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Sussex County Technical School in Sparta is one of 40 Division Finalists in T-Mobile’s 2026 Friday Night 5G Lights competition, and anyone can help the Mustangs move on by voting once a day through Sunday, October 25. Sussex Tech is the only New Jersey school among the 40 finalists, and it is competing in the 10-school East Division for a shot at $250,000 and, after that, a $1 million home field upgrade.
Making the finals has already paid off. According to Sussex Tech’s announcement, the school has earned a $25,000 prize for its football program plus a T-Mobile-hosted Home Game Celebration. Our team is sharing how the vote works so Sussex County families, alumni and neighbors can pitch in before the window closes.
How to Vote for Sussex Tech
Votes are cast online on T-Mobile’s contest site. The school links straight to its own voting page at fn5gl.t-mobile.com/vote/sussex-county-technical-school, and the main Friday Night 5G Lights page lets you pick the East Division and find Sussex County Technical School there.
- You can vote once a day, every day, from October 8 through October 25.
- T-Mobile says you need a valid mobile phone number, and your first online vote is verified by text.
- Vote totals combine daily fan votes with bonus votes that finalists earn through Spirit Week social media challenges.
- Rankings update Monday through Friday, and Spirit Week bonus votes are added every Friday.
Fans can also help by tagging the school’s posts with @TMobile and the hashtags #FN5GL and #Entry, which T-Mobile lists as part of the Spirit Week push.
What Sussex Tech Could Win
T-Mobile split this year’s 40 finalists into four divisions of 10 schools each: West, Midwest, South and East. Sussex Tech’s East Division includes schools from Massachusetts, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia, according to T-Mobile’s October 8 finalist announcement.
- Already won: $25,000 and a T-Mobile-hosted home game, awarded to all 40 finalists.
- Division Champion: the school with the most votes in each division wins $250,000, a Gronk Fitness Gym and “The Big Deal” Student Leadership Award worth $5,000. Sussex Tech says that award would go to one student.
- Grand prize: one school wins $1,000,000 toward a home field upgrade, plus a 2027 field unveiling and tailgate celebration.
Key Dates
The official How to Win timeline lays out the rest of the season:
- October 8 to 25: Division Finalist voting, once per day.
- October 29: four Division Champions announced, one per region, and final-round voting opens.
- October 29 to November 8: final-round voting among the four champions.
- November 12: the $1 million grand prize winner is announced.
T-Mobile says finalists were picked for community impact, need, creativity, school pride, social media participation and overall community engagement, after schools applied between April 9 and September 18.
About Sussex County Technical School
Sussex County Technical School sits at 105 North Church Road in Sparta and serves students from across the county with career and technical programs alongside academics. The Mustangs are the only finalist from New Jersey, so a strong local turnout in the daily vote matters. The school’s main line is (973) 383-6700.
If you are heading to Sparta to cheer on the Mustangs, our guide to where to eat and drink in Sparta covers Lake Mohawk brew pubs and Italian spots nearby, and our things to do in Sussex County this weekend page rounds up more local plans.
Quick Facts
- What: T-Mobile Friday Night 5G Lights, Division Finalist round
- Who: Sussex County Technical School Mustangs, East Division
- Vote: once a day through October 25 at Sussex Tech’s voting page
- Prize on the line: $250,000, a Gronk Fitness Gym and a $5,000 student award, with a path to $1 million
- School: 105 North Church Road, Sparta, NJ 07871
Tip: Set a daily phone reminder for the same time each day through October 25, since one vote per day adds up fastest when the whole family does it together.
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