Now the tough decisions will become even more tough for president James Barker, athletic director Terry Don Phillips and whoever else might be responsible for the immediate football future of Clemson University.

Interim head coach Dabo Swinney has been auditioning for the full-time gig since Oct. 18, the first game he coached after Tommy Bowden packed it in following the team’s 3-3 start.

The Tigers fell to Georgia Tech in a mistake-filled game, but Swinney got a pass on his debut. Considering everything the team had gone through leading up to the contest, simply showing up and playing was a moral victory and Swinney took charge as best he could.

He then had an off week to get more accustomed to being “The Guy,” and when Clemson returned to the field Nov. 1 the squad played inspired ball, defeating Boston College on the road.

At that point, this officially became Swinney’s team. The past was the past and the future? It began with the next foe on the schedule, which happened to be Florida State.

Even under ideal circumstances going to Tallahassee and stealing one from the Seminoles is a tall order. Still, Swinney had convinced his charges they could win. Heck, he had them believing they could win out.

No one can quarrel with the effort the Tigers put forth at Doak Campbell Stadium. Swinney’s enthusiasm is contagious, and his team played hard from the time they took the lead to when they lost it and tried desperately to battle back.

But while it might be a game for the players, it’s a business for the coaches — as well as the people responsible for hiring and firing those coaches.

And after three games as head coach Swinney is now 1-2, and unless the Tigers close out the regular season with victories over Duke, Virginia and South Carolina, they are ineligible for bowl consideration.

Does Swinney have to finish 3-3 down the stretch to have a chance for the interim tag to be lifted from his title?

Or has Barker, Phillips and company — who suggested a national search would take place after Bowden turned in his whistle — already decided to start looking at someone who wasn’t on the sidelines Saturday?

I get the impression Swinney has a future as a head coach, and maybe a bright one. Whether Clemson is the program that’ll give him the time and the opportunity to prove it remains to be seen.

Swinney, in my mind, has done a terrific job under difficult circumstances. At the end of the day, though, school officials will be counting wins before counting out how much money to shell out on a multi-year coaching contract.