With their final days in school ticking by, college seniors can be tempted to achieve final acts of glory in their last year on campus.

And Mark Lowney, an Indiana University Media School major from Floyd’s Knobs, is certainly no chicken about it.

This Friday, he plans to eat 25 chicken tenders in the outdoor plaza of the Fine Arts Building — just north of the Showalter Fountain on IU’s flagship Bloomington campus — in front of anyone who will watch.

“There’s a lot of turmoil in today’s society,” Lowney told me in a Twitter interview yesterday. “And I think people can unite around watching some guy eat an excessive amount of chicken.”

Lowney, the latest host of IU Student Television’s primetime program “Not Too Late,” started taping flyers around campus hotspots like Ballantine Hall and the Indiana Memorial Union, inviting the masses to witness some gluttonous glory.

“Watch one man attempt to eat 25 chicken fingers,” the candy-striped flyer of various fried chicken cuts reads. “We’re changing the culture of IU.”

Lowney’s attempt is the latest performative palate pugilism among a handful of high-profile public eating stunts: He and show producer John Carter Krell were originally inspired by “Cheeseball Man,” a hooded, anonymous New York City resident who drew crowds by merely eating a jumbo bin of 700 cheeseballs for the public’s enjoyment. Before that, a Philadelphian named Alexander Tominsky drew fame by stepping out into the Always-Sunny City to eat a rotisserie chicken for 40 consecutive days.

“People love rooting for someone taking on a challenge, even if it’s something silly,” Lowney said. “Eating is something everyone does, it’s very universal. I think that’s why stuff like the Nathan’s Hot Dog eating competition has become so huge.”

Lowney’s competition, however, will simply be himself. He plans to ingest an entire 25-piece “Tailgate” chicken finger combo — including all eight tubs of the fast-casual chain’s signature dipping sauce — no matter how long it takes.

Krell originally dared Lowney to eat an entire bucket of KFC’s famous fried chicken, but Lowney insisted on Raising Cane’s chicken strips — his strong preference to “The Colonel.”

Some quick math on the 25-tender feat: The internet generally lists a Raising Cane’s chicken tender net weight as 40 to 55 grams, packing around 130 calories a serving. Add in 190 calories per tub of sauce, and Lowney is slated to ingest approximately 3.5 pounds and 4,770 calories of chicken.

The platter, which is advertised for a family of 4-6, costs $42.99 at the Kirkwood Avenue location, before tax. Lowney, however, remains undaunted: he plans to eat it all without sides or soda, but a healthy amount of water.

“I’m going to try to do it in no more than an hour, but as long as I can get all 25 down, I’ll consider it a win,” Lowney said.

After his throwing-of-the-gauntlet went viral on Tuesday afternoon, the online narrative about Lowney’s gastronomic feat varied.

“Hate myself for saying this, but…25 fingies ain’t all that many to hoot and holler about, is it?” asked @jskillamilla.

“I do a more sad version of this version in my apartment,” chimed in @itsthebeaves.

Others felt inspired by Lowney’s declaration, or even the spirit attached to his campus flyers.

“When I ask my students to plug events before class, this is the kind of thing I hope to hear about,” added @alexedcarter, a strategic communications professor at Butler University.

“[C]urt Cignetti arrives at Indiana and suddenly Hoosiers across campus are no longer afraid to compete,” wrote Twitter user @RKalland.

“Seen enough,” added @RedditCFB. “Indiana is headed to the [College Football Playoff].”

In any case, Lowney accepts the commentary’s competition. He’s not afraid of being watched, nor challenged, by the public.

“I would love to see them try!” he said. “I’d take them on in a head-to-head competition any day. Anyone who has ever eaten a Caniac Combo knows that 25 tenders is no joke.”

To that end, Lowney admits that Friday’s task is an uphill climb. He says that his previous high-water mark of Cane’s consumerism is possibly 8 chicken tenders — a figure that was muddied by eating fries and or other sides in tow.

“This is the first time I’ve attempted anything like this but I think I can do it,” he said. “I am preparing my body!”

Lowney and his Not Too Late crew will arrive this Friday at the Fine Arts Plaza, ready or not, to film The Chicken Man’s stunt for the hungry masses.

“It was really just about finding something that we thought people would be excited about, he said. “That challenge element was really interesting to us and hopefully to other people.”

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If you go:

Fine Arts Plaza

1201 E. Seventh St.

When: 4 p.m. Friday, October 11

Cost: None

Nearby parking: Indiana Memorial Union, East Parking Garage (150 N. Eagleson Ave.)

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