I stilled the video and watched it in slow motion several times. I do not believe, based on what I saw (which is admittedly inconclusive), that 1) the snap was illegal or 2) the defender touched the ball, despite what was clearly an attempted swipe. I think the ball got hung up somewhere when it was between the C's legs. What probably played a huge part of that was the Center WAS contacted by the defender, which is illegal if prior to 1 second after the snap (which it clearly was). Rule 9-1-14.
I don't think the snap was illegal since it was a continuous motion in what had to be a generally backward direction. The rule doesn't prohibit the ball going up as long as it is a "quick and continuous backward motion." When the center is over the ball, its pretty much directly under his head. When he does what people here are calling a lift, it goes toward his waist, which is of course behind the head. I'm not trying to bend over backwards to make this legal -- and if what I've described is inaccurate, then I will stand corrected -- but this goes on all the time in punt snaps and unless its clearly illegal (i.e not quick and continuous or definitely picked up) I think should leave it alone.
