Luke Fickell is on his way to Madison, officially being named the next head coach at Wisconsin Sunday evening. Fickell had been reported to be the target early in the day, and things quickly picked up steam.

Fickell had been the coach at Cincinnati since 2017, winning 57 games and leading the Bearcats to the College Football Playoff in 2021. Interim head coach and long-time DC Jim Leonhard was reportedly informed he was out of the running for the job on Sunday

Wisconsin Athletic Director Chris McIntosh officially welcomed Fickell to Madison Sunday afternoon.

“I am incredibly excited to announce Luke Fickell as our new head football coach and to welcome his entire family to Madison,” McIntosh said. “Luke is one of the top football coaches in the country. He is a proven winner, recruiter and developer of players. Equally as important, he shares our values. Coach Fickell is focused on giving our student-athletes the best opportunities possible and is attuned to the changing landscape of college athletics. I have every confidence that he will respect and honor the foundation that has been set for our football program over the years while embracing the exciting opportunities ahead.”

Fickell returns to the conference where he played in college and also cut his teeth as a coach. He played for Ohio State in the 1990s and later returned to the Buckeyes as a grad assistant in 1999.

From 2002-16, Fickell served in a variety of roles for the Buckeyes, climbing all the way from special teams coordinator and LBs coach to DC and eventually interim head coach. He left Ohio State for Cincinnati in 2017 and captured a pair of AAC Championships with the Bearcats.