The final football game Jim Augustyn officiated was the NCAA national championship game of 2001 in which Oklahoma defeated Florida State in the Orange Bowl. It was one of 22 bowl games Augustyn worked in 36 years, including three that decided the national title.

The 1956 Catholic Central graduate started in West Michigan working high school games in 1965, moved to the collegiate level and worked for the Great Lakes Conference starting in 1971, the Mid-American Conference starting in 1979, the Big Ten starting in 1986 and in summers officiated professional games for the Arena Football League from 1992-2000.

Among his most memorable games were the 1991 Rose Bowl in which Washington held off Iowa, and the 1988 Holiday Bowl in which Oklahoma State's Barry Sanders rushed for 357 yards. After retiring from the field, the long-time supervisor with Consumers Energy served as a replay official, including working the 2006 Rose Bowl/national championship game. Augustyn was one of only a few officials ever to have worked the Rose, Sugar, Fiesta and Cotton Bowls.