New Orleans ? Oklahoma State football coach Les Miles will replace Nick Saban at LSU, a source close to the negotiations said Sunday.

The school called a news conference for today, and the source, speaking to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity, said Miles would be introduced then. LSU athletic director Skip Bertman did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

The 51-year-old Miles, who led Oklahoma State to three straight bowl games, emerged as the top candidate Saturday, after Louisville coach Bobby Petrino withdrew from consideration.

The Daily Oklahoman reported on its Web site Sunday that Miles and his wife, Kathy, traveled to Baton Rouge to meet with new LSU chancellor Sean O’Keefe and other school officials.

The LSU job opened when Saban took the head-coaching job with the Miami Dolphins on Dec. 25. The school hoped to complete the search quickly to allow the new coach to get involved with recruiting immediately. The process was delayed because the most prominent candidates were in bowl games or in the NFL.

Arkansas football coach Houston Nutt withdrew from consideration Thursday.

Miles is 28-21 in four seasons with the Cowboys, who had made just one bowl appearance in the 12 seasons before he arrived. Wednesday, Oklahoma State lost, 33-7, to Ohio State in the Alamo Bowl.

Saban had the nation’s richest college football contract, a seven-year, $18.45 million deal he signed after winning a share of the national title in 2003. The school is completing a stadium expansion and a new football operations center.