Eric Dahl, a University of Wisconsin student, famously known as "Silo" has joined countless eating competitions to pay his school fees, Yahoo! News reported Saturday.

Computer engineering student Eric Dahl is literally eating his way through college by joining timed eating competitions. He is currently third in the world of competitive eating based on the All Pro Eating rankings list, but he also took the top spot in the past.

According to Yahoo! News, Dahl has earned more than $18,000 in prize money or merchandise out of competing in several timed eating challenges, and he has used the said money to pay for his education.

"I'm eating for my education," Dahl, who began his eating competition career in 2011, said. "It helps me get through."

Eric Dahl said that he was drawn into the competitive eating world when he was at the former Big Red's Steakhouse in Madison in 2011. he confessed that because he didn't want to spend his scarce cash during that time, he decided to sign up for the Steakhouse's challenge, which involves eating a three-pound cheesesteak sandwich in less than 10 minutes.

But the Computer engineering student was determined to skip the bill, so he hurriedly finished the meal in a surprising record of 5 minutes, 5 seconds.

"It just started rolling from there," he said.

The pro eater's first paycheck was handed to him by Dickey's Barbecue Pit in suburban Minneapolis. He earned $250 for gulping a big chunk of nine pulled-pork sandwiches in just six minutes.

Dahl, who is a former high school athlete, said he considered eating competitions a reminiscent of professional wresting because of their challenging, heart-skipping, and fast-paced, over-the-top atmosphere.

"I really get pumped when the crowd starts cheering," Dahl said. "I'm friends with other competitive eaters, but once I'm on stage I don't have any friends."

Eric Dahl, who stands 6-foot-3, spilled that in order for him to maintain his 220-pound weight, he engages into various activities, including: a daily mile walk, weekly weight-lifting routines, and rigorous practices and playoffs in intramural soccer and hockey.

The State Journal reported that the heavy eater takes in no more than 3,100 calories on non-competing days, mostly vegetables to hamper any weight gain on his waistline. Dahl is also reportedly stretching his stomach by eating 10 pounds of cabbage or broccoli in a single sitting followed by a large gulp of water.

The University of Wisconsin student-eater is expected to prove his eating prowess on Saturday at a national pizza-eating contest at Library Mall at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. "Silo" is expected to be $1,000 richer if he won the competition.