kickoff: 87 days to go

The 2018 Georgia football season begins in 87 days.

We are down to just 87 days until Georgia football kicks off the 2018 season with Austin Peay. So, for 87 days it’s time to look at one of the most unbreakable school records; John Amos “Spike” Jones’ 87-yard punt.

Jones’ punt was five yards longer than the previous record set by Bill Hartman in 1937. The closest anyone has come since was Don Golden with an 80-yard punt against Kentucky in 1973. No one besides Brian Mimbs and Drew Butler have come close to even reaching 80 yards on one punt.

Spike, who had the perfect nickname for a Georgia Bulldog player, nailed his 87-yarder during a 17-0 shutout victory over Auburn. The punt helped Georgia put the Tigers away from good. Instead of the Tigers getting good field position and momentum, Jones flipped the field completely and the Georgia defense continued to pummel the Tigers.

Georgia SEC Championship hopes were already slim at that point of the year, but the Tigers had only one SEC entering the game. They still had a shot at winning the conference with Tennessee still having two SEC games after that week. Instead, thanks in large part to Spike Jones’ record setting punt, the Bulldogs once again ruined Auburn’s SEC Championship chances.

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Jones’ punt was actually more than half of his average for that season. He only averaged 39 yards per punt that year as a sophomore. He continued punting for the Dawgs through the 1968 SEC and National Championship season, as well as in 1969. His averaged climbed each year with a 41.2 average in 1968, and 43.5 in 1969. Jones was a two-time All-SEC selection at Georgia.