AUBURN, Alabama –

Gene Chizik

's star-crossed coaching career at Auburn is over.

The university fired him Sunday, AL.com has learned, after Auburn completed its worst season in 60 years Saturday.

Chizik told his assistant coaches Sunday and was to tell his players in a team meeting at 1 p.m.

Auburn finished 3-9 overall and 0-8 in the SEC, its worst conference record ever. Chizik's buyout is $7.5 million on Dec. 1.

Chizik told the assistant coaches he was fired Saturday night after losing to Alabama 49-0.

Athletics Director Jay Jacobs fired all the assistant coaches after Chizik told them of his fate. The assistant coaches were told they could apply for a job with the new head coach.

"I’m extremely disappointed with the way this season turned out and I apologize to the Auburn family and our team for what they have had to endure," Chizik said in a statement.

He added, "When expectations are not met, I understand changes must be made."

Auburn said Chizik and his assistants

in buyouts, though that figure would drop as the coaches get other jobs.

It was a roller-coaster four-year tenure for Chizik, who rode Heisman Trophy winner

Cam Newton

to the BCS national championship in 2010, but saw the success quickly slip away.

.

Chizik was 33-19 overall and 15-17 in SEC play at Auburn. He had only one winning SEC season in four years. The other year was when Auburn won the national title and went 14-0 overall and 8-0 in the conference.

A 63-21

matched the

. Half the stadium was empty by halftime and there were only die-hards left by game's end.

Long-time rival

after racing off to a big halftime lead and then taking it easy, attempting only one pass in the second half.

An already-bad season turned worse late in the year. Texas A&M, Georgia and Alabama outscored Auburn 150-21 in the last three SEC games.

Auburn was not competitive against Georgia or Alabama the last two seasons, being outscored a combined 174-21.

Chizik came to Auburn after a two-year tenure at Iowa State where he went 5-19. But Auburn Athletics Director

Jay Jacobs

knew and liked Chizik from the three years he served as the Tigers' defensive coordinator from 2002-04.

Chizik replaced

Tommy Tuberville

in December 2008.

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