Florida State has fired coach Willie Taggart, the school announced Sunday.

In a statement, Florida State athletic director David Coburn said the university "had no choice but to make a change."

FSU raised about $20 million in private donations to buy out what was left of Taggart's contract, sources told ESPN's Mark Schlabach.

Under the terms of Taggart's six-year, $30 million contract, FSU's athletic department will owe him 85% of his remaining compensation through Jan. 31, 2024, which is between $17 million and $18 million. The Seminoles also paid Oregon a $3 million buyout when it hired him away from the Ducks in December 2017, as well as the remaining $1.3 million buyout Oregon owed South Florida when it hired him in December 2016.

The Seminoles (4-5, 3-4 ACC) went 9-12 overall under Taggart, who was hired from Oregon before last season to replace Jimbo Fisher, who left the school to take over at Texas A&M. Florida State lost 27-10 to in-state rival Miami on Saturday.

Taggart's first season in Tallahassee finished with the program's streak of 36 bowl appearances coming to an end.

In both seasons under Taggart, FSU significantly underperformed its expected results from the Football Power Index. At the start of 2018, the Seminoles were ranked 18th in FPI; they finished 67th. This season, they were ranked 22nd at the start of the year; they're currently 46th.

Longtime FSU staffer Odell Haggins will serve as interim coach while the school performs what it says will be a national search for a permanent replacement.