Gary Andersen out at Wisconsin, headed to Oregon State

Gary Andersen is out at Wisconsin.

Here's the official statement from the Badgers:

MADISON, Wis. -- Gary Andersen informed the Wisconsin football team at a team meeting at 4 p.m. on Wednesday that he was taking the head coaching job at Oregon State University. UW Director of Athletics Barry Alvarez has immediately started a national search for a new head football coach.

"I began working to find a new head coach as soon as I spoke with Gary this morning," Alvarez said. "My first concern is taking care of the players on the current team, especially the senior class, and ensuring that their bowl experience is a memorable one. I will find a head coach to uphold the great tradition at Wisconsin, someone who is committed to excellence both on and off the field.

"I want to thank Gary for his two years here and commend him on the way his team performed on the field, in the classroom and in the community. I wish him the best at Oregon State."

Alvarez will meet with the media at a news conference today beginning at 5:15 p.m. at the Camp Randall Media Room.

"First and foremost I want to thank Coach Alvarez for the opportunity to coach at the University of Wisconsin," Andersen said. "I also want to thank my staff and the people at UW. We worked very hard together and accomplished some great things. I had the opportunity to meet and coach some great young men and I look forward to watching them as they continue their careers and move through life."

Statement from UW-Madison Chancellor Rebecca Blank:

"We wish Gary Andersen well at Oregon State University and thank him for his service to our student-athletes, the campus community and the State of Wisconsin.

"I look forward to working with Barry Alvarez as he selects the next coach of the Wisconsin Badgers."

Oregon State made Andersen's hiring official on Wednesday:

We are excited to announce our new head coach, Gary Andersen. Let’s welcome him to Corvallis! #BeaverNation #GoBeavs pic.twitter.com/k0ly1RLiVY

— Beavers Football (@OSUBeaversFB) December 10, 2014

Andersen will be introduced at Oregon State during a press conference on Friday. He will also be appear at the Beavers' men's basketball game on Saturday, the program announced on Twitter Wednesday night.

The Portland Tribune was the first to report Andersen jumping to Oregon State:

Wisconsin coach Gary Andersen has been selected as the successor to Mike Riley as Oregon State's football coach.

Andersen, head coach of the Badgers for the last two years, was chosen from a group of five finalists.

Andersen, 50, will be introduced at a press conference in Corvallis on Friday afternoon.

The newspaper added that Andersen was to meet with Wisconsin players on Wednesday to inform them of his decision.

Wisconsin begun preparations for the Outback Bowl vs. Auburn this week after losing to Ohio State 59-0 in the Big Ten Championship Game last weekend.

We, like many others, have heard rumblings of supposed "frustration" on the part of Andersen due Wisconsin's assistant coach budgets over the past few weeks, but nothing approaching the magnitude of this rumor that is now floating across the college football internet. We have our eyes and ears to the ground and will bring any more updates right here as soon as we have them.