The Big 12 Conference has extended the contract of commissioner Dan Beebe for three years through June 2015.

Beebe’s original five-year deal was set to expire in 2012.

The extension Friday comes following a summer when the future of the league was in question after Nebraska and Colorado decided to leave. Beebe was credited with being a steady figure that helped keep the team’s other 10 schools together.

University of Missouri chancellor Brady Deaton, chairman of the league’s board of directors, says Beebe has been “an outstanding leader” during challenging times.

College football

KSU-Prince dispute to go to trial

Manhattan — A lawsuit by Kansas State seeking to invalidate a buyout agreement with former football coach Ron Prince will go to trial.

Riley County District Judge David Stutzman issued a ruling Friday rejecting requests by both sides for summary judgment. Stutzman says the case presents questions that should be decided by a jury.

Prince was fired in November 2008, three months after signing a five-year contract extension.

Kansas State filed suit the following year to void an agreement that called for Prince to be paid $3.2 million in deferred compensation between 2015 and 2020.

The university argues the agreement was made in secret between Prince and then-athletic director Bob Krause and without the knowledge of other Kansas State officers.

ESPN eyes Longhorn Network

Austin, Texas — ESPN says it is pursuing a deal with the University of Texas to distribute the school’s proposed Longhorn Network on cable television.

ESPN spokesman Josh Krulewitz said Friday the network and university are “in discussions” but would not comment on how much the deal would be worth.

Texas has been considering launching its own network for several months, and it was one of the reasons the school chose to stay in the Big 12 rather than accept an offer to join the Pac-10.

Source: Auburn in clear

Auburn, Ala. — Auburn has had “no contact whatsoever” with a man who allegedly tried to secure payment from Mississippi State during the recruitment of Tigers quarterback and Heisman Trophy hopeful Cam Newton, according to a person familiar with the situation.

Newton also said Friday he has done nothing wrong.

College women’s basketball

PG Griffin quits Baylor

Waco, Texas — Baylor point guard Kelli Griffin has quit the second-ranked Lady Bears one week before their season opener.

Griffin had started 50 consecutive games for Baylor, which went to the NCAA Final Four last season. Griffin averaged 6.0 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists a game over her three seasons and is seventh in career assists for the Lady Bears with 362.

NFL

Raiders sell out Chiefs showdown

Alameda, Calif. — The Oakland Raiders have sold out Sunday’s AFC West showdown against Kansas City to avoid a 12th straight local blackout.

The Raiders announced Friday that the game had been sold out. Games normally need to be sold out 72 hours before kickoff to avoid a blackout in a 75-mile radius. The Raiders were granted an extension.

The Raiders had not sold out a game since last season’s prime-time opener against San Diego. Oakland is averaging 41,153 fans a game this season, with a high of more than 48,000 for the home opener against St. Louis.

Two Raiders questionable

Alameda, Calif. — The Oakland Raiders could be without Pro Bowl cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha and leading receiver Zach Miller for Sunday’s AFC West showdown against Kansas City.

Coach Tom Cable said Friday that Asomugha is doubtful due to a sprained right ankle, and Miller is doubtful because of a foot injury. Cable said it will be a game-time decision whether either will play.

NASCAR

Sadler takes Texas pole

Fort Worth, Texas — Elliott Sadler has won his first Sprint Cup pole in more than four years with a dominating run in Texas.

Sadler zipped around the high-banked 11/2-mile track in 195.397 mph Friday, nearly 2 mph better than front-row partner Greg Biffle.

Points leader Jimmie Johnson qualified 17th for the race Sunday. He’s locked in a tight battle for the championship with Denny Hamlin and Kevin Harvick. Harvick is 26th on the starting grid, and Hamlin 30th.

Horse racing

Jockeys fight at Breeders’ Cup

Louisville, Ky. — Jockeys Calvin Borel and Javier Castellano turned the winner’s circle at Churchill Downs into an impromptu boxing ring, trading punches moments after the opening race of the Breeders’ Cup on Friday afternoon.

Borel charged Castellano shortly after the $500,000 Breeders’ Cup Marathon, angry over a dangerous mid-race move that endangered Borel and fellow rider Martin Garcia.

The two jockeys were near the weigh-in station next to the winner’s circle when things grew heated.

The 43-year-old Borel pointed a finger at the 33-year-old Castellano. The 5-foot-1, 110-pound Castellano then took a swing at Borel, four inches taller than his rival. Security officials struggled to separate the two, holding an enraged Borel who urged them to let him go back at Castellano.