Sources: Wisconsin will hire Pitt's Chryst to be new head coach

Pitt head coach Paul Chryst will meet with Wisconsin officials and is expected to become the Badgers' next head coach, sources told FOX Sports' Ross Jones late Thursday night.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel also reported the news, with a source saying, "I thought this would be the scenario from Day 1. He will put together a good staff."

However, Badgers athletic director Barry Alvarez released a statement on Friday that said, "We are continuing the process of finding our new head football coach. We have not offered the position to anyone. In accordance with University of Wisconsin hiring policies, the earliest we could make an offer to a candidate is Wednesday, Dec. 17. Any accepted offer would be contingent upon approval by the UW System Board of Regents."

Chryst was an assistant at Wisconsin for eight seasons, once in 2002 and then again from 2005-11, before taking over the Panthers in 2012. In two of those seasons (2002 and '05), he coached under Alvarez.

Chryst is 19-19 in three seasons at Pitt, finishing 6-6 in each regular season before splitting Bowl games in 2012 and 2013. The Panthers are scheduled to play Houston in the Armed Forces Bowl on Jan. 2.

Gary Andersen left Wisconsin after two seasons earlier this week to take the head job at Oregon State. The Beavers had an opening after longtime coach Mike Riley took the Nebraska head-coaching job.