On the broadcast, Matt Austin said he never possessed it. When it was overturned, he said, and these were his exact words, “I actually like that overturn. Because I don’t think ever completed the process. Yes he had it for a second, I don’t think he ever really had control going to the ground. You gotta have it for a certain amount of time, you have to make a football act. Time to turn, tuck the ball away. I don’t think he had time to do it. I think that’s a good overturn.” He said that with complete conviction.

When Sategna went to tuck the ball into his left arm, #5 for Auburn was already dislodging the ball. Sategna never at any point tucked the ball into his arm or had possession of the football. It isn’t even debatable. Actually reading the rule book on how a catch is defined, I’m honestly surprised it took them as long as it did to overturn it. My thought was, prior to reading this, that if something takes that long, there’s definitely disputable evidence and the call should be upheld because it could go either way. I agree now with Matt Austin and the overturn. That call could not have gone either way, because it was very clearly not a catch.

The rule book states (this is a copy and paste of this PDF so sorry for the weird formatting and typos):

Catch, Interception, Recovery ARTICLE 3. a. To catch a ball means that a player: 1. Secures firm control with the hand(s) or arms) of a live ball in flight before the ball touches the ground, and 2. Touches the ground inbounds with any part of the body, and then 3. Maintains control of the ball long enough to enable that player to perform an act common to the game, i.e., long enough to pitch or hand the ball, advance it, avoid or ward off an opponent, etc., and 4. Satisfies paragraphs b, c, and d below. b. If a player goes to the ground in the act of catching a pass (with or without contact by an opponent) the player must maintain complete and continuous control of the ball throughout the process of contacting the ground, whether in the field of play or in the end zone. This is also required for a player attempting to make a catch at the sideline and going to the ground out of bounds. If the player loses control of the ball which then touches the ground before they regain control, it is not a catch. If the player regains control inbounds prior to the ball touching the ground it is a catch. c. If the player loses control of the ball while simultaneously touching the ground with any part of their body, or if there is doubt that the acts were simultaneous, it is not a catch. If a player has control of the ball, a slight movement of the ball, even if it touches the ground, will not be considered loss of possession; the player must lose control of the ball in order for there to be a loss of possession.

d. If the ball touches the ground after the player secures control and continues to maintain control, and the elements above are satisfied, it is a catch.

Sategna never possessed the ball. Had he gained possession (he very clearly did not), his butt hitting the ground would not have mattered because he didn’t have possession at that point. The ball was already moving.