Will this week's game against Toledo be a classic letdown game for Michigan? Not likely. A Rockets program considered among the best of the mid-majors just a few years ago has taken a nosedive this year, losing 31-0 to former Michigan assistant Brady Hoke's Ball State team last week.

That came on the heels of a 35-16 home loss to Florida International in which the Rockets led 13-0 but turned the ball over four times.

So head coach Tom Amstutz revised his strategy heading into the Michigan game, pulling out all the stops by … scheduling a weenie roast and movie night. It was a move designed to make the team closer, quarterback Aaron Opelt told the Toledo Blade between sobs, dabbing his eyes when Meg Ryan's character met Tom Hanks' at the top of the Empire State Building.

Amstutz expects the bonding experience will motivate an offense that hasn't scored a point in the last six quarters, having fallen to 10th in the MAC in scoring at 20.5 points a game and last in passing offense (128.5). And if it doesn't? Watch for brownie and book club night before the Rockets resume conference play at Northern Illinois.

Staff picks have been more volatile than the market so far this year … please remember these are for entertainment purposes only (especially Helmholdt, Pargoff, Spath and Borton's). This week's winner receives Motorized Rocket Tops (As Seen on TV - Spinning rocket tops with a Motorized Launcher and In-Flight Booster!) and first row seats behind the home dugout at Wrigley Field for the World Series opener (winner must provide his own portable television set).

This week's picks:

Chris Balas: Is this the week an inconsistent offense puts it all together and breaks 30 points? We don't think so, though it should only take 14 or so to win. Expect the Michigan defense to hold Toledo to approximately 240 yards of offense – 241 on three plays and negative-one on the other 50.

John Borton: Toledo doesn't boast the athletes that Utah, Notre Dame and Illinois put on the field. But rumor has it the Rockets will jump on footballs left unattended and run past whiffed blocks. Soft is as soft does, and it's time for some hard knocks.

Michael Spath: On Saturday, a team with an inconsistent offense, experiencing little success in the past two weeks will take the field. Its defense, struggling to prevent key touchdowns, and special teams are also a mess while its coach finds himself answering questions about job security even though he has a proven track record. It must be tough being a Rocket right now (and you thought I meant Michigan). This weekend won't help.

Josh Helmholdt: I left the securities industry to take this job, but even in this economic climate the market sure makes a lot more sense to me than this season does. I'm 1-4 on the year and have incorrectly picked each of Michigan's three losses.

You can check my score prediction below if you want to, but I don't advise it. Now, if you want a suggestion on a can't miss mid-cap…

Matt Pargoff: How much can you really say about a game against Toledo? Not to take the Rockets lightly -- and this Michigan team certainly can't take any team lightly given the way it has played -- but this shouldn't be close. At least not too close.

I'm looking forward to some sloppy and inconsistent offense, but a pretty solid defensive effort by the Wolverines.