Emmy Award-Winning Matt Austin Still Getting A Kick Out Of ESPN Role

By RUSS BROWN • Photos By Matt Johnson

Louisvillian Matt Austin had no thought of possibly winning an Emmy Award when he joined ESPN following more than two decades as a college football referee, saying it “was the furthest thing from my mind”. 

But that’s exactly what happened recently when the production team he works with on college football telecasts each week were the recipient of a Sports Emmy for their weekly coverage on “The SEC on ABC,” which consisted of three games every Saturday. 

Austin’s role is as a rules analyst, although he described his contributions as minimal because he was one of 148 people who were involved in the show. Emmys are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry, perhaps best known for their Primetime and Daytime honors, since they receive most of the media coverage. 

“I only contributed when the talent in the booth had questions about a rule or a confusing play, compared to those who worked behind the scenes or were play-by-play announcers,” Austin said. “But it is an honor to be included with such dedicated, capable professionals.” (Austin’s team was involved in coverage of U of L’s 20-19 loss on Nov. 14 in L&N Stadium) 

Austin grew up in southern Michigan and studied at Ferris State College (now University) in Big Rapids, Mich., where he graduated with a degree in marketing. A sales job brought him to Louisville in 1990 and he and his wife, Julie, have never left. 

Julie has been the Upper School Administration Assistant at Kentucky Country Day for 28 years. Both of their children, Lindsey and Jake, graduated from KCD and live in Louisville, having followed their dad into his profession. Lindsey graduated from UK in Broadcast Journalism, while Jake graduated from Mississippi State University in Marketing. 

Matt coached varsity softball at KCD for two years and has been involved in sports in one way or another for most of his life, starting as a baseball and football player in high school and then officiating football, basketball and baseball to help pay his way through college. 

It was after his move to Louisville that he says he got serious about football and began officiating in the Kentuckiana Football Officials Association (KFOA). He also served as its Supervisor of Officials for five years and was inducted into the KFOA Hall of Fame in 2016.

Entering my final year of officiating I had an interest in exploring an opportunity with the media. I had spoken with a couple of networks during my last few years of officiating and they showed interest in talking with me upon retirement.”He entered into conversations with ESPN and was hired prior to the 2019 football season. “The replay booth didn’t interest me at the time and there is a movement to hire younger people who will be able to manipulate the controllers to get to the correct shot quickly,” Austin said. “On top of that, with a move to collaborative replay with the final decisions coming from the conference offices, I wasn’t interested in working in that system. 

During his first year he commuted to the Charlotte, N.C. ESPN Studio, where he covered every SEC game that was shown on any ESPN platform, including the SEC Network. 

“In 2020 when Covid hit, the studio was closed to all nonessential personnel,” Austin said. “So I began working the games from home and have worked all but a handful there ever since.” 

Austin added that he is grateful to his wife for his officiating success. “Without her support and her willingness to let me pursue my passion while she was at home with the kids, I can’t see any way I’d have been able to fulfill my officiating goals.”

Austin worked 23 years of college football in the Mid-South Conference and Ohio Valley Conference before being hired in 2004 by the SEC, where he became one of their most respected officials and was assigned to 13 post-season games. They included three SEC Championship games, two College Football Playoff semifinals (Rose Bowl and Cotton Bowl), a second Cotton Bowl and six smaller bowl games. 

During his stint with the SEC, he had the distinction of being on the officials crew for two of the most classic games ever played -- the record-setting seven overtime, 5-hour 2018 Texas A&M Aggies vs. LSU Tigers marathon in College Station, Tex. finally won by A&M 74-72 and the so-called “Kick Six” shocker. 

The A&M game set multiple NCAA records, including the most combined points (146) scored in a Division I contest, and tied the record for longest game with four others. The game was played in front of a sellout crowd of 87,451 at Kyle Field and televised nationwide on CBS. 

“The 7 OT game was like I imagine a 15-round prize fight would be,” Austin said. “Both defenses were so tired we were afraid someone was going to get hurt. The D-lines were simply standing up and trying to hold their own. When we got back to the hotel, us old guys had to ice down every part of our bodies. Our phones had blown up with text messages telling us what an unbelievable game it had been. It took a few days for it to sink in what we’d been part of. Everyone kept asking if we were tired. My reply was not necessary, but I really needed to (use the restroom).” 

The Kick Six was the final play of the 2013 Iron Bowl game at Jordan–Hare Stadium in Auburn, Alabama, featuring the No. 1–ranked and two-time defending national champion Crimson Tide (11–0, 7–0 SEC) vs. the No. 4 Auburn Tigers (10-1, 6-1 SEC), a heated rivalry in the same vein as UofL vs. UK. Bama was a 10-point favorite. The game had significant postseason implications, with both teams ranked in the top 5 and a berth to the SEC Championship Game and, potentially, the BCS National Championship Game, at stake. 

The game was tied at 28–28 with 32 seconds remaining. After the ensuing kickoff, Alabama quickly moved to the Auburn 38-yard line, at which point the clock ran out, seemingly sending the game to overtime. But Alabama coach Nick Saban challenged the timekeeping call and one second was put back on the clock after a video review. 

The Crimson Tide lined up for a potential game-winning 57-yard field goal and the kick was short, allowing Auburn’s Chris Davis, who had been positioned near the goal line, to catch the ball just in front of the goal posts. Davis ran across the entire field through players from both teams to the opposite end zone, improbably scoring the winning touchdown for Auburn on the final play of the game. The Tigers went on to play in the national championship game, losing to Florida State 34-31. 

“We didn’t know at the time that that play had never happened before,” Austin said. “Since the game was tied and Alabama had missed a couple of field goals already we were preparing for OT. Coach Saban was asking for the one second to be put back on the clock. Since Alabama was the #1 team in the country and Auburn was # 4 we were praying that the crew didn’t do anything to cost the SEC a national championship as this game was the final week of the regular season. 

“It is an honor to have been a part of each of those games but I really feel I was just a witness to history, not really a part of it. The kids did all the work. Several times a year I’m sent video of the kick six play and the highlights of the 7 OTs. It was great to be able to officiate some of the best football players and teams in the country for fifteen years.” 

Retiring from his “day job” in sales last summer has given him more time to spend with three grandkids and pursue his interest in getting the word out about problems facing officials. 

“Every sport has a shortage of officials because both veterans and newer officials are leaving due to the lack of sportsmanship from parents, fans and coaches,” Austin said. “Something needs to be done before the lack of quality officials starts to negatively affect the officiating at the top levels of the sports we love.” 

So, how long does Austin expect to continue being one of ESPN’s experts on the college football scene? At this point, it’s open-ended. 

“The biggest mistake officials make is sticking around too long,” he said. “They slow down and begin making mistakes. I feel like I left the field with something left in the tank. I feel the exact same way about working in TV. I’d like to continue as long as I can. But if I see myself slipping, no one will have to tell me it’s time to hang it up.”