Kent State coach Darrell Hazell, who led the Golden Flashes to an 11-2 record this season, has accepted the job at Purdue, sources told ESPN.
Hazell will replace Danny Hope, who was fired after compiling a 22-27 record over four years with the Boilermakers.
Hazell, who compiled a 16-9 record in two seasons at Kent State, previously served as Ohio State's wide receivers coach from 2005 to 2010.
The Golden Flashes have a team meeting scheduled for Wednesday morning, sources told ESPN.
Purdue also interviewed Cincinnati's Butch Jones as a possible replacement for Hope, who was fired after going 23-27 in four seasons.
Hazell was named the Mid-American Conference's Coach of the Year after leading the Golden Flashes (11-2, 8-0 MAC) to their first winning season since 2001.
Kent State reached No. 17 in the BCS standings, the best in school history, before losing to Northern Illinois 44-37 in double overtime in the MAC Championship Game.
Kent State will play Arkansas State, whose own head coach, Gus Malzahn, has left for a job at Auburn, in the GoDaddy.com Bowl on Jan. 6 in Mobile, Ala.
Purdue (6-6) will play Oklahoma State in the Heart of Dallas Bowl on New Year's Day.