Wisconsin has hired Luke Fickell as the school's next football coach, athletic director Chris McIntosh announced Sunday.

Fickell led Cincinnati to the College Football Playoff last season and has gone 57-18 in his six years there. His 2021 Bearcats team went 13-0 before losing to Alabama in the playoff semifinals as the first Group of 5 team to reach the CFP.

The hiring of Fickell marks one of the most eye-opening moves of the college football carousel, Wisconsin luring the country's top Group of 5 coach who brings vast experience in the Big Ten's Midwestern footprint.

"This is a destination job at a program that I have admired from afar for years," Fickell said in a statement. "I am in total alignment with Chris McIntosh's vision for this program. There is a tremendous foundation here that I can't wait to build upon. This world-class university, athletic department and passionately loyal fan base all have a strong commitment to success and I can't wait to be a part of it."

Fickell has strong roots in the Big Ten, as he was a longtime assistant coach and coordinator at Ohio State and played there collegiately. He had been picky about jobs over the years as Cincinnati rose to the top of the Group of 5, being selective about the Midwestern footprint.